Silverio, Hernandez homer in Cougars victory
APPLETON, WI. - On the backs of Luis Silverio's multi-home run performance, the Kane County Cougars (33-27) snapped a three-game losing skid with an impressive 7-3 victory over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (26-33). Silverio's two homers came in the first two innings and helped the Cougars scored five runs in that time frame. Ramon Hernandez also belted a home run in the Cougars win.
Like lighting, the Cougars surged out of the gate with a solo home run from Silverio. Instantly putting righty David Burkhalter (0-3) on the ropes, it was the first leadoff homer for the Cougars since Paxton De La Ga Garza did it on May 16th at Beloit.
In the second, the Cougars poured it on with four more runs. Hernandez began with a single, and Jose Herrera's double put two in scoring position. The line kept moving as Manny Jefferson added an RBI base hit. And then Billy Endris' sac-fly plated the team's third run. With Jefferson still on the bases, Silverio knocked his second homer of the game. Silverio had only one home run all season prior to tonight.
Staring at a 5-0 deficit, the Wisconsin comeback came a little earlier than anticipated. In his first start since 2013, right-hander Sam Lewis (REC) allowed 3 runs in the second after a perfect first inning. The damage was exacted throughout the Timber Rattlers lineup with RBI from Demi Orimoloye, Gilbert Lara, and Joantgel Segovia.
A critical juncture of the game came in the home half of the sixth. With righty Jake Winston (1-1) on the mound, the Timber Rattlers managed to put runners on first and second with just one out. In came winning southpaw Colin Poche (1-0) who struck out Trevor Morrison and Lara to evade the threat.
The Cougars third home run of the night in the seventh certainly didn't hurt either. With two outs in the top of the seventh, Hernandez ripped his second homer of the season, a two-run shot, as the Cougars went up 7-3.
Credit to this Cougars bullpen. Winston, Poche, and righty Tommy Eveld (1-0) teamed up to go 5⅔ innings and totaled 9 strikeouts on just 2 hits allowed.