Cougars outlasted in extras
The Kane County Cougars (46-49, 11-15) lost an 11-inning game, 8-5, against the West Michigan Whitecaps (48-48, 12-14) on Wednesday night at Northwestern Medicine Field.
The Whitecaps found the scoreboard for the first time in the second inning. Colby Bortles singled and Joey Morgan walked to put runners at first and second with no one out. With one away, Dylan Rosa belted a three-run homer to left to make it 3-0 West Michigan.
The Cougars rebounded in the home half of the second. Back-to-back singled by Ernie De La Trinidad and Yan Sanchez started the frame. After a balk moved the runners to second and third, Ryan Grotjohn bounced out to second base, driving in the Cougars' first run. With two outs, Jose Herrera pulled the Cougars to within a run on an RBI single.
Neither team scored again until the seventh inning. The lead-off man in the bottom of the seventh was Ryan Grotjohn. He flew a ball to left field that was lost in the lights by West Michigan's Dylan Rosa. Grotjohn advanced to third for a triple and came in to score when the throw to the infield escaped down the first base line.
In the top of the tenth, Jordan Pearce doubled home Brock Deatherage to make it 4-3 Whitecaps. West Michigan threatened to add on with runners at second and third and no one out. However, Colby Bortles fouled out to first and Joey Morgan was intentionally walked, setting up an inning-ending 5-3 double play off the bat of Anthony Pereira.
The Cougars fought back to tie the game in the bottom half. With the automatic runner at second base, Luis Silverio collected an infield single and the throw from shortstop led to an error on first baseman Jordan Pearce, scoring Jose Herrera to tie the game, 4-4.
West Michigan took control of the game in the top of the eleventh. Deatherage put the Whitecaps in front with a bases-clearing double. Pearce followed with an RBI single, pushing the West Michigan advantage to 8-4. The Cougars scratched across a run in the eleventh on Ernie De La Trinidad's RBI ground out.
Kyler Stout (0-2) took the loss for the Cougars, allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Starter Jayson McKinley took no-decision, surrendering three runs in five innings. Abraham Almonte and Erbert Gonzalez teamed up for two scoreless inning apiece. Rafael Pujols retired the only batter he faced in the eleventh inning.
Clate Schmidt (7-2) took home the win for West Michigan, hurling 4.1 innings, yielding two runs (one earned) on six hits. Starter Elvin Rodriguez did not factor into the decision, allowing two runs over 5.2 innings. Johan Belisario recorded the final three outs of the night.
The Cougars and Whitecaps play game two of the three-game set on Thursday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday is "Ferris Bueller Night" with the first 1,500 fans receiving a "Save Ferris" T-shirt.