Kane County Cougars fall to 8-17 at home

The Bowling Green Hot Rods took their second consecutive game from the Kane County Cougars (26-28) Thursday night with a 7-3 victory at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark. The Cougars are 8-17 at home this season.

After Bowling Green scored a run in the first, the Cougars took their first lead of the series in the second. Stryker Trahan led off with a solo home run (No. 8) that cleared the right-field patio deck to tie the game at 1-1.

With 3 straight singles after the home run, the Cougars found some tough luck with the bases loaded and nobody out. Casey Gillaspie gloved a sharp grounder from Ildemaro Vargas to begin a 3-2-3 double play. Cody Regis didn't allow the entire rally to get wasted as he singled home Henry Castillo for a 2-1 lead.

Bowling Green returned the favor with a game-tying home run as Casey Gillaspie launched a solo shot to begin the fourth inning. The Hot Rods went on a 4-run fourth that assisted by a Cougars error.

Four errors in the game helped the Hot Rods build a 5-run lead by the sixth inning. The Cougars didn't see the scoreboard again until Colin Bray singled home Stryker Trahan in the eighth.

Brad Keller (2-6) suffered the loss, allowing only 1 earned run through 5 innings.

Enderson Franco (4-4) allowed 8 Cougars hits in the first two innings but retired the final 10 batters he faced for the win.

The Cougars will try to salvage a win against the Hot Rods on Friday. Markus Solbach (4-2, 2.43) closes the series for the Cougars against Bowling Green's Brent Honeywell (4-3, 2.81). First pitch from Fifth Third Bank Ballpark is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.