Wild finish to Cougars’ 10th-inning win

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Kane County Cougars rallied for 2 runs in the top of the eighth and later scored 2 runs in the top of the 10th to pull out a 4-3 victory over the Cedar Rapids Kernels on Saturday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The game-winning runs scored on a wild pitch in the 10th, and the Cougars held on to take the opener of a three-game set and keep a 3-game lead over Clinton in the Western Division.

Down 2-0 in the top of the eighth, Brian Fletcher drilled a two-out double to left to score Angel Franco and Geulin Beltre to make it 2-2.

Then in the 10th, the Cougars loaded the bases against Beau Brooks (0-1) with no outs, and Manny Correa came in for the Kernels. With Brett Eibner at the plate, Correa uncorked a wild pitch that catcher Francis Larson could not find. Jovan Pickett and Franco both scampered home to give the Cougars their first lead of the night.

Chase Boruff yielded 1 run in the bottom of the 10th before striking out Larson to end the 3-hour, 26-minute affair.

The Cougars’ Jason Mitchell (2-0) ended up with the win after he turned in 4⅔ innings of shutout relief. The Cougars began the season 0-6 against the Kernels but have won five of the last seven meetings.