Vogelbach’s single in 10th lifts Cougars

Dan Vogelbach’s bases-loaded single in the bottom of the 10th inning provided the Kane County Cougars with their second consecutive victory as they downed the Lansing Lugnuts 6-5 on Sunday at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark.

Reggie Golden sparked the Cougars (37-57, 7-21) in the bottom of the 10th with a double into the left-field corner. Golden advanced to third when Oliver Zapata singled to left before Gioskar Amaya walked to fill the bases with no outs.

Albert Almora struck out against Ian Kadish (3-3), but Vogelbach came through with a bouncing ball up the middle to score Golden with the winning run.

Lansing (40-58, 8-21) had the first lead as Dwight Smith Jr. doubled home Dalton Pompey in the top of the first against Tayler Scott. Scott was taken off the hook immediately as the Cougars countered with 2 runs in the bottom half.

Almora tripled home Amaya and scored on a Vogelbach single to give the Cougars a 2-1 lead.

Golden’s solo home run in the second put the Cougars up by 2, but Scott coughed up an unearned run in the fifth and another run in the sixth inning, allowing the Lugnuts to tie the game.

Matt Iannazzo relieved Scott in the seventh and surrendered a pair of runs with Smith’s RBI triple putting Lansing on top. Smith then scored on a double by Kevin Patterson.

Efrain Nieves didn’t hang on to the lead for long as he coughed consecutive doubles to Jeimer Candelario and Rock Shoulders, beginning the bottom of the seventh. Shoulders scored the tying run on a Carlos Escobar sacrifice fly.

Armano Rivero worked through the eighth out of the Cougars’ bullpen before Michael Hamann (1-0) tossed 2 scoreless innings to keep the contest tied.

The Cougars and the Lugnuts play the finale of their three-game series Monday at 6:30 p.m. at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark. Right-hander Juan Carlos Paniagua (0-1) starts for the Cougars against fellow righty Taylor Cole (4-9).