Cougars close season with walk-off win
Giuseppe Papaccio coaxed a bases-loaded walk to drive in the winning run as the Kane County Cougars closed their season with a 5-4 win over the Peoria Chiefs at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark in Geneva on Monday.
Marco Hernandez, Jeimer Candelario and Rock Shoulders delivered 3 straight singles to load the bases with no outs and the game tied at 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth. Chiefs reliever Dixon Llorens (3-3) struck out Willson Contreras before walking Papaccio on a full count.
Scott Baker made his sixth rehab start with the Cougars (25-44, 55-80). He worked a season-high 52⁄3 innings and allowed 2 runs on 6 hits with four strikeouts and no walks. Rafael Dolis, also making a rehab appearance, faced two batters in the seventh inning before leaving with an apparent injury.
The Chiefs had tied the game with 2 runs in the top of the ninth. Jose Arias issued a walked and gave up a single before Michael Hamann (W, 3-4) replaced him. Jordan Walton smacked an RBI single and Jeremy Schaffer drove in the go-ahead run with a deep sac fly to center off of Hamann.
Nick Martini drilled a 2-run homer in the first to give the Chiefs a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the first, Papaccio (3 hits) had an RBI single. Oliver Zapata tied the game by with a solo homer in the second. In the fifth with Jeimer Candelario at third, Contreras hit an RBI single that put the Cougars ahead 3-2.
The Cougars open their 2014 Midwest League season on the road April 3 at Quad Cities, They make their home debut April 8th when they host the Fort Wayne TinCaps.