Cougars get first extra-innings win
LANSING, MI. - Winning in extra-innings, 3-2, for the first time this season, the Kane County Cougars (10-19, 43-56) staved off the host Lansing Lugnuts (16-13, 52-47) as Austin Byler tripled and scored in the 11th inning for the go-ahead tally. It was the first win in four attempts for the Cougars on the road stand and their sixth straight against Lansing dating back to 2014.
The Cougars pounded out a season high 17 hits, but also posted a season most 15 left on base. Despite failing to capitalize on their bevy of hits in several innings, a strong start from Jose Almonte (0-2) was matched by 6 shutout bullpen innings for a trio of Cougar hurlers to keep the Lugnuts offense at bay.
For the second time in a row, the Cougars scored in the first inning to take a 1-0 advantage. Against Lansing's right-handed starter, Justin Maese (0-0), the Cougars ripped three hits in the opening inning with an RBI knock from Byler. Raymel Flores scored the run, the only Cougar to score the last two games.
The Lugnuts' quick retort against the Cougars right-hander Almonte occurred in the third inning. Andrew Guillottee bashed his third home run of 2016 to left field. And the go-ahead run scored when Juan Kelly hit a long double allowing Max Pentecost to score. Kelly was thrown out at third but the Lugnuts claimed a 2-1 lead after the third.
That score held until the top half of the seventh when Joey Armstrong's doubled tied up the game. Against new bullpen arm, lefty Kirby Snead, Armstrong's sixth two-bagger of the campaign sent Frank Christy home. Since re-joining the Cougars on July 5th, Armstrong has raised his Midwest League batting average from .261 to .306.
In the ninth inning, the Cougars put two men on base threatening to score the go-ahead run, but failed to capitalize. In the top of the 11th, the Cougars scored for the first time in five tries in extra innings. Byler slugged his third triple of the season, and scored on a sacrifice-fly RBI from Matt Railey to give the Cougars their second lead of the evening.
In the bottom of the 11th, the Lugnuts did not go quietly. After a single from Kelly, Justin Atkinson's double put two men in scoring position. The Cougars kept lefty Hector Hernandez (1-0) in the ball game and he forced a ground to keep the runners put. That's when Manager Mike Benjamin called on Keegan Long (6) for the final out. Long got it done earning the save as Armstrong made a running catch to secure the victory.
Hernandez earned his first win of the season, right-hander Ryan Cook (1-6) took the loss for Lansing, and Long the save.