Cougars lose their sixth straight game

Timely hitting has been key for the Sioux City Explorers (17-10) all series long as took Game 3 from the Kane County Cougars (10-16) with a 2-1 win Wednesday night at Northwestern Medicine Field.

For the second straight night, the Cougars took the first lead in the first inning. With Anfernee Seymour at third, Jeffrey Baez scalded a low liner to shortstop that Chris Clare stopped on a dive and turned into an RBI groundout. For the second straight night, it was the only time the Cougars found the scoreboard.

A pitcher's duel ensued after as Scott Harkin (0-2) and Patrick Ledet (3-0) went back and forth for the next four innings. Sioux City didn't get on the board until Mitch Ghelfi's RBI double off of Harkin with two outs in the 5th. Harkin was one out away from keeping the game tied in the 7th, and in a way he got the final out. With runners at the corners and two outs, Harkin got Ghelfi to chase a low pitch that got through catcher Jack Surkin's legs and allowed Ghelfi to reach on a dropped third strike. DJ Poteet came home to score the deciding run 2-1.

Harkin suffered a tough luck loss despite seven innings of five-hit, two-run baseball. He also set a season-high with nine strikeouts. Ledet finished off the ballgame working his first complete game of the season.

Now the Cougars look to avoid the sweep in Thursday's series finale.