The Cougars would need a come back in the ninth inning to be able to get the win and the series against Cedar Rapids to open the season.
In the begining of the game and the Cougars looked very sloppy, they had their chances to score some runs in the second, third and fifth innings but just couldn't get the much needed hit.
The Kernels started off the scoring in the third inning. Josh LeBlanc tripled down the right field line to lead things off. Nate Sutton grounded out to short, LeBlanc would score. One out later, Sean Rodriguez walked, then moved to second on a wild pitch. On a pickoff play at second base, nobody covered second base, and the ball went into centerfield. Rodriguez would move on to third on the error. Ben Johnson struck out to end the inning.
Cedar Rapids scored again in the fourth inning with two runs. With two outs, Michael Collins singled to center. Billy Boyer would reach on an infield single to short. LeBlanc then grounded one to first. First baseman Tommy Everidge took the ball and threw home, the throw would be offline, and Collins would score on the grounder, and Boyer would score on the error.
The Cougars didnt get their first hit untill the seventh inning. In the sevneth inning though they would get four hits and four runs. With one out Gregorio Petit singled to right. Nicholas Blasi then executed a hit and run play with a single to center. Petit would make it over to third. A wild pitch would move Blasi over to second, Petit stayed at third. Two pitches later, Lennyn Morillo threw another wild pitch. This time Petit would score and Blasi went over to third. Ryan Ruiz walked. The Kernels then made a pitching change. Kevin Melillo then hit a double down the left field line to score Blasi. One out later, Leslie then bounced one over the infielders head for a double down the left field line to score both Ruiz and Melillo.
LeBlanc led off the seventh with a single to right, he would then move to second on an erant pickoff attempt by Ryan Webb. Sutton then nubbed one to third, Everidge would drop the throw from third baseman Myron Leslie, it would be called a hit. Freddy Sandoval hit one off of the top of the wall in left to score LeBlanc. All of that was with nobody out. Webb calmed down a struck out Rodriguez. Johnson and Clfton Remole would pop out to third to end the inning.
The Cougars bats came alive in the ninth inning. Melillo would lead off the inning with a solo shot to right. Two outs later, Kory Wayment got his first hit of the season, a single to right. Raul Padron single just past the infielders to right. Chris Tritle then singled to right to score Wayment to put the Cougars up two runs.
Kane County had so many chances to score runs early in the game, they walked seven times before they ever got their first hit. Leslie led off the second with a walk. An erant pickoff throw would allow him to get into second. Wayment popped up to right. Travis Chapman then popped up to left. With two outs, Tritle walked. Petit struck out to end the inning.
Another chance in the third inning for the Cougars. Blasi led off the inning with a walk. Ryan Ruiz popped up to center for the first out. Melillo then grounded out to first. Everidge would then strike out. The Cougars had a great chance to score in the fifth inning. Tritle led off the inning with a walk. One out later, Tritle stole second on the second pitch to Blasi. One pitch later, Tritle would get to third on a wild pitch. On that wild pitch, it would be ball four. On the third pitch to Ruiz, Blasi stole second. Ruiz would strike out for the second out. Melillo walked, to load the bases with two outs. Everidge popped up to center.
With the score tied in at four in the eighth inning the Cougars had a chance to take the lead. Chapman led off with a double to center. Chalon Tietje then pitch ran for him. Tritle was caught looking. Petit singled to right to get Tietje to third. First and third with one out. Blasi struck out for the second out. Ruiz would then fly out to left to end the inning.
Bill Layman started for the Kernels and had a no hitter for four innings before he was taken out. The thing that got him was four walks. After he was gone the Cougars were able to get to them. Scott Drucker did a nice job of closing the game out for his second save of the year.
Josh LeBlanc had four hits and scored twice. Blasi was on base three out of the five times he was up to bat. He had two walks, and scored a run. Melillo reached base four times, he had two walks, a double and the homer. He drove in two runs.
Cougars
| Name |
POS |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
| Nicholas Blasi |
LF |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| Ryan Ruiz |
2B |
4 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Kevin Melillo |
DH |
3 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
| Tommy Everidge |
1B |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Myron Leslie |
3B |
4 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
| Wes Long |
3B |
| Kory Wayment |
RF |
5 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| Travis Chapman |
C |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Chalon Tietje |
PR |
| Raul Padron |
C |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Chris Tritle |
CF |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| Gregorio Petit |
SS |
5 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
Kernels
| Name |
POS |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
| Nate Sutton |
2B |
5 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| Freddy Sandoval |
3B |
5 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
| Sean Rodriguez |
CF |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Ben Johnson |
C |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Clifton Remole |
LF |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Warner Madrigal |
RF |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Michael Collins |
1B |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
| Billy Boyer |
SS |
4 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| Josh LeBlanc |
DH |
4 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
E-Leslie, Sharpe, Everidge, Webb, Layman, LOB-Cougars-12, Kernels-7, RLISP-Cougars-8, Kernels-5, 2B-Melillo, Leslie, Chapman, 3B-LeBlanc, HR-Melillo (Stanton), RBI-Melillo 2, Leslie 2, Tritle, Sutton, Sandoval, SB-Blasi, Melillo, Tritle, Collins, DP-Sandoval (4-6-3), Rodriguez (1-4-3)
| Kane County |
|
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
4 |
0 |
2 |
|
|
6 |
10 |
4 |
| Cedar Rapids |
|
|
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
4 |
11 |
1 |
Cougars
| Name |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
Decison |
WP |
BK |
HB |
AB |
BF |
GB |
FB |
NP |
S |
| Steve Sharpe |
5 |
6 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
6 |
ND |
1 |
0 |
1 |
20 |
22 |
7 |
1 |
64 |
43 |
| Ryan Webb |
3 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
W (1-0) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
13 |
13 |
2 |
3 |
33 |
25 |
| Scott Drucker |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
SV (2) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
7 |
6 |
Kernels
| Name |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
Decison |
WP |
BK |
HB |
AB |
BF |
GB |
FB |
NP |
S |
| Bill Layman |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
3 |
ND |
0 |
0 |
0 |
12 |
16 |
2 |
7 |
68 |
32 |
| Lennyn Morillo |
2.1+3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
ND |
2 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
13 |
0 |
5 |
59 |
24 |
| Jesse Smith |
1+1 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
ND |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
7 |
1 |
0 |
20 |
16 |
| Frederic DeLoizaga-Carey |
0.2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
ND |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
8 |
7 |
| T.J. Stanton |
1 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
L (0-1) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
7 |
1 |
2 |
35 |
25 |
HB-Collins (Sharpe), SO-Blasi, Ruiz, Everidge 2, Leslie, Petit, Sutton 2, Sandoval, Rodriguez, Johnson, Madrigal 3, Boyer, Kc-Ruiz, Tritle, Boyer 2, BB-Blasi 2, Ruiz, Melillo 2, Leslie, Tritle 2, Rodriguez
Alumni Report:
Hector Almonte @BUF-1.2 IP, 2 K
Chip Ambres @IND-PH, 0-1, BB, K
Dennis Anderson @HUN-C, 1-3, 2B, R, RBI
Luke Appert @MOD-2B, 1-3, K
Jon Asahina @WIC-6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, K, W(1-0)
Jeff Bailey @IND-PH, 0-1
Josh Beckett WAS-9 IP, 5 H, BB, 11 K, W(2-0), 1-4, R, K
Dave Berg @IND-1B, 1-3, RBI, 2 BB, K
Steve Bondurant FRS-5 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, HR(Hart), HB
Miguel Cabrera WAS-LF, 1-4, R, RBI, K
Luis Castillo WAS-2B, 0-4
Kevin Cave PB-IP, 3 H, 2 R, ER, HR(Dryer)
Brant Colamarino FRS-1B, 3-4, 2 2B, 2 R, RBI, BB
Nelson Cruz @CAR-RF, 0-4, HBP, 2 K
Will Cunnane @ALB-IP, H, BB, K
Vic Darensbourg @DUR-IP, BB, 2 K, SV(2)
Chris Dunwell @MOD-2 IP, 3 H, R, ER, BB, 2 K
Matt Erickson NO-PH, 1-1, R
Andre Ethier FRS-CF, 2-5, HR(1)(Thompson), 2 R, 2 RBI, K
Francis Gomez @MOD-SS, 0-3, 2 K
-------------------SS, 0-3, E
Alex Gonzalez WAS-SS, 1-4, K
Brandon Harper @DUR-C, 3-5, 2 2B, RBI, K
Jimmy Haynes TOL-1.2 IP, 3 H, WP
Kevin Hooper @DUR-2B, 1-4, 2 RBI, BB
Mark Kotsay @TB-CF, 1-4, IBB, R
Leonard Landeros FRS-IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, HR(Smith)
Pat Magness FRD-LF, 1-4, R, K
Dustin Majewski @MOD-CF, 0-3, K
Tom Martin NYM-0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, HR(Floyd)
Scott McClain @ALB-1B, 0-4
Tim McClaskey @SA-6 IP, 6 H, R, ER, 2 BB, 4 K, L(0-1)
John McCurdy @MOD-3B, 1-3, R
------------------3B, 0-2, BB, K
Brian Meadows @SD-0.2 IP, H
Randy Messenger IA-2 IP, 2 K, W(1-0)
Kevin Millar @TOR-1B, 0-4, K
Angel Molina PB-RF, 0-5, BB, 2 K
Drew Niles HUN-3B, 0-2, BB
Matt Padgett IA-RF, 3-3, BB
Trent Peterson @MOD-3 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, L(0-1), HB, E
J.R. Pickens @MOD-3.1 IP, 2 H, 3 K
Scott Podsednik @MIN-PH, 0-1
Dan Putnam @MOD-LF, 0-3, K
----------------LF, 1-3, RBI
Julio Ramirez TAC-CF, 1-4, CS, 2 K
Edgar Renteria @TOR-SS, 1-5, 2 K
Rich Robnett @MOD-RF, 1-3, RBI, K
------------------RF, 0-4
Will Smith @MID-RF, 1-4, HR(1)(Landeros), 3 RBI, R, SACF, K
Vasili Spanos @MOD-1B, 1-3
-------------------1B, 0-2, BB
Brian Stavisky FRS-LF, 2-5, 2 RBI, K
Jason Stokes IA-1B, 1-4, HR(2)(J.Anderson), R, RBI, 2 K
Michael Tejera @MEM-0.2 IP, H, R, ER, HR(Schumacker)
Matt Treanor WAS-C, 1-2
Luis Ugueto @RR-2B, 0-4
Derek Wathan IA-2B, 0-4
Josh Wilson IA-SS, 0-2, 2 BB, SB
This Day In Cougars History
1992, Rockford scores two runs after two were out in the top of the 11th inning. Rockford had come back to tie the score with runs in the eighth and ninth. Ihosvany Marquez took the loss for the Cougars.
1994, Kelly Wunsch and the Beloit Snappers spoil the Cougars home opener with a 6-2 victory. Marc Valdez throws six innings of two hit ball. The bullpen gives up six runs to lose the game.
1997, The Cougars score 17 runs on 22 hits in a victory over the Beloit Snappers
1998, Rick Ankiel makes pro debut in season opener at Kane County. 5 IP, 1 H, 3 BB, 6 K, W
2001, Marc Sauer, at Wisconsin, 6 IP, 1 H, 3 K, W
Birthdays
Doug Petit, P (93)-70
Shawn O'Connell, P (92)-71
Andre Ethier, OF (03)-82
Book
Kane County Cougars
In bookstores May 9th, go to my website and click on the bookcover link to preorder.
Websites
Voice of A Season Ticket Holder
http://malamut.net
Malamut Sportscards
http://members.core.com/~malshere
Thanks
David Malamut