It took nearly three and a half hours of fun to complete, but unfortunatly it wasnt finished the way all of us Cougar fans would've liked for it to have been.
The Cougars lost again, this is the fourth in a row, this time to the West Michigan Whitecaps 3-2 in 12 innings.
The pitching was pretty good for the Cougars. Craig Italiano pitched his longest outing of the season and pitched well. He went six innings, giving up three hits and two unearned runs. He walked two and struck out five, he threw 80 pitches.
The only runs the Caps would score off of Italiano would be because of errors, even worse those two runs scored, started off as Italiano's only two walks of the game. Those walks and two out of the three errors in the game came back to bite the Cougars in the end.
In the third inning, Jeramy Laster led off with a walk. he then stole second and moved to third on a throwing error by catcher Anthony Recker. Italiano then got Rafael Mendez on strikes. William Rhymes popped one up in shallow left. Short stop Justin Sellers made a over the shoulder catch of the ball. As he tried to plant his foot to throw the ball in he slipped, which allowed Laster to tag up from third and score on the sacrifice pop up. The other run the Caps scored off of Italiano came in the sixth inning. Mendez led off with a walk. The sun according to our wonderful? radio guy, Jeff Hemm was really badly in the eyes of first baseman Steve Kleen. Kleen almost never saw the pick off throw from Italiano, it would get by him and allow Mendez to get to third. Rhynes then blooped one down the right field line to drive home Mendez. Rhymes then stole second with nobody out. Italiano would then be able to get Michael Holliman to fly to center. Cameron Maybin struck out. Ryan Roberson then flew to right to end the inning.
The Cougars would have their chances to score runs throughout the game, but just could never get going. In the second inning, Jeff Baisley led off with a walk. Jose Pineda then grounded into a double play. In the fifth inning with two outs, Anthony Recker would reach on an infield single, and get to second on the bad throw from the shortstop. He would be stranded on second, after Sellers lined to left to end the inning. In the sixth inning with one out, Wes Long walked. Steve Kleen then singled down then left field line. First and second with one out, Long tried to steal third, and would be out. Kleen made it to second on the play, but now there are two outs. Jeff Baisley then flew to right to end the inning. In the seventh inning Pineda reached on a droped third strike. Jeff Bieker then grounded into a double play.
The Cougars were able to score two runs in the game, In the third inning, Frank Martinez led off with a single to center. Recker then followed with a single to left. Sellers grounded out to second, runners on second and third with now one out. Nick Blasi lined one to right, Martinez tagged up and scored. In the ninth inning with one out, Kleen singled to center, he would then move up on a wild pitch. Baisley walked. Pineda then singled to right center to score Kleen to tie the game at two. Both runners would move up on the throw home, Baisley to third and Pineda to second with one out. Bieker walked to load the bases. Martinez would then flew out to left. Baisley went half way down the line, and the Caps almost caught him off of third. Raul Padron then came on to pitch hit for Recker, he would ground out to first to end the inning and strand the bases loaded.
In extra frames the Cougars had a runner on in each of the innings. In the tenth with two outs, Long singled to right. Kleen then flew to center. In the eleventh with two outs, Bieker singled to right center. Andre Piper-Jordan then came on to pitch run for him. Martinez ended the inning with a strike out. In the twelveth inning with two outs, Blasi then reached on an error by the short stop. Long then popped out to right to end the inning.
The Cougar bullpen did a nice job once again. Ron Madej came in to relieve Italiano in the seventh, he was a little shakey, but the rest of the bullpen helped out and they didnt give up a run. With one out, Matt Joyce walked, Madej then threw a wild pitch to allow Joyce to get to second, Dusty Ryan then struck out. Two outs, they then bring in John Herrera. Herrera throws three pitches and comes out of the game, with an apparent injury to his right leg. The last of those pitches is a wild pitch, which moves Joyce to third. Brad Kilby comes in and finishes off the walk to Laster. First and third Two outs. Kilby would get Mendez to ground into a force play to end the inning. Third baseman Jeff Baisley made a great play, to be able to get the ball, then throw it in time to second to get Laster out on the force.
In the eighth inning, with two outs, Kilby walks Maybin. He then got Roberson to strike out to end the inning. After that walk the combo of Kilby and Steve Sharpe retire the next seven in a row, including four by strike out. Sharpe would face Holliman to lead off the eleventh. Holliman reached base on an error by second baseman Frank Martinez. The throw was wide and Kleen couldn't keep his foot on the base. Maybin then moved Holliman to second with a ground out. Roberson flew to right for the second out. Holliman tagged up and moved to third on the play. Sharpe then was able to get Justin Justice to ground out to end the inning.
Joe Piekarz came in for the twelveth inning. Laster led off with a walk. Mendez then doubled to right to score Laster to give the Caps the win. On the ball that Mendez hit, it was a little flare near the line in right. Piper-Jordan almost got there, the ball was really close to the line. Cougar manager Aaron Nieckula argued it was foul, but to no advail. The ball got past Jordan which is ment the run scored with no contest.
White Caps
| Name |
POS |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
| Will Rhymes |
2B |
4 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
| Michael Hollimon |
SS |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Cameron Maybin |
CF |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Ryan Roberson |
1B |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Justin Justice |
LF |
5 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Matt Joyce |
DH |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Dusty Ryan |
C |
5 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| Jeramy Laster |
RF |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Rafael Mendez |
3B |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
E-Martinez, Recker, Holliman, LOB KC-9, WM-6, RLISP KC-5, WM-3, 2B-Ryan, SACF-Blasi, Rhymes, SB-Kleen, Rhymes, Laster, CS-Long, Justice, DP-Pineda (Averill)(4-6-3), Bieker (Averill)(6-4-3)
| Kane County |
|
|
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
2 |
8 |
3 |
| West Michigan |
|
|
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
3 |
4 |
2 |
White Caps
| Name |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
Decison |
WP |
BK |
HB |
AB |
BF |
GB |
FB |
NP |
S |
| Erik Averill |
7 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
ND |
1 |
0 |
0 |
22 |
25 |
7 |
9 |
88 |
55 |
| Anthony Claggett |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
ND |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
9 |
7 |
| Orlando Perdomo |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
ND |
1 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
7 |
2 |
1 |
25 |
12 |
| Matt Rusch |
3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
W (2-2) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
12 |
12 |
2 |
4 |
43 |
28 |
SO-Blasi, Long, Pineda, Martinez 2, Holliman, Maybin, Roberson, Joyce, Ryan, Laster 2, Mendez 2, Kc-Blasi, Holliman, Ryan, Padron, BB-Long, Baisley 2, Bieker, Joyce, Laster, Mendez
A-1,200
T-3:22
Notes-According to the Cougars, top prospect Jared Landsford will be pitching for the Cougars this weekend, when the Cougars come home. He is with the team currently.
Alumni-According to USA Today's transactions J.R. Pickens was traded from Quebec of the Can-Am League to Coastal Bend of the American Association.
More Notes-Yes the Cougars remain in first place by a game over Beloit and Cedar Rapids. Beloit won and Cedar Rapids lost today.
Random B.S.-Well it's Chicagoland in the spring when you get 40's outside and snow/hail in late April. Oh well what else is new.
Websites
Voice of A Season Ticket Holder
http://malamut.net
Believe it or not, on the website I am only eight games behind on the stats for this year. See I told you all I would be keeping up better this year than last. At least so far i'm not three months behhind like last year.
Minor League Database
http://malamut.net/minorshome.html
Thanks
David Malamut