Some days are just not your day and others just dont go as planned. The Cougars got beat in game two of the series against the Fort Wayne Wizards.
The big story of the game was the Wizards starter Brian Whitaker. He pitched very well. He went into the seventh inning, giving up only four hits and one run. Whitaker didnt walk anyone and struck out two.
The Wizards pen did a nice job also. Eudy Morel and Dale Thayer came in and combined for an inning and a third. The only thing that they gave up was that Thayer walked two. Combined they also struck out five. Thayer struck out the side in the ninth to get the save.
The Wizards just kept on scoring in the game one run in the second, third, fourth and fifth. That would be all that they would need.
Bill Murphy started for the Cougars and lasted through six tough innings. He gave up season highs with nine hits and four runs. He also walked one and struck out seven. In three of his innings the lead off man would get a hit and would eventually come around to score.
Shawn Kohn came in for relief of Murphy and did a nice job. He pitched the final two innings, giving up nohting and striking out one.
Fort Wayne would score their first run in the second inning. Steve Shirey lead off with a double to center. Steve Baker then singled to right. On the play because of a great throw by right fielder Nelson Cruz, the Wizards had to hold Shirley at third. Doc Brooks then would hit a fly to right, on the play Shirley would score. Eddie Serrano then walked to get runners on first and second with only one out. Luis Cruz popped out to third for the second out. Omar Falcon then struck out to end the inning.
The Wizards scored again in the third inning. Kenard Jones started the inning off with a strike out. Brian Burgamy then doubled to right. L.J. Biernbaum singled to center to score Burgamy. Steve Shirley popped out to second. Steve Baker would single to left to get Biernbaum to second. Doc Brooks end the inning by striking out.
The bad news continued for the Cougars as the Wizards scored another single run in the fourth. Eddie Serrano lead off with a single to third. On the play third baseman Kory Wayment had the ball go right past him on a bad hop. Luis Cruz then lined to right for the first out. Omar Falcon popped to right for the second out. Kenard Jones doubled to left to score Serrano to give the Wizards a three run lead.
L.J. Biernbaum lead off the fifth by hitting a solo shot to right field to give the Wizards a four run lead. After the homer, Steve Shirley popped out to short. Steve Baker then doubled off the glove of Cruz in right. The ball then hit the wall, and bounced back towards him. Baker would get to second on the hit. He then stole third base. Doc Brooks and Eddie Serrano then both struck out for the last two outs of the inning.
The Cougars were able to avoid the shutout in the seventh inning. With one out Brant Colamarino hit a solo shot to dead center for his fourth of the year. After the homer Nelson Cruz fouled out to left. John Suomi singled to right. Jason Basil then grounded one to third. The thirdbase man tried to get the force at second, but Suomi beat the throw so every one was safe. After that the Wizards made a pitching change to bring in Eudy Morel. Morel then struck out Brian Stavisky to end the threat.
Cougars
| Name |
POS |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
| Kory Wayment |
3B |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| John McCurdy |
SS |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Brant Colamarino |
1B |
4 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| Nelson Cruz |
RF |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| John Suomi |
C |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Jason Basil |
LF |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Brian Stavisky |
DH |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Francis Gomez |
2B |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Marcus McBeth |
CF |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Wizards
| Name |
POS |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
| Kenard Jones |
CF |
4 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| Brian Burgamy |
2B |
4 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| L.J. Biernbaum |
LF |
4 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
| Steve Shirley |
1B |
4 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| Steve Baker |
RF |
4 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
| Doc Brooks |
DH |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Eddie Serrano |
3B |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| Luis Cruz |
SS |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Omar Falcon |
C |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
E-Wayment (3), Cruz, LOB-Cougars-4, Wizards-6, RLISP-Cougars-2, Wizards-3, 2B-Jones, Burgamy, Shirley, Baker, HR-Colamarino (4)(Whittaker)(7th, solo), Beirnbaum (Murphy)(5th, solo), RBI-Colamarino (20), Jones, Beirnbaum 2, Brooks, 2 Out RBI-Jones, SACF-Brooks, SB-Baker, CS-Burgamy, DP-Basil (5)(Whittaker)(L3)
| Kane County |
|
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
1 |
4 |
1 |
| Fort Wayne |
|
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
X |
|
|
4 |
9 |
1 |
Cougars
| Name |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
Decison |
WP |
BK |
HB |
AB |
BF |
GB |
FB |
| Bill Murphy |
6 |
9 |
4 |
4 |
1 |
7 |
L (2-3) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
26 |
28 |
2 |
7 |
| Shawn Kohn |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
ND |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
6 |
4 |
1 |
Wizards
| Name |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
Decison |
WP |
BK |
HB |
AB |
BF |
GB |
FB |
| Brian Whittaker |
6.2+2 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
W |
0 |
0 |
0 |
24 |
24 |
13 |
4 |
| Eudy Morel |
1.1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
ND |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
| Dale Thayer |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
SV |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
SO-Wayment (24), Colamarino 2 (27), Cruz (39), Basil (16), Stavisky 2 (22), McBeth (2), Jones, Brooks 2, Serrano, Cruz, Falcon 2, BB-McCurdy (7), Suomi (3), Serrano
Ejection-Colamarino (1)
A-5038
H-(65,517)(15), A-(52,080)(17), T-(109,597)(32)
Francis Gomez hitting streak was snapped at nine games.
This Day In Cougars History (May 10th)
1993, After falling behind 5-0 after only two innings, the Cougars bullpen holds Fort Wayne scorless the rest of the way as the Cougars come back to defeat the Wizards 6-5 in eleven innings.
1994, Felix Heredia works the final 2.1 ip, only giving up one hit, while earning the save. In the Cougars 4-3 win over Peoria.
Thanks
David Malamut