September 9th, 2004
Round 1, Game 2
Peoria at Kane County
E-Hoffpauir, LOB-Chiefs-10, Cougars-9, RLISP-Chiefs-6, Cougars-7, 2B-Hoffpauir, Mather, Spanos, Putnam, Harriman, HR-Harriman (Roper), RBI-Sherman, Spanos, Putnam, Castillo, Kim 2, Harriman, SACF-Kim, SACB-Ryan, SB-Monegan, Barton, PiO-Patrick, DP-Hoffpauir (Knox)(5-3), Barton (Knox)(1-2-3), Ryan (Crowder)(6-3)
Cougars
| Name |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
Decison |
WP |
BK |
HB |
AB |
BF |
GB |
FB |
NP |
S |
| Brad Knox |
6 |
8 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
W (1-0) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
22 |
27 |
8 |
2 |
96 |
57 |
| Justin Crowder |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
ND |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
20 |
10 |
| J.R. Pickens |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
ND |
0 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
8 |
1 |
4 |
31 |
17 |
HB-Putnam (Jordan), SO-Ryan, Dryer 2, Sherman 2, Mather, Ingram 3, Spanos 2, Castillo, Kim, Harriman, BB-Monegan 3, Barton 2, Dryer, Appert 2, Spanos, Castillo, Wayment
It's alive, It's alive, the Cougars offense showed signs off life, finally. For the first time in what seems like two months the offense was there along with the pitching. The Cougars beat the Chiefs in game two of the series 6-1, to even the series.
Brad Knox pitched well. Yes he gave up eight hits and four walks, he found a way to get out of some really tough jams with out giving up anything. In the first inning Anthony Monegan led off the game with a single to left. One out later Daric Barton walked. The Chiefs then pulled off a double steal. Matt Dryer walked to load the bases. Jarret Hoffpauir then grounded one to third. Vasili Spanos made a great play to step on third and throw to first. Eddie Kim did a nice job to stretch and get the ball for the inning ending double play.
In the third inning Knox had to preform more magic. Joe Mather led off with a double to left. Anthony Monegan walked. Brenden Ryan then bunted one to third and beat it out to load the bases with nobody out. Daric Barton then lined a one hoped back to Knox who threw home. Catcher David Castillo made a nice turn to first to get the double play. With runners still on second and third and now two outs, Knox struck out Matt Dryer.
The Chiefs would break through and score their lone run in the fourth inning. With one out Chris Patrick singled to center, he would be picked off of first by Knox. John Paul Davis then doubled to left. Steve Sherman singled to left, Davis came around third trying to score. The throw in from left by Dan Putnam was on target and mightve gotten him at the plate. Davis was smart and kicked the ball out of Castillo's glove, which allowed him to score.
The fifth inning saw more trouble for Knox. Monegan led off with a walk. Ryan then bunted him over to second. Barton grounded out to second to get Monegan to third with two outs. Knox then struck out Dryer to end the inning. The sixth would see three runners for the Chiefs, none would get past second. With one out Patrick singled to left. Davis then reached on a fielder's choice with Patrick being out at second. Sherman singled to second. Runners on first and second with two outs. Mather then flew out to center to end the threat.
The Cougars meanwhile would stake Knox to two runs, but they also could've had more. With one out in the first, Nick Rogers reached on an error. A pop out and a called strike out end that inning. Putnam led off the second with a double to left. A ground out and two line out end the inning. In the third inning the Cougars would leave the bases loaded. Kory Wayment led off by drawing a walk. Two pop outs later, Luke Appert and Vasili Spanos both walked. Putnam grounded out to second to end the inning.
More frustration for Cougar fans in the fourth as they would leave two runners on base. David Castillo led off with a walk. One out later, David Harriman doubled down the left field line. Castillo only made it to third. Wayment fouled out to third, and Ingram struck out to end the inning.
Finally the Cougars would put something together in the fifth inning. With one out, Appert beat out a grounder to first, with the pitcher covering. The pitcher got there but slid and his foot never made it to the bag. A wild pitch would move Appert to second. Spanos then would reach on a droped third strike/wild pitch. Appert went to third. After that the Chiefs brought in Brantly Jordan to replace Chris Lambert. The first pitch Lambert throws hits Putnam to load the bases. Castillo singled to center to score Appert. Eddie Kim then flew out to center, but Spanos would be able to tag up and score, with Putnam tagging up and making it to third. The Chiefs then brough in Derek Roper. He struck out Harriman to get out of the inning.
Chris Lambert pitched well for the Chiefs, he is the Cardinals first round pick this year. Walks just caught up to him, he issues four free passes.
Peoria would try to get the one run they needed to tie, they basically had two chances to get the run in the final three innings against the Cougar bullpen. In the seventh, Justin Crowder came in to start the inning. He walked Monegan. Ryan then grounded into a double play. Crowder then walked Barton. Matt Dryer then lined one right back to him to end the inning. In the ninth against J.R. Pickens the Chiefs got two runners on. With two outs, Monegan singled to center. Ryan followed with a single to center. Runners on first and third with two outs. Barton grounded out to second to end the game.
The two runs in the fifth were not the only runs the Cougars scored in the game. In the seventh they amazingly scored four runs. Appert led off with a walk. Spanos doubled off the centerfield wall to get Appert home. Putnam doubled just over the right fielder's glove to score Spanos. One out later Kim singled to right to score Putnam. Unfortuantly Kim was caught trying to make it a double and would be out. David Harriman then took the fourth pitch he saw onto the roof of the deck in right field.