MWL1 Kane County Cougars

Cougars Edge Peoria, 5-4

Published on June 8, 2009 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Kane County Cougars News Release


GENEVA, Ill. - Kenny Smalley pitched six strong innings for his team-best sixth win, and Steve Kleen homered and drove in four as the Kane County Cougars sprinted past the Peoria Chiefs, 5-4, on Monday night in front of 5,130 at Elfstrom Stadium. The victory, combined with Cedar Rapids' loss, has the Cougars in first place by two games in Western Division playoff race with 13 games remaining in the first half.

Smalley (6-1) allowed all three of his runs in the top of the first inning. After giving up a second-inning single he never yielded another hit and retired nine straight at one point. He scattered five hits, walked two and fanned five en route to the seventh quality start by a Cougar in the last nine games. Jamie Richmond, Justin Murray and Mickey Storey handled the final three frames, and Storey posted his sixth save with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Kleen got the Cougars on the board in the first inning with an RBI single off Marcus Hatley (4-4) and tied the game in the third with a two-run double. Then Grant Desme smoked a run-scoring double to give the Cougars a lead they never gave back. Kleen blasted a one-out solo homer in the seventh to make it 5-3. That proved to be the deciding run, as Peoria managed a run in the eighth against Murray to cut it it 5-4.

The Cougars (35-22) and Chiefs (30-25) conclude their four-game series Tuesday night at 6:30 CDT. Matt Fitts (1-5, 5.40) is scheduled to face Alberto Cabrera (4-2, 3.32).

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