LumberKings Rally Comes up vs. Curtis and the Cougars
July 3, 2015 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Clinton LumberKings News Release
Geneva, IL - For the third straight night, the Clinton LumberKings (3-6, 29-49) scored the first run of the game. But for the third straight night, they came up on the wrong end of a close game, as the Kane County Cougars (8-1, 44-33) narrowly escaped Fifth Third Bank Ballpark with a 3-2 win.
Both starting pitchers went seven innings and Clinton came within just feet of handing Zac Curtis (SV, 17) just his third blown save of the season. The LumberKings got only two hits vs. Kane County starter Ethan Elias (W, 8-3), but they came back-to-back in the third inning. Following a leadoff single to right field by Kristian Brito, Wayne Taylor hit his first home run of the season, which just cleared the right field wall. But the home run was the final hit that Elias allowed, and the only two other base runners he allowed came on errors, as Clinton sent just three over the minimum to the plate over the first eight innings. Kane County cut the deficit in half vs. Lukas Schiraldi (L, 4-5) in the fourth inning. The Clinton starter walked Cody Regis to begin the frame. A single by Marty Herum moved Regis to second base, and both runners advanced on a deep fly out by Colin Bray. With the infield back, Michael Perez's ground ball to second base plated Regis and made it 2-1 Clinton. The Cougars plated two runs an inning later, again using their ability to get the leadoff man on base. Henry Castillo started the fifth inning with a double and moved to third on a bunt single by Victor Reyes. Chuck Taylor's sacrifice fly to center field tied the game at two. Two batters later, with two outs and Reyes at third base, Regis singled home the eventual winning run with a base hit to right field, as Kane County led 3-2 after five innings. Though 3-2 was the eventual final, Clinton had a great chance vs. Curtis in the ninth inning. Arby Fields led off the inning with a single that deflected off of Curtis' glove. Chantz Mack's one-out double moved Fields to third representing the tying run. With the infield in, Estarlyn Morales hit a sharp two-hopper to Kane County shortstop Ildemaro Vargas, who made a sensational play and threw out Fields at the plate.
With men on first and third and two outs, Pat Leyland pinch hit for Taylor Zeutenhorst, but Leyland grounded out to Regis to end the game.
It was the eighth straight win overall and 11th straight win at home for Kane County, while it was the fourth straight loss for Clinton. The two teams will head to Clinton for a two game series at Ashford University Field that begins Saturday night at 6:30.
Jeffeson Medina (3-7, 4.52) will start for Clinton, while righty Brad Keller (3-7, 2.68) will make his fourth start of the season vs. Clinton. The LumberKings broadcast can be heard on WCCI 100.3 FM, WCCIRadio.com, or LumberKings.com.
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