Cougar Clouts Down Elias, LumberKings
August 20, 2011 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Clinton LumberKings News Release
Clinton, IA - A two-run first-inning home run by Cheslor Cuthbert and a fifth-inning three-run blast by Brett Eibner powered the Kane County Cougars to a 7-1 victory over the Clinton LumberKings on a soggy Saturday evening at Alliant Energy Field. Cougars' right-hander Leondy Perez scattered three hits over 5.0 scoreless innings to make those two clouts stand up.
Kings' left-hander Roenis Elias struck out leadoff hitter Angel Franco and nearly fanned Geulin Beltre, but a pitch initially called a swinging strike three was revised to a foul tip upon an appeal to base umpire Garrett Patterson. With new life, Beltre lined a double into the left-center gap. Cuthbert followed, leaving the yard quickly to left for a two-run homer, putting the Cougars ahead 2-0.
Elias flirted with trouble as he stranded two on in the second inning and left the bases loaded in the third, but the Cougars broke it open against him in the fifth. Beltre reached on a bunt single and Cuthbert walked, and both came home as Eibner connected on a three-run homer off the base of the light tower in left. His 12th home run made it a 5-0 Kane County advantage.
Elias (L, 2-1) suffered his first professional loss with those five earned runs on seven hits over 5.0 innings. He walked four and struck out eight. Right-hander Matt Bischoff yielded an additional two runs on seven hits over the final 4.0 innings, striking out five.
Perez (W, 7-11) limited the LumberKings to just three hits, two coming back-to-back with two outs in the second as Kalian Sams doubled down the left-field line and Brad Miller followed with his first professional hit, an infield single up the third-base line. Perez struck out Anthony Phillips to end that threat, then allowed just one other single to Tim Morris, coming in the fourth.
Stefen Romero snapped the shutout in the seventh as he lifted a towering solo home run off the scoreboard in left-center. His team-leading 16th clout came off Cougars' right-hander Alex Rivers and was his only hit on a 1-for-4 night.
Rivers and right-hander Nick Rogers combined to allow a run on one hit over the final 4.0 innings of the game, preserving the win for Perez.
Beltre finished 3-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI for the Cougars, while Cuthbert went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI and Eibner went 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. Kane County extends their lead for the first-place playoff spot over the LumberKings to 3.0 games with the win.
The LumberKings (29-25) continue the four-game series against the Cougars (32-22) tomorrow afternoon at Alliant Energy Field, first pitch scheduled for 2:00 PM. Right-hander Carter Capps (0-0, 5.79) makes his home debut for Clinton as he faces off against Kane County right-hander Santiago Garrido (2-4, 5.86). Listen to the game on AM 1390 KCLN in Clinton or live on the web at 1390kcln.com.
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