Cougars Blank Bees, Narrow Wild Card Deficit
August 27, 2012 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Kane County Cougars News Release
GENEVA, Ill.-Three Kane County Cougars pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts and an eight-hit shutout of the Burlington Bees in a much-needed 4-0 victory on Monday night at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark, pulling the Cougars within two games of Burlington for the second half wild card with seven contests remaining.
Rudy Brown made the first start of his professional career and posted three scoreless innings while punching out six. Brown yielded four hits, but the Bees (66-66, 34-29) left five on base in the first three frames and 11 throughout the night. Michael Antonio gave the Cougars (66-67, 32-31) the lead in the bottom of the first as he cracked a two-out double to score Danny Mateo and Dean Espy.
Kellen Moen (4-10) helped keep the lead in tact as he tossed four innings while surrendering four knocks and fanning three. Drew Granier (11-9) kept the Bees in the ballgame as he added to his league-leading strikeout total with nine while limiting the Cougars to just three hits in six innings. In the seventh, Chris Elder doubled with one out against reliever David Mota and scored on a two-bagger off the bat of Tim Ferguson.
Jack Lopez added to the Cougars' cushion in the bottom of the eighth by leading off with a single and stealing two bases. When Lopez swiped third, catcher Nick Rickles fired the ball down the left field line, bringing Lopez across the dish. Andrew Triggs (S, 4) did the rest of the work for the Cougars as he recorded the final six outs including four more strikeouts and one to end the game as Michael Fabiaschi went down looking.
The Cougars are at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark on Tuesday when they host the Bees at 6:30 p.m. For tickets, please call (630) 232-8811 or visit www.kccougars.com. You can listen to the broadcast on www.kccougars.com, beginning with Cougars on Deck at 6:15 p.m. Right-hander Kyle Smith (4-2) will start for the Cougars against fellow righty Blake Hassebrock (1-1).
6:15 PM (CT) Pre-Game Show, 6:30 First Pitch on WBIG 1280-AM & kccougars.com
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