Cogan Goes the Distance; RailCats One Win Away From Finals
Published on September 5, 2008 under Northern League (NL)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release
WINNIPEG, Manitoba. - Tony Cogan twirled a complete game gem and Eric McNamee had two hits, including a two-run home run, as the Gary SouthShore RailCats moved within one win of the Northern League Championship Series, beating the Winnipeg Goldeyes 5-2 Friday night at Canwest Park in game three of a best-of-five series.
Cogan allowed only seven baserunners all night and was in command from the outset, retiring 11 straight after a two-out Kevin West walk in the first. The 31-year-old gave up two runs in the fifth inning and was in trouble in the seventh, putting two men on with one out before getting Fehlandt Lentini to hit into an inning-ending double play. Other than that, Cogan was nearly perfect, retiring seven straight men to end the game and picking up his first postseason victory with the RailCats.
Cogan threw 121 pitches but had the same command of his pitches in the ninth inning as he had in the first, keeping the Goldeyes' hitters off balance throughout. Lentini and catcher Dustin Richardson each had two hits off Cogan, but only three other Goldeyes reached base. Cogan got two of his six strikeouts in the eighth and forced Antoin Gray to ground out to shortstop to end the game.
"The story, certainly, was Tony Cogan," RailCats manager Greg Tagert said. "That's the performance you hope for this time of year, to have a guy step up and have one of those special days. His start was as good as you can have in the postseason."
McNamee, who in 283 career games and over 1,000 professional at bats had never hit a home run, drove the first pitch he saw from Dustin Pease (0-1) in the fourth inning over the wall to expand the RailCats lead to 4-0. McNamee's drive scored Steve Haake, who had singled and stole second base earlier in the inning.
The RailCats got on the board in the third inning against the 22-year-old Pease, who was making just his seventh professional start. McNamee led off the inning with a double and one batter later, Rob Marconi doubled into right to chase McNamee home with the game's first run. Marconi would steal third with Jay Pecci at the plate and one out, and Pecci responded with a fly to deep right, scoring Marconi from third to make it 2-0.
The RailCats also played terrific defense behind Cogan, especially from corner infielders Tanner Townsend and Eric Blakeley at third and first. In the fifth inning - with Winnipeg's two runs already across and Lentini at first - Demetrius Heath rocketed a ball to third that Townsend grabbed with a dive, juggled, and threw wildly to first, where Blakeley made a terrific pick of a low throw.
In the eighth inning, the 'Cats added an insurance run when Cristian Guerrero doubled, went to third on a Haake hit, and scored on a Mike Reese sacrifice fly. Haake and Pecci each had two hits along with McNamee, who improved to 5-for-10 with a double, triple, home run and four RBIs this postseason.
The RailCats now lead the best-of-five series two games to one, with a chance to close out the Goldeyes and advance to the Northern League Championship Series Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. Brian Forystek (0-0, 5.79 ERA) will take the mound first for the RailCats against Winnipeg right-hander Brandon Kintzler (0-0, 0.00). That game will be broadcast live on WEFM, 95.9 FM, and online at www.railcatsbaseball.com .
NORTHERN LEAGUE OPENING ROUND SERIES (best-of-five)
Tuesday at Gary - RailCats 7, Winnipeg 4
Wendnesday at Gary - Winnipeg 7, RailCats 6
Friday at Winnipeg - RailCats 5, Winnipeg 2
Saturday at Winnipeg - 1:30 p.m.
Sunday at Gary - 6 p.m. (if necessary)
Northern League Stories from September 5, 2008
- T-Bones Headed to Championship Series - Kansas City Monarchs
- Cogan Goes the Distance; RailCats One Win Away From Finals - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- Goldeyes face must win - Winnipeg Goldeyes
- T-Bones sweep RedHawks to advance - Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
- Northern League Transactions - NL
- Cubs Purchase Contract Of Perkins - Joliet JackHammers
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