Cougars beat the Rattlers 5 - 2
Published on July 4, 2004 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Kane County Cougars News Release
Geneva, ILâ The Kane County Cougars returned home after a ten game road trip to beat the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 5 â 2. Steve Bondurant picked up his league leading 11th win of the year as Vasili Spanos knocked in three runs including a two run dinger to win their eight straight at home in front of a holiday crowd of 12,093 at Elfstrom Stadium.
The Cougars wasted no time getting on the scoreboard in their first at bat when Vasili Spanos hit a bases loaded single to score Brian Ingram from third base. The Cougars scored their second run of the inning on a ground out by Kory Wayment to take a 2 â 0 lead.
The Timber Rattlers came back and scored their first run of the night in the third inning after a double and a single to make it a one run game. Kane County answered the run in the bottom of the fourth when Luke Appert got a two âout RBI single to score David Harriman giving the giving the Cougars a 3 â 1 lead.
In the seventh inning the Cougars went to the bullpen as J.R. Pickens came in relief of Steve Bondurant. Wladimir Balentien hit Pickens' third pitch over the left field wall to cut the lead to 3 â 2.
The Cougars would get two big insurance runs in the top of the eighth inning. Brian Snyder led off the frame with a single to right and then Vasili Spanos drilled his ninth home run of the year deep over the right field wall to make it a 5 â 2 game. That's just the cushion reliever Jose Corchado was looking for en route to his first save of the year. The right-hander sandwiched two singles between two strikeouts and a ground out to end the game. The cougars have now won eight straight at home and nine of their last ten at Elfstrom stadium.
The Cougars will face the Rattlers in game two of the four game set Monday in a 2:00 game. The league leader in strikeouts Brad Knox will take the mound to face Wisconsin right-hander Niabaldo Acosta at Elfstrom Stadium.
Midwest League Stories from July 4, 2004
- Opportunity, Loss; Silver Hawks Lose Second Straight Extra Inning Game - South Bend Silver Hawks
- Cougars beat the Rattlers 5 - 2 - Kane County Cougars
- Bees Weather Another Delay; Win 5th Straight - Burlington Bees
- Lugnuts let lead and game slip away to Whitecaps - Lansing Lugnuts
- 'Caps Get Bang out of Holiday Win - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Battle Creek streak hits three - Southwest Michigan Devil Rays
- Dragons Rolled on Independence Day by Swing 14-3 - Dayton Dragons
- Offensive fireworks key Swing's 14-3 blowout win - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Cougars claw past rattlers - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- The return of Blake Balkcom's 3 RBI fuel Kernels' win over Clinton - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Rain Saturday means Fireworks Tuesday - South Bend Silver Hawks
- Reds shake up Dragon's roster - Dayton Dragons
- Fireworks, Appreciated Fireworks Night Moved To Tuesday With Advertisers Appreciation Night - South Bend Silver Hawks
- Coonrod heads west, Bechtel returns; Right-handers switch teams in Padres organization - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Duncan moved to Tampa Yankees - Southwest Michigan Devil Rays
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