Cougars Drop Pitchers Duel in Dayton

April 23, 2006 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Kane County Cougars News Release

Dayton, OH - The Kane County Cougars and Dayton Dragons combined for three runs, nine hits and 23 strikeouts on Sunday afternoon, as the Cougars fell 2-1 in front of 8,729 fans at Fifth Third Field. Steve Kleen's run-scoring grounder in the eighth provided the visitors' only tally.

Cougars starter Vince Mazzaro allowed his only run in the first but settled down to have one of his best outings of the season. He lasted five innings, gave up only two hits, walked four and struck out seven, sending down in order the last seven men he faced.

The Cougars, however, couldn't manage any offense against Dayton's Carlos Fisher, who tossed 6 1/3 innings of shutout ball, surrendering three hits, walking one, striking out nine and putting away 11 straight batters at one point. Kane County had multiple base runners in the second, third and seventh innings but didn't capitalize.

After Dayton's Bobby Mosby homered against Joe Piekarz in the seventh for a 2-0 deficit, Kleen drove in Frank Martinez for the lone Cougars run and the eventual 2-1 final. Mazzaro (2-1) took the loss, Fisher (2-1) grabbed the win and Blake Hendley saved his first game of the season after pitching 2 2/3 frames. Steve Sharpe also had a scoreless relief inning for the Cougars.

Kane County (11-6), which hasn't lost a series yet this season, will try to earn the split on Monday night at 6 CDT. Jeff Gray (1-1, 8.10) takes the mound against the Dragons' Zach Ward (0-0, 3.38).

Midwest League Stories from April 23, 2006

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• Lugnuts Win 17 Inning Marathon - Lansing Lugnuts
• Devil Rays Walk Kernels to a Victory - Southwest Michigan Devil Rays
• Chiefs Erase Seven-Run Deficit to Win 13-11 - Peoria Chiefs
• Festa reaches four times in Power loss - MWL1
• Early lead slips away from Swing - Quad Cities River Bandits
• Ferrer leads Hawks past Rattlers - South Bend Silver Hawks
• Fisher Hooks Win Number Two in 2006 - Dayton Dragons
• Three wins in a row for the Whitecaps - West Michigan Whitecaps
• Cougars Drop Pitchers Duel in Dayton - Kane County Cougars
• Hawks swoop in late to swipe a win - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

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