Cougars stun Chiefs, 4-3

July 5, 2005 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Kane County Cougars News Release

Geneva, IL- A night after scoring 21 runs, the Kane County Cougars nearly got shut out by the Peoria Chiefs. Trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded, Nick Blasi cleared the bases with a double to tie it, and Luis Perez had a game-winning RBI-single in the bottom of the tenth inning to claim a dramatic, come-from-behind 4-3 victory.

The Chiefs got on the board against Cougars starter Trent Peterson with a sacrifice fly in the fourth, and they added single runs in the seventh and eighth against reliever Marcus McBeth to go up 3-0. The Cougars' offense managed only four hits through eight innings against Peoria's Chris Shaver and Adalberto Mendez, but they broke through in the ninth against closer Jerry Blevins. Jose Pineda walked, Perez singled and Gregorio Petit drew a two-out walk. Blasi's drive split the outfielders in right centerfield to score all three men to bring the score even.

After J.R. Pickens ended a jam in the top of the tenth, the Cougars faced Victor Ramos in the latter half. Javier Herrera reached from an infield single. Then Eddie Kim, pinch-hitting for Ryan Ruiz, reached on a fielder's choice and took second on a throwing error during the same play. The Chiefs intentionally walked Myron Leslie before Jose Pineda's deep fly ball to left allowed Kim to tag to third. Perez cranked the game-winning single down the third base line to score Kim, and the Cougars erupted in celebration for a 4-3 win. Pickens (2-1) gets the victory while Ramos (0-1) is the losing hurler.

The series now shifts to O'Brien Field in Peoria for game three, which is Wednesday night at 7 CDT. Ryan Ford (7-4, 4.80) takes the mound for the Cougars (7-6) against right-hander Jesse Estrada (4-8, 5.28) for Chiefs (6-7)

Midwest League Stories from July 5, 2005

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• Snappers bite Rattlers with a four run seventh - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
• Last Rally Standing to Dragons in 4-3 Win - Dayton Dragons
• Bees knock three homers to beat Silver Hawks - Burlington Bees
• Independence Day rain washes out Rays-LumberKings - Southwest Michigan Devil Rays
• McIntyre goes deep twice in 'Caps win - West Michigan Whitecaps
• Lugnuts drop another one-run affair - Lansing Lugnuts
• Swing bats silent - Quad Cities River Bandits
• Cougars stun Chiefs, 4-3 - Kane County Cougars
• Chiefs blow 3-0 lead, lose in extras - Peoria Chiefs
• Tim Duff assigned to Cedar Rapids - Cedar Rapids Kernels
• Chiefs return home for six games, July 6-11 - Peoria Chiefs
• L-Kings Rained Out On Independence Day - Clinton LumberKings
• L-Kings Rained Out On Independence Day - Clinton LumberKings
• Rattlers walk off with win over Snappers - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

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