Cougars stung by D-Rays

August 1, 2006 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Kane County Cougars News Release

Battle Creek, MI - The Kane County Cougars erased a 4-1 deficit Tuesday night against the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays at C.O. Brown Stadium, only to see a 4-4 game turn into a 5-4 defeat after the Rays scored in the bottom of the eighth inning. Anthony Recker delivered a pair of two-out, run-scoring singles to lead the Cougars' offense, and Ben Jukich posted 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.

Cougars starter Vince Mazzaro and the Devil Rays' left-hander Mike Wlodarczyk each faced the minimum through three innings before Recker drove home Justin Sellers in the fourth for a 1-0 game.

The Rays answered with four in the bottom half against Mazzaro, who left with one out in the inning after allowing five hits and walking one. Overall he gave up eight hits, walked two and fanned three in 3 1/3 innings but was taken off the hook for the loss by the Cougars' comeback.

After Steve Kleen and Frank Martinez scored unearned runs in the fifth against Wlodarczyk for a 4-3 Cougars deficit, Recker plated Sellers in the eighth for a 4-4 affair.

Jukich gave way to Ron Madej (2-4), who made his first appearance since he left a July 12 game with a groin injury and got charged with the loss from the tally he allowed in the last of the eighth. John Herrera gave up a run-scoring infield single to Chris Cunningham, and the run was charged to Madej.

The Cougars (24-15) and Devil Rays (17-22) play again Wednesday morning at 10:05 a.m. CDT, as T.J. Franco (2-0, 4.81) faces Greg Reinhard (4-7, 4.68).

Midwest League Stories from August 1, 2006

• Devil Rays outlast Cougars - Southwest Michigan Devil Rays
• Dayton stops Beloit's streak - Dayton Dragons
• Wizards edge Wisconsin - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
• Cougars stung by D-Rays - Kane County Cougars
• Dragons beat heat, beat Beloit 8-5 - Dayton Dragons
• Hawks rally falls short - South Bend Silver Hawks
• Bees slide reaches six - Burlington Bees
• Chiefs snap three-game skid with 5-3 win - Peoria Chiefs
• Swing stun Lugnuts in ninth - Lansing Lugnuts
• Swing plate four in ninth, stun Lugnuts - Quad Cities River Bandits
• Free Youth Home Run Derby on Saturday, August 5th - Cedar Rapids Kernels
• Kernels use their own big inning in 10-7 win over South Bend - Cedar Rapids Kernels
• Snappers Shake Up Pitching Staff - Beloit Sky Carp

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