Cougars Walk-Off Milkmen to Clinch Series
Published on September 6, 2025 under American Association (AA)
Kane County Cougars News Release
GENEVA, IL - The Kane County Cougars fought back from a 2-0 deficit to walk-off the Milwaukee Milkmen to secure their East Division Championship spot Saturday night at Northwestern Medicine Field. Vin Timpanelli, Zach Veen, Casey Crosby, and Jake Gozzo combined to hold the Milkmen to just two runs, including six straight scoreless innings.
For the third game in-a-row, the Milkmen (1-2) took the early lead against the Cougars (2-1). It started in the top of the second against Vin TImpanelli. Parker Lester shot a ball to the right-center field wall that scored Alec Olund from first and gave Milwaukee a 1-0 lead. On the next at-bat, Chase Estep blooped a single into center, driving in Lester and pushing the lead to 2-0. The Cougars answered against Matt Walker in the bottom of the fourth. Armond Upshaw reached on an infield single and got himself to third after a broken bat bloop by Blake Rutherford. Claudio Finol then rolled a grounder to third that scored Upshaw and cut the lead to 2-1. Then, with two outs in the inning, the rookie Zane Spinn drilled a ball into left field, scoring Rutherford and tying the game 2-2.
The pitching shined for both teams the next four innings keeping the score level. In the top of the eighth, the Milkmen were threatening with a runner on second. Olund shot a ball up the middle, but Zane Spinn through his glove out and snagged it, spun all the way around and through a dot to third to get the lead runner out, and help keep the score tied. After that, Jake Gozzo (1-0) was brought on into the ninth for the Cougars. He continued his dominance from Game 1 with a 1, 2, 3 inning, capping it off with a backwards K against Kaden Hollow. Then came the bottom of the ninth inning.
Milwaukee turned to their reliable lefty Denny Bentley (0-1) to try and push the game to extra innings. After getting the first out, Claudio Finol hit an opposite field drive into right to climb aboard. Nick Dalesandro followed that up with a single back up the middle to set up runners at first and second with one out. After a long battle at the plate, Bentley was able to strikeout Spinn for out number two. But during his at-bat against Trendon Craig, Bentley threw a pitch into the dirt that got away from Hollow and moved Dalesandro to second and Finol to third. Two pitches later, Bentley spiked another ball into the ground. It bounced off Hollow and rolled to the left. Finol sprinted towards home and crossed with his arms in the air, immediately embraced by his teammates. He just scored the winning run to secure the Cougars second-straight East Division Championship appearance.
The Kane County Cougars will be back for Game 1 of the East Division Championship against the Chicago Dogs Monday, September 8th at 6:30 PM at Northwestern Medicine Field. It will be the first of a 5-game series to decide who will go to the Miles Wolff Cup Finals. For tickets and more, visit kccougars.com or call 630-232-8811.
American Association Stories from September 6, 2025
- Two Tylers Help RedHawks Advance to West Division Championship Series - Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
- Canaries Soar Past Explorers to Take West Division Series - Sioux City Explorers
- Cougars Walk-Off Milkmen to Clinch Series - Kane County Cougars
- Henry Blasts Three Home Runs, Birds Win First Playoff Series Since 2010 - Sioux Falls Canaries
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
