MWL1 Kane County Cougars

Kane County Cougars Homestand Preview: August 1-3

Published on July 31, 2014 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Kane County Cougars News Release


GENEVA, Ill. - The Kane County Cougars, Class-A farm team of the Chicago Cubs, open a homestand on Friday and will welcome the Quad Cities River Bandits (Houston Astros affiliate). Homestand highlights include Harry Potter Night on Friday, Country Music Night on Saturday and a pair of fireworks shows. Tickets are available for each game on the upcoming homestand by calling (630) 232-8811 or visiting kccougars.com.

Friday 8/1 Quad Cities River Bandits (Houston Astros farm team) 6:30 p.m. (gates open at 5:30 p.m.) WBIG 1280 AM (6:15 p.m.)

- Harry Potter Night

- Pre-game Harry Potter costume parade at 5:50 p.m.

- Harry Potter Golden Snitch baseballs for the first 1,500 children age 14 and under, courtesy of Fifth Third Bank

- Peanut-Free Night - no peanuts or peanut-related products will be sold inside ballpark to benefit children with peanut allergies

- National Anthem - Tom Kirkland

- Post-game fireworks show (Harry Potter theme)

- Fans can run the bases after the game

Saturday 8/2 Quad Cities River Bandits 6:30 p.m. (gates open at 3:30 p.m.) WBIG 1280 AM (6:15 p.m.)

- Country Music Night

- Pre-game concert by Suburban Cowboys from 4-5:30 pm

- Color Guard - Cub Scout Pack 202 (Lombard)

- National Anthem - Gary United Methodist Chorus (Wheaton)

- Post-game performance by the Jesse White Tumblers

- Post-game fireworks show (Country music theme)

- Fans can run the bases after the game

Sunday 8/3 Quad Cities River Bandits 1 p.m. (gates open at 12 p.m.) WBIG 1280 AM (12:45 p.m.)

- Pre-game autograph session with Cougars players at 12:25 p.m.

- Pre-game performance by Elite Martial Arts

- Live organ music by Nancy Faust

- Sunday Funday - free kid-friendly entertainment inside the ballpark presented by Dave & Buster's

- Kids Eat Free Day - hot dog/soda voucher for children between age 3-10

- National Anthem - Nancy Faust

- Fans can run the bases after the game

Homestand Notes The brief three-game homestand against Quad Cities begins on Friday at 6:30 p.m. with Harry Potter Night. Fans are encouraged to dress in costume and participate in a pre-game parade on the field, which kicks off at approximately 5:50 p.m. The first 1,500 children age 14 and under with a ticket will receive a Golden Snitch baseball, courtesy of Fifth Third Bank. In conjunction with Harry Potter Night, the Cougars are hosting Peanut-Free Night. Friday evening, no peanuts or peanut-related products will be sold inside the ballpark in order to safely give children with peanut allergies an opportunity to attend a baseball game. The evening concludes with a post-game fireworks show set to Harry Potter music. Saturday's 6:30 p.m. game is Country Music Night. As part of the Cougars' ballpark concert series, gates will open at 3:30 p.m. for a 90-minute concert by Suburban Cowboys that begins at 4 p.m. inside the Cougars' Music Garden area. That evening's post-game entertainment includes a country-themed fireworks show and performance by the Jesse White Tumblers. Sunday's 1 p.m. game is a Sunday Funday, presented by Dave and Buster's. Sunday is a Kids Eat Free Day with hot dog/soda vouchers given at the gates to all children age 3-10. Fans will enjoy live organ music by Nancy Faust along with a pre-game autograph session with Cougars players at approximately 12:25 p.m.

Giving Back: The Cougars will welcome Big Brothers/Big Sisters to Fifth Third Bank Ballpark for a special event on Sunday. Lazarus House in St. Charles is the recipient of the Cougars' monthly in-game charitable events for the month of August. Lazarus House is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization serving persons who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and connected to mid-Kane County. The organization is an emergency shelter that is open 365 days a year and is the only transitional housing program in the Tri-Cities and western rural Kane County area. This Saturday's game will be the first "Home Run for Life" of 2014 as Presence Mercy Medical Center, along with the Cougars, will be recognizing an individual who has overcome a serious medical situation. These individuals will be recognized during inning breaks of select games and take a victory lap around the field, receiving high-fives from both teams.

Team Notes The Cougars (22-16), despite a current five-game losing streak, are tied with Cedar Rapids for the best record in the Midwest League's Western Division. At Fifth Third Bank Ballpark this season, the team is 41-15. The franchise record for most home wins in a season is 50, set by the 2001 squad. The Cougars have 15 home games remaining. With 32 games remaining, the Cougars are 21 wins away from tying the 2001 club for the most wins in franchise history. That year's team went 88-50 while winning the Midwest League championship. The Cougars have already clinched the first half Western Division championship and open a best-of-three opening round series against the Western Division 2nd half wild card winner on September 3. The Cougars hold an 8.5-game lead over Peoria for the best overall record in the Western Division. If the Cougars were to advance to the playoff's second round, overall record would dictate home field advantage in the best-of-three series. Pitcher Daury Torrez is 7th in the league with a 2.85 ERA while Paul Blackburn is 9th with a 3.19 ERA and Tyler Skulina is 10th with a 3.21 ERA. Torrez leads the staff with 9 wins and is attempting to win 10 or more games, which would be the first time for a Cougars pitcher since 2010 when Dan Straily went 10-7. Jacob Rogers leads the team with 13 home runs and is 5th in the league with 55 walks. Both Rogers and Carlos Penalver lead the team with 100 games played. Pitcher Jen-Ho Tseng has walked only 11 batters in 81 innings this season - the right-hander is 6-1 with a 2.56 ERA. The Cougars' team ERA of 3.00 is 2nd in the Midwest League and on pace to set a franchise record.

John Baker ('03 Cougar) became the first Cubs position player to win a game as a pitcher in franchise history Tuesday night as the Cubs won a 16-inning game over Colorado. At Triple-A Iowa, pitcher Armando Rivero ('13) is 3-0 with a 1.02 ERA in 13 appearances. Pitcher Dan Straily ('10) is 0-3 with a 5.85 ERA. At Double-A Tennessee, outfielder Albert Almora ('13) was recently promoted and hit his first home run with the Smokies Wednesday night. Pitcher Pierce Johnson ('13-'14) has worked at least 6 innings in his two most recent starts. The right-hander is now 3-4 with a 2.98 ERA in 12 games. Pitcher Andrew McKirahan ('13) has a 2.77 ERA in 10 relief appearances while pitcher Lendy Castillo ('13) has a 3.63 ERA in 30 relief appearances. At Class-A Advanced Daytona, last year's starting middle infield for the Cougars, infielder Marco Hernandez ('13) is batting .298 while infielder Gioskar Amaya ('13) is batting .291. Infielder Dan Vogelbach ('13) leads the club with 58 RBI. Catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber ('14) is batting .269 in 15 games. Pitcher Gerardo Concepcion ('14), recently promoted from Kane County, made his Daytona debut Wednesday evening, pitching 2.2 innings of scoreless relief. At Short-A Boise, infielder Danny Canela ('14) is batting .302. Pitcher Dillon Maples ('13) made his first start of the season with Boise on July 26.

Miguel Cabrera ('01) is batting .313 with 16 home runs and 81 RBI with Detroit. Nelson Cruz ('03) is batting .268 with 29 home runs and 75 RBI with Baltimore. Adrian Gonzalez ('01) is batting .262 with 15 home runs and 70 RBI with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Houston infielder Gregorio Petit ('05) made his return to the big leagues for the first time since 2009 with Oakland and has a pair of hits in six at-bats. Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Josh Beckett ('00) is 6-5 with a 2.74 ERA in 19 starts. Minnesota pitcher Jared Burton ('03) has made 46 relief appearances. Pitcher Santiago Casilla ('03-'04) has a 1.13 ERA in 36 relief appearances for San Francisco. Oakland pitcher Sean Doolittle ('07) has a 2.59 ERA in 47 appearances. San Diego pitcher Tyson Ross ('08) recently picked up his 10th win of the season. Arizona pitcher Bo Schultz ('10), after making his major league debut in March, returned to big league action and pitched in relief for the Diamondbacks on Tuesday. Los Angeles Angels pitcher Huston Street ('04) has made 4 scoreless relief appearances since being traded by San Diego. Pitcher Yordano Ventura ('11) is 7-8 with a 3.63 ERA in 20 games (19 starts) with Kansas City. Pitcher Sugar Ray Marimon ('11) is 5-4 with a 3.56 ERA in 15 starts at Triple-A Omaha (Kansas City). Pitcher Paul Smyth ('09) is 5-2 with a 2.64 ERA in 36 relief appearances with Triple-A Sacramento (Oakland). Pitcher Andrew Triggs ('12) has a 2.40 ERA in 38 appearances at Double-A Northwest Arkansas (Kansas City) (Statistics through 7/30)

Where's Ozzie? Ozzie T. Cougar is scheduled to make upcoming appearances in the community at the following locations:

Friday, August 15 from 1-2 p.m. (Elk Grove Park District)

Check out the Kane County Cougars Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from July 31, 2014


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