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AA Kane County Cougars

Pitching, Timely Offense Leads Cougars to Game 1 Win

September 9, 2024 - American Association (AA)
Kane County Cougars News Release


Rosemont, IL - Thanks to a strong team pitching performance and timely offense, the Kane County Cougars claimed a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Dogs on Monday night in Game 1 of the East Division Championship Series at Impact Field. The win puts the Cougars one win away from clinching the East Division Championship and reaching the Miles Wolff Cup Finals.

In his second start of the postseason, Greg Mahle turned in another strong outing. Mahle (2-0) earned a quality start as he allowed just two runs (one earned) on six hits across six innings of work with six strikeouts and no walks. In relief of Mahle, the Cougars (3-0) bullpen once again shined with scoreless work from CJ Carter, Jordan Martinson, Vin Timpanelli, and Tyler Beardsley.

Both starters cruised early, but the Cougars finally got on the board in the top of the fourth against Kenny Serwa (0-2). With one out, Cornelius Randolph was hit by a pitch before reaching third on two wild pitches. Then, Todd Lott blooped an RBI single to right field to make it 1-0. Two batters later, Alex McGarry hit a fly ball to left field that was dropped by Nick Novak, allowing Lott to score to make it 2-0.

After Mahle held Chicago scoreless through four frames, the Dogs got on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Derek Maiben and Novak hit back-to-back singles to start the frame before moving up on a sacrifice bunt. Nick Dalesandro then drove in Maiben with a single to left field to make it 2-1. However, Mahle ended the threat by getting Jacob Teter to ground into a double play that ended the inning.

One inning later, the Dogs tied it. In the bottom of the sixth, Brantley Bell launched a solo homer to left that evened the game at two. However, the Cougars had a quick response. Facing Serwa in the top of the seventh, Claudio Finol belted a one out solo homer over the center field wall to give the Cougars a 3-2 edge.

Once the Cougars took the lead, the bullpen once again took over. CJ Carter worked a 1-2-3 seventh including a strikeout and retired Dalesandro to start the eighth. Jordan Martinson then came on for a lefty-lefty matchup against Teter, and promptly struck him out. Vin Timpanelli recorded the final out of the eighth with a groundout of Brantley Bell.

In the top of the ninth, the Cougars added critical insurance. Finol led off the inning with a double, but was thrown out at third on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Hayden Dunhurst. With Dunhurst at first, Galli Cribbs Jr. worked a walk. Then, Trendon Craig came through with a clutch single to score Dunhurst and make it 4-2. Armond Upshaw capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly that made it a 5-2 ballgame.

Beardsley entered in the bottom of the ninth and slammed the door. The Cougars' closer induced a fly out from Narciso Crook before Dusty Stroup was retired on a foul pop out, when first baseman Alex McGarry made an incredible catch leaning into the Cougars dugout. After surrendering a single to Johnni Turbo, Beardsley induced a groundout from Derek Maiben for the final out to earn his second save of the postseason.

The East Division Championship Series against the Dogs continues Wednesday night at Northwestern Medicine Field. For tickets and more information call 630-232-8811 or visit kccougars.com/tickets.

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