Cougars Avoid the Sweep, Sink Captains 13-9

(Eastlake, OH) - The Kane County Cougars used a three run eighth inning to avoid the sweep by the Lake County Captains (8-17) on Tuesday Night. The final was 13-9. Dan Vogelbach hit a lead off homerun his fifth of the season and the game was tied at 8-8. Vogelbach hit three homeruns in the series one in each game. Two unearned runs scored in the eighth and Kane County (9-13) led 10-8.

Lake County scored a run in the first inning. With one out Erik Gonzalez doubled, and then scored on a double by Eric Haase. The double was the seventh of the season for Haase and RBI number ten. The Captains led 1-0. A solo homerun by Willson Contreras tied the score at 1-1 in the top of the second inning. The Captains came back and took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second inning when Jorge Martinez tripled and was singled home by Anthony Santander. The Captains took the one run lead into the third inning.

In the top of the fourth inning, Kane County scored three runs to vault ahead. Four singles including a RBI single by Oliver Zapata and the score was 4-2 Cougars. That was until the bottom half of the inning when the Captains took the lead for good.

The Captains scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to spark a five run rally. Jeremy Lucas led off with a homerun to the bleachers in left field, besides the lead off homer, the Captains had four hits in the inning including a two run double from Erik Gonzalez. The Captains led 7-4 after the fourth inning.

The Cougars evened the score in the top of the seventh. With one out Rock Shoulders reached on an error and then there were back-to-back walks. After two singles including a two run single by Pin-Chieh Chen and the score was even at 7-7.

Eric Haase led off the bottom of the seventh with his second homerun of the season. The homer sailed over the centerfield wall and it was 8-7 Lake County. Kane County added to their two run lead in the top of the ninth. Three runs scored and it was 13-8. The Captains scored a run in the ninth to cut the gap to 13-9.

The Captains started LHP Ryan Merritt (1-2). Merritt lasted three and one third inning allowing eight hits, four earned runs, one walk and five strikeouts. Merritt did allow one homer. Nick Pasquale pitched three innings in relief allowing one hit and three unearned runs he walked three and struck out two. Felix Sterling took the loss. Sterling (0-3) pitched one inning and gave up four hits, two runs, one earned and he fanned two. Sterling allowed one homer. Michael Peoples pitched one and two thirds innings he allowed six hits four runs and two were earned.

RHP Lendy Castillo (0-1) started the game for Kane County. Castillo did not get a decision. The winning pitcher for Kane County was Justin Amlung. Amlung (3-0) earned his third win of the season. The save went to Nathan Dorris his first of the season.

The Captains will hit the road to begin a six game road trip. On Wednesday, The Captains will be in Peoria, IL to take on the Peoria Chiefs. The Captains will start RHP Mitch Brown (1-1, 9.22) and the Chiefs will counter with RHP Joe Cuda (1-1, 8.18)

Individual game tickets for all Captains games, may be purchased at the Captains official website www.CaptainsBaseball.com.