Cougars Swept In First Michigan Road Series
MIDLAND, MI. - Challenged for any offense in this series, the Kane County Cougars (9-19, 42-56) dropped all three games in the road series to the Great Lakes Loons (11-16, 40-57) falling Friday night by a 4-1 score. Against Eastern Division opponents in the second half, the Cougars are just 2-7 without a series win.
Raymel Flores had two of the Cougars three total hits, scoring the first inning run on a Trevor Mitsui groundout. Mitsui's 56th RBI ties him for 3rd in the Midwest League. But the Cougars did not flourish with runners in scoring position without a hit in nine tries in another close loss.
For the first time in the series, the Cougars took the lead. In the first inning, the Cougars received a base hit from Flores and Austin Byler reached on a fielding error. Driving in the run on the groundout, Mitsui made it 1-0 Cougars. That was a short-lived lead as the Loons took a 2-1 lead with one swing of the bat in the home half of the first. With a man on base against the Cougars' right-hander Max Duval (0-2), the Loons' first baseman Erick Meza blasted his third home run of the season. The go-ahead shot was measured at 342-feet over the right-field wall. In the second frame, the Loons padded their lead with an RBI knock from Omar Estevez.
Limited to just one hit until the seventh inning, the Cougars offense was silent against the Loons three pitchers. Great Lakes starter, right-hander Mitchell White (0-0) only pitched two innings giving way to a six-inning performance from southpaw Michael Boyle. Boyle tossed six frames of shutout baseball on just two hits.
Breaking the no-hit streak of Boyle in the seventh, the Cougars Fernery Ozuna doubled but was stranded as the Cougars went just 1-for-25 with runners in scoring position this series.
After Great Lakes scored three runs in the first two innings, Duval exited after four and two-thirds innings on six hits and three runs with four strikeouts and as many walks. A good end to his outing was followed up by magnificent work from right-hander Cody Clark (4-0) kept the Loons to no runs over two and one-third innings.
Tacking on one more run in the eighth inning, the Loons held on in a masterfully pitched three-game series sweep over the Cougars. In his second try in as many starts, Duval picks up the loss, and Boyle's extended relief outing gives him the win. Saturday, the Cougars begin a three-game road series against the Lansing Lugnuts at Cooley Law School Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. CST. On the mound for the Cougars will be right-hander Jose Almonte (0-2) against the Lugnuts' right-hander Justin Maese (0-0). Pre-game radio coverage begins at 5:50 p.m. CST on AM 1280 WBIG and kccougars.com.