PEORIA, IL - The Kane County Cougars jumped to a 4-0 lead over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Thursday afternoon in the series finale at Dozer Park. The Cougars held off the Rattlers attempts at a comeback and defeated the Rattlers 4-2 to earn a three-game sweep at the temporary home
PEORIA, IL - The Kane County Cougars jumped to a 4-0 lead over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Thursday afternoon in the series finale at Dozer Park. The Cougars held off the Rattlers attempts at a comeback and defeated the Rattlers 4-2 to earn a three-game sweep at the temporary home of the Rattlers.
Kane County (6-5) grouped three hits together with one out in the top of the second to take the lead. Eudy Ramos doubled and Joey Rose sent him to third with a single. Tim Susnara drove a single to right to knock in Ramos and the Cougars were up 1-0.
Luis Basabe was at second after a one-out double. Wisconsin starting pitcher Joaquín De La Cruz got the second out on a popup, but gave up a pair of two-out RBI hits to let Kane County to take a 3-0 lead. Yoel Yanqui collected the first RBI hit with a single. Luis Silverio was next and he doubled to send Yanqui home.
The Cougars added another run off De La Cruz in the fourth inning on a two-out RBI single by Ernie De La Cruz.
Josh Pennington made his 2018 debut for the Timber Rattlers as he entered from the bullpen to start the top of the fifth inning. He walked a pair of Cougars batters on close pitches and reacted in a way to draw a reaction from the home plate umpire. That reaction drew a reaction from Wisconsin manager Matt Erickson who came to the plate and was quickly ejected. Wisconsin pitchers walked six in Thursday's game and 19 in the three-game series with the Cougars.
Kane County starting pitcher Jeff Bain didn't allow a hit over his first 4-2/3 inning, but walked four, including two batters in the fifth. Joantgel Segovia stepped in with two on and two out an rang a double off the wall to drive in both runs and pull the Rattlers to within two runs. The hit by Segovia knocked Bain out of the game.
Wisconsin (3-10) had a great chance to get even closer in the seventh inning. Gabriel Garcia started the inning with a double against reliever Keegan Long. Brent Diaz was at the plate with one out and sent a sinking liner to left. Manny Jefferson made a diving catch to rob Diaz of a hit for the second out. Then, Nick Roscetti hit a soft liner to left that dropped in for a hit. Diaz raced for the plate, but Jefferson's throw home was just in time to get Diaz for the final out and keep the Cougars up by two.
Segovia would lead off the eighth inning with a single for his second hit of the game. Segovia has three straight games with two hits and has bumped his season average to .436. However, the Rattlers could do nothing with this opportunity.
In the ninth, KJ Harrison doubled to right-center to start the inning against Matt Brill. Harrison would end the inning and the game stranded at second as Brill retired the next three batters to pick up his second save.
The loss was the sixth straight for Wisconsin.
The Timber Rattlers stay at Dozer Park but will be the visiting for a three-game series against the Peoria Chiefs that starts Friday night. Dylan File (1-0, 3.60) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Johan Oviedo (0-1, 16.20) is set to start for the Chiefs. Game time is 6:30pm. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino Pregame Show at 6:10pm. The broadcast is also available on the Tune In and IHeart Radio apps. Subscribers to MiLB.tv can watch the game via the Chiefs feed over the internet.
