8/8, Clinton 9, Cougars 1

Mike Spina hit a long home run over the scoreboard into the trees in left center field to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead in the third inning of their game against the Clinton Lumberkings. Unfortunatly the Cougars game would go out of the park with the homer. They lost 9-1 and it wasn't easy to watch.

Mathieu Leblanc-Poirier started and went five innings, he gave up five hits and two runs. He threw a lot of pitches to each batter in the first three innings that made the innings harder for the Cougars. He would throw 92 pitches in those five innings, he walked three and struck out three.

After the homer by Spina not much else would go right for the Cougars. In the fourth inning the Kings took the lead with two runs of their own. Nate Tenbrink led off with a triple to right center. Jake Shaffer then singled to cneter to score Tenbrink. One out later, Shaffer stole second. He would've been out, but knocked the ball out of the glove. He would get to third on a wild pitch on ball four to Daniel Carroll. Kyle Seager then grounded one to first. First baseman Steve Parker stepped on the base and threw to second to try to turn the double play. The throw was off and Carroll would be safe at second, meanwhile Shaffer would score on the play. Luis Nunez would ground out to end the inning.

Four more runs for the Kings in the sixth inning. With one out against new Cougar reliever Jose Guzman. Ryan Royster doubled to left center. Daniel Carroll then singled to short. Seager singled down the left field line to score Royster. Nunez singled to right. Ian Bladergroen then grounded one to first, Parker stepped on the base and then threw home to try to get Carroll at the plate. There was a collison with catcher Dusty Napoleon, he would not hang onto the ball and the run would score. Blake Ochoa then singled to left to drive in both Seager and Nunez.

The other three runs for Clinton came in the ninth inning against Justin Murray. Ochoa led off with a single to short. One out later, Tenbrink was hit by a pitch. Shaffer then doubled down the left field line to drive in both Ochoa and Shaffer. Royster followed with a double down the right field line to score Tenbrink.

Leblanc-Poirier and friends were able to get out of a little bit of the trouble throughout the game. In the first inning a one out walk and steal of second would lead to nothing. In the second inning, Kris Sanchez led off with a double to the wall in right center. Tenbrink then singled to center. Berroa didn't get to the ball quick enough and had some toruble, allowing him to get to second. Second and third with no outs. Two ground outs and a pop out later the runners would be stranded. In the third inning with one out, Nunez blooped a single to right. One out later, Ochoa would be hit by a pitch. First and second with two outs. Sanchez popped out to end the inning.

In the seventh inning Trey Barham did a nice job. He got out of the four run jam the prevouis inning. Then allowed a Tenbrink single to center. Shaffer would ground one to second. Leonardo Gil got the ball, the runner stopped just before Gil got the ball and made him throw it to first for the out, then tried to get to second and would be out on the double play.

The Cougars did have some chances and left a lot of men on base. In the first inning with one out, Nino Leyja doubled to left center. One out later, Mike Spina walked. Jeremy Barfield would be out on strikes. I don't think he swung at the high pitch. In the second inning with one out, Franklin Hernandez singled to right. One out later, Chris Berroa singled to third. Gil would fly to center to strand the two runners.

The inning the Cougars Spina would hit the bomb, that homer could've been a three run shot. Leyja led off with a single to left. Parker then hit into a double play. The very next pitch Spina took deep. In the sixth inning with one out, Barfield singled to second. Tyler Ladendorf then double down the left field line to get Barfield to third. The Kings would then bring in a new pitcher. One out later, Dusty Napoleon walked to load the bases with two outs. Berroa hit a grounder to third, the third baseman tagged Ladendorf going by to end the nning.

Tomorrow vs Clinton @2pm
Blake Nation (3-4, 3.20) vs Shawn Haviland (6-8, 4.25)

The Cougars have lost 8 of their last nine home games.

Today I did an interview with Cougar reliever Scott Deal, it should be online sometime in the next few days. Tomorrow its an interview with Franklin Hernandez