4/14, Beloit 6, Cougars 5

A sloppy game, in which the Cougars would lose 6-5 to break their four game winning streak. The bad part was the three runs the Beloit Snappers scored in the ninth inning to come from behind to take the first game of the series.

The big inning of the game was the ninth, Hector Garcia had just come in to pitch for the save, the Cougars started the inning off with a 5-3 lead. With one out, Michael Gonzales walked, then was pitch run for by Wang Wei Lin. Reggie Williams then walked. James Beresford, singled to short to load the bases. Garcia then walked Aaron Hicks to force in Gonzales. Brian Dozier singled to left to score Williams to tie the game at 5. The very next pitch, Garcia threw a wild pitch to allow Beresford to score. After that Garcia got two grounders to get out of the inning.

The Cougars started out the scoring with a homer by Max Stassi to straight away center, that just carried out towards the batters eye in the second inning. Beloit tied the game in the next half inning with a Gonzalez lead off homer to left field.

The good thing is the Cougars did come back and get the lead back in the next half inning with a run of their own. With two outs, Connor crumbliss walked. Kent Walton then doubled down the left field line to score Crumbliss.

Two more runs for the Snappers in the sixth to take the lead again. Aaron Hicks lead off the inning with a walk. Cougar starter Rob Gilliam then threw a pick off attempt into the bullpen to move Hicks to second. One out later, Derek McCallum then doubled to right to score Hicks. One more out later, Steven Liddle double down the right field line to score McCallum. It could've been worse, Gilliam threw a wild pitch on ball four to Tobias Streich, Liddle tried to score from second and would be out at the plate.

Somehow the Cougars came back in the next half inning with three runs of their own in the sixth inning. Stassi led off the inning with a double down the left field line. He would get to third on a wild pitch. Franklin Hernandez then blooped one over the drawn in infield at third for a single to score Stassi. Hernandez then went to second on an errant pick off attempt. One out later, Nino Leyja walked. The Snappers made a pitching change, Tyreace House singled to right to great the new pitcher. On the play Hernandez scored, and Leyja went to third. Myrio Richard grounded out to second to score Leyja. The Cougars could've gotten more, and Crumbliss walked. Walton struck out to strand runners on first and third.

Connor Crumbliss would have two hits, and two walks in the game. He also stole a base and scored a run. Max Stassi had two hits, including his second homer of the year. He also had a double and scored twice. Josh Lansford pitched two good innings, he gave up two hits and two strike outs.

Next Game
Tomorrow vs Beloit, 6 pm
Miguel Munoz (0-0, 1.80) vs Dan Straily (1-0, 3.60)

The runs that Garcia gave up today were the first runs that the bullpen gave up on this homestand, 18.2 innings.