Clinton LumberKings Rip Kane County Cougars 10-2 - Advanced A, Midwest League

MLN - THE RAW FEED - www.mlntherawfeed.com - Clinton, IA – Six shut-out innings from left-hander Derek Holland and crooked numbers in the fourth and eighth innings cured what ailed the Clinton LumberKings Tuesday night as they ended a seven-game losing streak and reduced their magic number for clinching the first-half West Division title to three games.
 
Holland (W, 6-0) gave up just two hits and four walks over his six innings, striking out five.  The only hits against him were singles by Greg Dowling and Michael Lissman, and only one Cougars base-runner made it into scoring position.   
 
The top-ranked Clinton offense went to work in the fourth, hammering Kane County right-hander Jamie Richmond for four runs.  Engel Beltre led off the inning with a frozen rope to right, barely missing a home run.  He settled for a double, then moved to third on Renny Osuna’s single to left.  Tim Smith extended his hitting streak to eight games with an RBI single to right, plating Beltre.
 

ADVERTISEMENT With Ian Gac at the plate, a wild pitch by Richmond moved runners to second and third, and the league’s leading home run hitter and RBI producer followed with a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Osuna.  Mitch Moreland kept the inning going, drawing a walk, and Jonathan Greene laced a single into left to score Smith from third.  Carlos Dominguez capped the big inning, singling home Moreland and chasing Richmond from the game.
 
Richmond (L, 5-5) lasted just 3.1 innings, yielding four runs (all earned) on five hits.  Right-hander Brent Lysander replaced him, stranding runners at second and third with back-to-back outs to finish the fourth.
 
With the Kings up 5-0 in the seventh, the Cougars began to mimmick their comeback from the night before.  With right-hander Jorge Quintero on in relief, Kane County got on the board on Danny Hamblin’s RBI single to left, scoring Shane Keough.  In the eighth, it was a sacrifice fly by Greg Dowling that scored Lissman, making it a 5-2 Clinton advantage.
 
The Kings quickly ended all hopes for a Cougar comeback, breaking open the game with a five-run eighth inning.  Left-hander Nick Walters walked both Greene and Jacob Kaase and allowed a single to Dominguez to load up the bases.  Miguel Alfonzo grinded out a walk to bring Greene home, and an odd play added further insurance.
 
With the bases loaded and nobody out, Beltre rolled a slow ground ball to first base.  Dowling came up throwing to the plate, but the baseball struck home plate umpire Max Guyll, scoring Dominguez.  The inning didn’t end there as Osuna added a sac fly, Gac reached on an RBI fielder’s choice and a passed ball to catcher Dusty Napoleon brought the tenth and final run home.
 
Right-hander Ryan Tatusko retired the Cougars in order in a non-save ninth to preserve the win.
 
Seven of the nine Clinton starters drove in at least a run, with Gac leading the way with his league-leading 51st and 52nd RBI.  Osuna, Smith Greene, Dominguez, Kaase and Alfonzo all had one RBI.
 
The win finally gets the LumberKings to the 40-win plateau, improving their record to 40-21.  The Cougars fall back to 38-26, putting them 3.5 games behind Clinton for first in the West.  Both teams face off again tomorrow night at Alliant Energy Field, first pitch scheduled for 7:00 PM.  Listen to the game on AM 1340 KROS in Clinton or live on the web at www.lumberkings.com.

If you like the daily news of the Raw Feed, SUBSCRIBE TODAY to the nation's only alternative professional sports magazine, SZ, with original features and great action photography in baseball, hockey, basketball, and football. Just $11.99 per year for an e-zine like you’ve never seen!