Game Notes -- 5/15

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Cougars shutout the Timber Rattlers 3-0. Greg Dowling and Jake Smith had solo home runs for Kane County. Four Cougar pitchers combined to strikeout fifteen Rattler batters in the game.

GANG OF FOUR: Craig Italiano, Jason Fernandez, Branden Dewing, and Scott Moore combined to shutout the Rattlers last night. Wisconsin had nine hits, drew a walk, and had a hit batter, but left nine on base in the game. Italiano pitched the first 2-2/3 innings and struck out five. However, Italiano would leave the game after being struck in the forehead by a line drive off the bat of Carlos Triunfel. Fernandez, the winning pitcher for the Cougars, allowed one hit and struck out six over 3-1/3 innings. Dewing pitched 1-2/3 innings, allowed three hits, but struck out three. Moore pitched the final 1-1/3 innings for the save.

LAUNCHED INTO THE LEAD: Greg Dowling gave the Cougars a 1-0 lead with a one out solo home run in the bottom of the third off Rattler starter Chris Tillman.

MISSED OPPORTUNITY: Wisconsin loaded the bases against Fernandez in the top of the fourth inning. The Cougar reliever got the first out, but allowed a single to Andy Hargrove, a double to Danny Santin, and Kalian Sams was hit by a pitch. Kuo Hui Lo was next, but grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the frame.

LO DOWN: Lo singled with one out in the top of the seventh after Santin singled to start the inning. Lo’s hit extended his hitting streak to seven games (9-for-26). That is the longest current streak on the team.

HE’S ONLY SEVENTEEN: Triunfel had two more hits yesterday. He has four multi-hit games in the last five games he has played.

FIRST SINCE: The shutout of the Rattlers last night was the first since they have been held off the scoreboard since July 28, 2006. Beloit shutout Wisconsin 2-0 on that date.

OPPOSING STARTER: Andrew Bailey was the sixth round pick of the Athletics in the 2006 draft out of Wagner. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2005, but his return to the mound saw him go 3-1 with three saves and a 2.03ERA in twelve games (six starts) with the Seahawks. Bailey was 2-5 with a 2.02ERA in 13 games (10 starts) for the Vancouver Canadians in the Northwest League after he signed with the Athletics. The Fort Wayne Wizards beat Bailey in his last start, which was also his first start for the Cougars. On May 10 at Fort Wayne, he gave up four runs on one hit and four walks in 2/3 of an inning. This is his first appearance against the Rattlers. He did face Everett, Seattle’s Northwest League affiliate, twice in 2006. In his professional debut on July 4, Bailey allowed no runs on one hit over two innings of relief. On September 4, Bailey got the win over the AquaSox. In that game – a start – he pitched five innings and allowed one unearned run on two hits with two walks and four strikeouts.