August 12 game notes

ABOUT MONDAY: The Cougars beat the Rattlers 6-5. Kane County grabbed a 6-0 lead with a pair of runs in the fourth and four runs in the sixth. The Rattlers scored twice in the sixth and three times in the ninth, but the comeback was just short.

THE BIG 4-0: Cougar starting pitcher Carlos Hernandez allowed two runs on four hits over seven innings and picked up the win. He is now 4-0 in four starts for Kane County. Hernandez retired the first 11 batters and 15 out of the first 16 Rattlers he faced in the game.

COBB: Larry Cobb homered and drove in three runs for Kane County.

THEIR SACRIFICES: Kane County scored twice in the top of the fourth inning off Rattler starting pitcher Brett Lorin. He gave up a walk and a double to start the inning to put runners at second and third. Todd Johnson’s flyball to left-center was deep enough to score the runner from third and get the runner from second to third. Cobb followed with a sacrifice fly to center to put Kane County up 2-0.

WHAT DO YOU GET FOR FIVE STRAIGHT HITS? On Sunday night against Kane County, the Rattlers scored two runs on five straight hits. Monday afternoon saw the Cougars collect five straight hits in the top of the sixth. Adam Klein and Michael Richard had back-to-back doubles to score one run. Todd Johnson followed with an RBI single for the second run. Cobb homered for the third and fourth runs of the inning, a 6-0 Kane County lead, and to knock reliever Jose Jimenez out of the game. Justin Frash greeted Jose Escalona with a double to conclude the string.

THE LONG WAY HOME: The Rattlers got to Hernandez with a pair of two-out RBI hits in the bottom of the sixth. Denny Almonte doubled to drive home the first run of the sixth. Edilio Colina singled – his second of three hits in the game – to score Almonte.

MAKING IT INTERESTING: The Rattlers rallied in the bottom of the ninth against Leonardo Espinal. Colina doubled to start the inning and Joe Dunigan singled to put runners at first and third. Alex Liddi singled to drive in Colina and Joe White walked to load the bases. Dunigan would score when Espinal got Alex Meneses to ground into a 5-4-3 double play. Israel Nunez singled to knock in Liddi to make the score 6-5. But, Espinal ended the game by getting Maximo Mendez to ground out to second.

IN A PINCH: Both Juan Diaz and Ron Garth were used as pinch runners in the bottom of the ninth. The only bench player not to get into the game yesterday was catcher Blake Ochoa. Had the Rattlers tied the game, Ochoa would have entered the game to catch in place of Nunez.

CORRECTION TIME: The roster move that was made when Phillippe Aumont came off the disabled list on Saturday was not pitcher Jose Jimenez to Everett. Instead, pitcher Rob Harmon was placed on the disabled list.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Kane County Cougars are the Midwest League affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. They were the first half Western Division Wild Card with a record of 39-29. They are currently 61-56 overall. Kane County is 31-27 on the road this season.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .241 as a team and have scored 444 runs (3.8/game). Wisconsin has hit 45 home runs this season. The Timber Rattler pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.93. Kane County is hitting .258 as a team. They have scored 527 runs (4.5/game). The Cougars have hit 70 home runs this season. The Kane County pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.38.

2008 SEASON SERIES: The Cougars lead the season series 6-4. Wisconsin went 2-1 against the Cougars in a series on Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium May 16-18. The Rattlers won the first two games 8-6 and 4-2. They Cougars won the series finale 4-0. Kane County took three of four at Elfstrom Stadium May 28-31. The Cougars won game one 3-1. Wisconsin took game two 2-1. Kane County won the final two games of the series 4-2 and 6-4.

KANE COUNTY STARTING PITCHER: RH Scott Deal was selected in the fifth round of the 2005 draft by Oakland out of Curtis High School in University Place, Washington. Deal spent all of the 2007 season with the Cougars and went 7-10 with a 4.29 ERA in 27 games (25 starts). However, Deal did not face the Timber Rattlers once last season. Tonight is his first appearance against Wisconsin. Deal has faced Seattle Mariner affiliates four times prior to tonight. In 2005, Deal was 1-0 in two games (one start) with a 5.40ERA against the Arizona League affiliate of the Mariners. As a member of the Vancouver Canadians in 2006, Deal went 2-0 in two starts with an ERA of 6.30. In his start for Cougars before tonight, Deal picked up a no decision against the Beloit Snappers on August 7. He allowed two runs on four hits over seven innings, did not walk a batter, and struck out five.