In game one of a three-game set, the Gary SouthShore RailCats (17-21) lost the lead in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Kane County Cougars (18-21) walked it off on a Mitch Reeves single into right to win 5-4 at Northwestern Medicine Field in Geneva, Illinois.
The RailCats were on top early, getting out to a 3-0 lead before Kane County stormed back with three in the bottom of the third to even things out.
In the seventh, Gary SouthShore went back on top with a Daniel Lingua one-out, RBI single to take a 4-3 lead heading into the late innings. Lingua went 2-for-4 with an RBI on Tuesday to improve his clip to 8-for-14 over his last three contests.
Tasker Strobel hunkered down for the RailCats with two innings of shutout baseball in relief, allowing three hits with two strikeouts to keep the ‘Cats on top heading into the final frame.
Just three outs stood in the way of a RailCats win, but the Cougars had other plans. Anfernee Seymour recorded the first of two hits in the ninth for Kane County, and a walk and two hit batsmen later, Mitch Reeves was at the plate in a tie 4-4 game with the bases loaded and nobody out in the ninth.
Reeves sent a liner into right field to bring home pinch-runner Brandon Chinea and win the game on the walk-off for Kane County.
The loss goes to Sandy Lugo who allowed two earned runs on two hits after he failed to record an out against the five batters he faced. Ben Allison earned the win for KCO as he faced three and retired three.
Both starters were dealt no decisions as Chris Erwin went six innings on the mound with three runs, two of which were earned, on six hits while striking out five and walking six. Cougars starter Koby Bishop had four innings of work, allowing three runs, two of which earned, with five hits, four walks, and two strikeouts.
Game two between the Gary SouthShore RailCats and the Kane County Cougars is scheduled for tomorrow, June 30 at 6:30 p.m. at Northwestern Medicine Field in Geneva, Illinois.