GARY, Ind.- In a late-inning thriller, the Gary SouthShore RailCats (3-4) fell just shy of a comeback victory against the visiting Kane County Cougars (5-2) following a late rally from the Cougars in the ninth.
Ben Andrews belted both his first and second home runs on the season in a 2-for-4 day at the plate, yet his three RBIs weren't enough to propel Gary SouthShore over the hump.
Andrews delivered his first of two homers in the opening frame, followed by another solo shot from Vaibhav Desai in the second inning.
As the RailCats worked a 2-0 lead into the sixth, starter David Griffin, who finished with 5.1 innings of one hit baseball, allowing three runs and striking out eight, came out of the ballgame after walking the bases loaded. Kane County then struck for four, taking a two-run lead.
In the bottom of the eight, Phil Caulfied roped a triple down the right-field line, his second hit of the evening, before Ben Andrews blasted homer number two to tie things up at four a piece heading into the final frame.
The loss is accredited to Chris Erwin who allowed a pair of hits in the ninth as Kane County took the 5-4 lead and never looked back.
Mark Seyler, who initially started Spring Training with Gary SouthShore, earned the save in tonight’s game after going good morning, good afternoon and goodnight to retire three straight and close things out.
The win goes to Kyle Huckaby, despite the reliever allowing two earned runs in one inning on the bump.
Cougars’ starter Vance Worley produced seven innings of two-run baseball as he struck out seven, allowing five hits in a no decision.
The Gary SouthShore RailCats and the Kane County Cougars will do it all again at the same time, same place tomorrow evening at 7:10 p.m. at the Steel Yard for game two of a four-game set.