By Jack Ankony, The Chicago Dogs

Grant Kay ignited a Dogs rally by lining a single to left field to tie the game in the sixth inning.

When he dug into the batter’s box in the eighth inning, Kay ripped an eerily-similar RBI single to left field to cut into the Kane County lead. But with each clutch hit from Kay, more runs for the Cougars were quick to follow.

After tying the game in the sixth and eighth innings, Kane County took the lead right back in the seventh and ninth to secure an 8-7 victory.

Jordan Kipper was tasked with starting today’s game for the Dogs and rebounded nicely from his previous start in Fargo. Kipper pitched six innings and allowed eight hits, four earned runs, one walk and seven strikeouts. Kipper was just inches away from having an even more impressive start.

In the fifth inning, Dogs shortstop Johnny Adams charged a ground ball and slung it over to K.C. Hobson at first base. The ball hit the back of Hobson’s glove simultaneously with Josh Allen’s foot touching first base.

Allen was ruled safe at first on a play that might have been overturned had there been instant replay. In the following two at-bats, Kane County’s Gavin LaValley and Kacy Clemens each belted home runs to extend the Cougar lead.

These home runs turned out to be the difference in a game that could have gone either way until the final out. But instead, the Dogs dropped three of four games to Kane County and now sit two and a half games behind the Milwaukee Milkmen for first place in the North Division.

An opportunity to gain ground on Milwaukee awaits on Tuesday as the Milkmen travel to Impact Field. This series will be a crucial checkpoint in a young season for the Dogs as it presents a chance to regain first place in the division.

Boxscore