The Burlington Bees open the second half of the Class A Midwest League schedule with a four-game home series against the Kane County Cougars. A look at the series:
SERIES FACTS
Game times: 6:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday.
Where: Community Field
First-half records: Bees 39-31, Cougars 35-34
Season series: Bees lead, 5-4
TEAM COMPARISONS
Last 10: Bees 5-5, Cougars 4-6
Home vs. road: Bees 23-13 at home, Cougars 18-17 on road
Night games: Bees 24-25, Cougars 27-20
Day games: Bees 15-6, Cougars 8-14
Run differential: Bees +4, Cougars +43
Extra innings: Bees 6-2, Cougars 2-5
HEAD TO HEAD
Batting average: Bees .218, Cougars .220
ERA: Bees 2.41, Cougars 3.54
WHAT TO WATCH
Both teams were battling for the second first-half playoff spot in the Western Division before Cedar Rapids roared past them to claim the spot on the final day of the regular season.
The Bees, who are 9-7 in June, nearly had a no-hitter in the final weekend — Hector Yan and Cole Duensing shut down Peoria’s offense until two outs in the ninth inning in Saturday’s game. Both pitchers should see action in this series.
Kane County is struggling in June. The Cougars are 6-9 in the month, even though they have outscored their opponents 69-53.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Bees infielder Kevin Maitan is batting just .210 this season, but he’s batting .333 against the Cougars with an .844 OPS. Outfielder Spencer Griffin is batting .300 with a .916 OPS against the Cougars.
Pitchers Luis Alvarado and Jose Soriano have combined to go 4-0 against the Cougars with a 1.85 ERA.
Kane County outfielder Eduardo Diaz and infielders Joey Rose and Eddie Hernandez have worn out the Bees this season. Hernandez is hitting .400 with seven runs batted in with an OPS of 1.100. Rose is batting .385 with a 1.121 OPS and Diaz is batting .304 with a .904 OPS.
Pitcher Ryan Weiss is 1-0 with an 0.90 ERA in two starts against the Bees.
Photo of Bees pitcher Cole Duensing courtesy of Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees
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