Huntsville Makes it Four of Five Over Jaxx

Published on May 25, 2009 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Adam Stern had three hits and scored twice and the bullpen backed David Welch with four scoreless frames to preserve Huntsville's 5-2 win over West Tenn Monday afternoon in the last of a five-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars took four out of five to lift their record to 21-19 and take a game and a half lead in the North Division over the Smokies, pending the outcome of their game later tonight. The Diamond Jaxx slipped to

17-26 after falling to the Stars for an eighth time in nine games.

Stern started the home first with a double, moved to third base on a passed ball and scored on a Taylor Green groundout to manufacture the game's first run. West Tenn starter Justin Souza gave up a two-out single to Freddy Parejo in the second and then walked the next two hitters to load the bases before he hit Shane Justis to force in the second run for the home side.

Souza was lifted after three laborious innings and tagged with the loss after yielding two runs on three hits, three walks and two hit batters. Former Stars' pitcher Patrick Ryan took over in the fourth and gave up a run when Stern singled, moved to second on a Brent Johnson fielding error, stole third and crossed the plate on a wild pitch. Ryan was lifted after one inning and replaced by Nick Hill, who gave up a home run to Kevin Melillo and a two-out run-scoring double to Johnny Raburn in the fifth that made it 5-0 Huntsville.

Welch had allowed only two singles in five shutout frames and had retired 10 in a row before walking Oswaldo Navarro and Mel Stocker to open the sixth. He was removed and replaced by Josh Wahpepah, who uncorked a wild pitch that was followed by Greg Halman's two-run single that cut the lead to 5-2 and ended Welch's 13 consecutive scoreless innings stretch. Wahpepah then walked Johnson but worked out of trouble by striking out Marshall Hubbard and getting Matt Mangini to ground into a double play. Welch grabbed the win to even his record at 3-3 by claiming a third straight start.

West Tenn loaded the bases with one out in the eighth and Wahpepah was replaced by the southpaw Casey Baron, who fanned the lefty-swinging Hubbard and retired the lefty-swinging Mangini on a soft liner to second. Omar Aguilar then tossed a scoreless ninth inning to earn his second save of the series and third of the year.

The Stars begin an eight-game series in Sevierville Tuesday night with left-hander Chris Cody and right-hander Donovan Hand set to oppose Smokies' right-hander Marcos Mateo and left-hander James Russell in a doubleheader. Coverage of the game begins at 4:15 pm central time and can be heard through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

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Southern League Stories from May 25, 2009


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