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Bullpen, Timely Hitting Help Huntsville Down Diamond Jaxx

June 9, 2009 - Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Mark Holliman worked into and out of trouble for 5 1/3 innings and the bullpen provided scoreless relief to protect Huntsville's 6-2 win Tuesday afternoon in the last of a six-game set at Pringles Park. The Stars took five of six to lift their record to 35-23 and increase their lead in the North Division to three games over Carolina, pending the outcome of their game later tonight at Jacksonville. The Diamond Jaxx fell to 23-37 after losing to the Stars for a thirteenth time in fifteen games. The Stars have won twelve of the fourteen games in their last two road series to push their road record to 23-10.

The Stars scored in the first inning for a second straight game, and for a third time in the series, when Shane Justis doubled and crossed the plate when Jonathan Lucroy followed with a two-base hit to drive in his 30th run of the season. Lucroy delivered a run-scoring hit in the third to push the Stars lead to 2-0 before Brent Johnson cut down Justis trying to score from second base on a Vinny Rottino single to end the inning.

Oswaldo Navarro led off the home third with a single, moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a one-out single by Marshall Hubbard that sliced the Stars lead to 2-1. Holliman then got Brent Johnson to ground into his second inning ending double play of the game. Holliman finished each of the first three innings by getting a ground ball double play with two runners on base and induced Matt Mangini to bounce into a twin-killing to finish off the fourth inning, as the Stars' turned a season-best four double plays.

Logan Schafer tripled with one out in the third and scored to push the lead to 3-1 after Chuck Caufield singled into center field. The Stars at that point had scored on Justin Souza in seven of the nine innings he had started against them in his three turns. The right-hander was lifted after four frames, giving up three runs on eight hits, marking the first time in six starts that he had allowed more than two runs. He took the loss to fall to 4-5 on the season.

Huntsville tacked on three more runs in the sixth against Matt Renfree, to push their lead to 6-1, on run-scoring hits by Taylor Green and Caufield and a run-producing fielder's choice grounder off the bat of Johnny Raburn, who drove in his third run of the season. Green hit safely in all six games in the series and drove in a half dozen.

Hubbard's lead off long ball, his second of the series and second off of Holliman this season, cut the Stars' lead to 6-2. The Huntsville right-hander was lifted after a one-out single by Johan Limonta, allowing nine hits, walking two and fanning two. Omar Aguilar retired the next two hitters to end the sixth and worked out of a bases loaded two-out situation in the seventh by getting Johnson to ground out. Robert Hinton closed out Holliman's third straight win and fourth of the season with two scoreless, hitless innings.

The Stars return home Thursday to begin a five-game series against Jacksonville with left-hander David Welch taking the hill against Suns' right-hander Nic Ungs. Coverage of the game begins at 6:45 pm central time and can be heard through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

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Southern League Stories from June 9, 2009


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