Barons Down Stars, 5-1
August 2, 2003 - Southern League (SL1)
Birmingham Barons News Release
BIRMINGHAM, AL â Neal Cotts snapped his four-game losing streak in style as the Birmingham Barons defeated the Huntsville Stars 5-1 in front of 4,903 fans on Saturday night at the Hoover Met. The win over the Stars moves the Barons into a tie for first place in the West Division with a 22-18 record.
Cotts (9-6) came into the game with a four-game losing streak but picked up the win after throwing seven shutout innings and dominating the Stars. He gave up just three singles on the night with seven strikeouts and lowered his ERA from 2.41 to a Southern League leading 2.24.
Run support had been the real problem for Cotts in his past few starts but the Barons bats would supply plenty of runs this time around. They got on the board early with run in the first on an RBI double by Danny Sandoval but blew the game open with a four spot in the fifth. Jeremy Reed doubled in a run to start the scoring and later scored on a two-run double by Gabe Alvarez before Carlos Maldonado drove in the final run with a sacrifice fly.
Matt Smith tossed a scoreless in relief of Cotts and Jake Meyer finished things off in the ninth despite giving up a run on a hit and a walk. Stars starter, Dave Nolasco (0-2) took the loss after giving up all five runs on six hits over 5.0 innings.
The Barons finish up the five-game series by sending out RHP Enemencio Pacheco (9-2, 2.82) to face RHP Ben Hendrickson (5-3, 2.57). All the action can be heard on 101.1 FM "The Source" with Curt Bloom on the play-by-play.
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Southern League Stories from August 2, 2003
- Stars Fall in Birmingham, 5-1 - Huntsville Stars
- Barons Down Stars, 5-1 - Birmingham Barons
- Smokies Edge Rays, 2-1 - Orlando Rays
- Suns' rally falls a run short - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- BayBears swept by West Tenn in double-dip - Mobile BayBears
- Smokies Rally Past Rays - Knoxville Smokies
- Jone Returns to Rotation in Stars' 5-1 Loss - Huntsville Stars
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