Barons Even Series, 7-5

Published on May 29, 2003 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Birmingham, AL – Birmingham knocked off Huntsville, 7-5, on Wednesday night at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, trimming the Stars' lead to one game in the Southern League West Division. The judges' cards show one round for Huntsville (27-22) and one for the Barons (26-23), with two more in this series and six more before the first half concludes.

"These games have felt a little different," Stars shortstop J.J. Hardy said. "It's what you would expect when the first- and second-place teams play. Both teams want it really bad.

Stars lefty Luis Martinez struggled through his roughest outing of the year, surrendering seven earned runs, fully five more than in any of his previous 10 starts. Birmingham banged out 11 hits against Martinez and scored six in the first two frames alone. Martinez (4-3) has lost his last two decisions. His earned run average rose from 1.21 to 2.10.

The Barons seized control with the score tied 2-2 in the second. Gabe Alvarez hit a dribbler up the third base line for a single, extending his hitting streak to nine games. Carlos Maldonado blooped a single into shallow left, and Jonathan Aceves' sacrifice bunt moved them to second and third. Danny Sandoval delivered a sacrifice fly, then three straight Barons produced loud two-out hits. Chad Durham doubled down the leftfield line to plate Maldonado for a 3-2 lead. Then Juan Piniella lined a single to left to score Durham, and Piniella took second when outfielder Daryl Clark overran the ball. Finally, Ryan Hankins bombed a double to left-center, scoring Pineilla to push Birmingham's lead to 6-2.

Huntsville's Corey Hart led off the fourth with a no-doubt, solo homer to left, his sixth of the year, making it 6-3. In the sixth, Aceves' two-out double scored Maldonado to put the Barons up, 7-3. Finally in the eighth, pitcher Matt Childers lined a two-out, bases-loaded single off Barons closer Royce Ring, who had inherited the mess from Mitch Wylie. The Stars had pulled within 7-5, but Ring fanned Chris Barnwell to end the inning.

Ring tossed a perfect ninth inning to record his 13th save in 14 chances. He permitted one hit and fanned two over 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Mitch Wylie (1-0) picked up the win in relief, allowing two runs on one hit and two walks while fanning four over 2 2/3 innings. Childers authored three perfect innings for Huntsville, retiring nine straight batters, four by strikeout.

In the third of a four-game series on Thursday night, Stars righty Pedro Liriano (4-4, 2.82) meets Barons lefty Neal Cotts (6-2, 2.28). Game time is 7 p.m., with the Bill Penney Toyota Pre-game Show at 6:45 p.m. Stars baseball can be heard on Jammin' 1550 WLOR, ESPN 1450 WTKI and at www.huntsvillestars.com.

TRANSACTIONS: Milwaukee added outfielder Gary Varner to the Stars' roster, effective Thursday, May 29. To make room for Varner, Milwaukee released right-handed reliever Matt Hammons. The Brewers acquired Varner on Tuesday with left-handed pitcher Chad Petty in a deal that sent outfielder Alex Sanchez to Detroit.

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Southern League Stories from May 29, 2003


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