BayBears and Stars split marathon double header
August 6, 2003 - Southern League (SL1)
Mobile BayBears News Release
Huntsville, Ala. â The Mobile BayBears and Huntsville Stars played marathon baseball Tuesday night and on into Wednesday morning as they played a quasi double-header with the two teams splitting the affair. The BayBears took game one 8-2 with the Stars winning the second game 4-3.
The finale, which was scheduled for seven innings, was not decided until the bottom of the 12th inning.
The BayBears took a 3-2 lead in the top of the 12th. With two outs, Bobby Scales reached second base on an error by second baseman Alejandro Machado. Humberto Quintero followed with an RBI double scoring Scales to give the BayBears their first run since the first inning of the game.
However, in the bottom of the frame, the Stars scored twice to win the game. Huntsville began the inning with back-to-back singles off of BayBears closer Rusty Tucker. Scales then threw away an attempted sacrifice bunt, scoring the game-tying run, and put runners at second and third with no one out. Tucker then recorded an out on a short pop up to center. The Stars J.J. Hardy then came to the plate after an intentional walk and hit a chopper over Scales head at third to win the game for Huntsville 4-3.
The BayBears once again scored first, in the first. John Knott hit a two-run homerun, scoring Rico Washington who singled with two outs. The homer was Knott's 22nd of the season, which ties the BayBears single-season team record. John Curl set the record hitting 22 homeruns for the BayBears in 1999.
Mobile starter Chris Oxspring pitched well enough to get the win in game two. The right-hander threw five innings and gave up just one run on four hits while striking out four. However, reliever Bryan Gaal gave up the game-tying run in the bottom of the sixth.
The night's first game was a resumption of the two team's July 6th game, which was suspended by rain. The game began Tuesday night with the BayBears batting in the top of the third inning and leading 7-0. They went on to defeat the Stars 8-2.
On July 6th, the BayBears pounded Stars starter Ben Hendrickson. They scored twice in the first on an RBI single by Jake Gautreau and a Kade Johnson passed ball. The BayBears added a single run in the top of the second as Todd Donovan tripled in Freddy Guzman.
The BayBears' big inning was the third. They scored five runs on six base hits. Vinnie Faison singled home Danny Bravo with the first run of the inning. Kevin Reinking followed with another RBI single, scoring J.J. Furmaniak. BayBears starting pitcher Steve Watkins doubled in both Faison and Reinking just before the rain came, suspending the game.
The BayBears tacked on another run as the game resumed, Tuesday. Donovan doubled in Roger Deago who was pinch running for the promoted Watkins.
Deago began the night on the mound for the BayBears and earned the win in relief of Watkins. Deago (7-7) threw four innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on just two hits while striking out three.
The BayBears and Stars will play game four of their five-game series Wednesday night at 7:05. Duncan McAdoo (3-7; 4.75) will start for Mobile against Huntsville's Jeff Housman (3-0; 1.45).
Southern League Stories from August 6, 2003
- Barons Hammer Suns, 8-5 - Birmingham Barons
- Braves Down Rays 6-1 - Orlando Rays
- Suns fall despite 6 Barons errors - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- G-Braves Rock Rays - Mississippi Braves
- Stars and Bay Bears Rained Out Wednesday Night - Huntsville Stars
- James Jurries Named Topps SL Player of the Month - Mississippi Braves
- Develop More, Pay Less - SL1
- Deja Vu: Suns win again, 5-1 - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Stars and Bears Split a Lengthy Pair - Huntsville Stars
- BayBears and Stars split marathon double header - Mobile BayBears
- Barons Drop One to Suns, 5-1 - Birmingham Barons
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