Deeds' Down Stars With Walk Off Homer

July 2, 2008 - Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Doug Deeds' two-run walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom half of the ninth inning lifted Tennessee to a dramatic 6-5 comeback win over Huntsville Wednesday night in the third of a four-game set at Smokies Park. The Smokies won their second straight to lift their second half record to a league-best 11-4, while the Stars slipped to 7-8 in the half and 48-37 overall. It was the Stars' fourth walk-off loss of the year.

Juan Sandoval, who had entered the ninth inning having thrown 13 1/3 straight shutout frames retired the first two hitters before Matt Craig singled to left and was lifted for a pinch-runner. Deeds took a first pitch strike and then launched a long, high home run onto the grassy berm area in right field for his fourth hit of the night and seventh long ball. It was the second time Sandoval has surrendered a walk-off home run on the road this season.

Alcides Escobar led off the seventh with an infield single, moved to second base on an Angel Salome ground out and scored on a Matt LaPorta single with two outs to give the Stars the lead back at 5-4. Steve Bray gave up one-out singles to Deeds and Nate Spears in the bottom of the inning but got Mark Reed to ground into an inning-ending double play to keep the visitors on top. Freddy Parejo started the game with a single, moved to second base on an Escobar sacrifice bunt and scored on a two-out single by Salome, who has driven in a run in eight of his last 12 games. Chris Errecart's lead off home run in the second, his second of the season against Donnie Veal, pushed the Huntsville lead to 2-0. Parejo and Escobar kept the inning going with singles and scored on a double by Mat Game l that made it 4-0 Stars. Veal then settled down and blanked the Stars over the next three frames on one hit and departed allowing nine hits, walking one and not recording a strikeout. Veal had lost each of his five prior starts against Huntsville, dating back to last season.

The Smokies scored an unearned run in the second inning and crept to within 4-3 with a pair of runs in the fifth against Donovan Hand on a run-scoring triple by Matt Camp, who then came in on a scoring fly ball to shallow right field by Tyler Colvin, the current hitter of the week in the league. Hand was lifted after five frames, allowing two earned runs on six hits, while walking four and fanning one. The Huntsville-area native is still searching for his first win after eight appearances, including seven starts.

Bray took over in the sixth and gave up a two-out single to Camp that plated Reed, who had singled to start the inning, with the tying run. Bray gave up a run on four hits over his two innings and was followed by David Johnson, who set down the side in order in the eighth.



Southern League Stories from July 2, 2008


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