Diamond Jaxx Down Stars Behind Rohrbaugh, Oliveros

Published on June 9, 2007 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Robert Rohrbaugh spun six solid frames and Luis Oliveros collected three hits and drove in a pair to push West Tenn past Huntsville 10-2 Saturday night at Pringles Park in the middle game of a five-game set Jackson, TN. The Stars slipped to 33-28 on the season but lost no ground and remain tied for the top spot in the North Division after Tennessee fell at Carolina, while the Diamond Jaxx won for the second time in the series to improve to 28-35 on the season. The Stars and Smokies have done exactly the same thing, win or lose, for ten straight days and have seven games left in the first half to determine a winner.

Stars' starter Corey Thurman pitched a scoreless first inning but surrendered a lead off home run to Marshall Hubbard in the home second to make it 1-0 West Tenn. It was the fifth leadoff long ball allowed by Thurman and the 11th straight run he had allowed that scored on a home run. Brent Johnson walked and scored on a triple by Luis Valbuena, who then scored on a Luis Oliveros base hit to make it 3-0 before Charlton Jimerson completed the rally with a two-out, two-run double. Thurman was lifted after just two frames, allowing five runs on five hits and three walks, while striking out three. He had walked only three batters in 14 relief appearances covering 26 2/3 innings but has issued a trio of free passes in each of his two starts.

Bo Hall took over and gave up a two-out run scoring single to Oliveros that made it 6-1 in the third, marking the third straight appearance in which he has been scored on. The right-hander worked scoreless relief in the fourth and fifth innings before being lifted with two outs and Sebastien Boucher at third base so left-hander Jeff Housman could face the lefty-swinging Hubbard. The Stars' southpaw issued back-to-back walks to Hubbard and Matt Tuiasospop before Brent Johnson drove in all three runners with a double to push the home team's lead to 9-1. Seven of the ten runs plated by the Diamond Jaxx were scored with two outs.

The only run the Stars managed against Rohrbaugh came in the third when Michael Brantley singled in his first double-A at-bat, moved to second when Yohannis Perez walked and scored when Chris Minaker could not field a Steve Moss ground ball. Guilder Rodriguez dropped down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners but they did not move, as both Steve Sollmann and Brendan Katin grounded out. Rohrbaugh fanned six, struck out two and allowed only two singles to pick up his sixth win of the season. West Tenn's two left-hand starters in the series have held the Stars to a lone run on five singles over a combined 14 frames. The series continues Sunday afternoon when the Stars send southpaw Steve Hammond to the mound against Diamond Jaxx' right-hander Joe Woerman. Coverage of the game begins at 12:50 p.m. central time and can be heard locally on SportsRadio 730 WUMP and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

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Southern League Stories from June 9, 2007


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