Gagnon Pitches Stars to Victory
July 16, 2014 - Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release
Huntsville, AL-The Huntsville Stars climbed out of an early 2-0 hole, and defeated the Tennessee Smokies 6-4 Wednesday night at Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville.
The Smokies took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second against Huntsville starter Drew Gagnon(6-4). Jae-Hoon Ha lined a two-run, two-out single to left field.
The Stars responded with a run in their second. With runners at first and third base, Adam Weisenburger hit into a double play scoring Hainley Statia.
The Stars tied the game in the bottom of the third. Josh Prince walked and stole second base. Prince scored on Nick Ramirez's two-out single into centerfied knotting the game at 2-2.
Weisenburger gave the Stars a 3-2 lead in the fourth. He hit a two-out solo homerun to left. It was Weisenburger's first homerun of the season.
The Stars extended their lead when they scored a run in their fourth consecutive inning in the bottom of the fifth.
Nick Ramirez blooped an rbi single to shallow centerfield scoring Gagnon. However, two runs scored on the play. Second baseman Stephen Bruno who fielded the ball in the outfield missed his throw to the shortstop Addison Russell at second enabling Prince to score as well.
Hainley Statia bunted a ball up the first baseline scoring Nick Shaw making it 6-2.
The Smokies drew two runs closer to the Stars by posting a pair of runs in the seventh against Gagnon. Ha grounded out to shortstop scoring Charlie Cutler making it 6-3. Jorge Soler pinch hit and clubbed an rbi single to left cutting the lead to 6-4.
Gagnon, who earned his sixth win of the season turned in his ninth quality start. He pitched seven strong innings allowing five hits on four runs(two earned).
The Stars bullpen did the rest. Big leaguer Jim Henderson who was on an MLB rehab assignment for the Milwaukee Brewers pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning. Henderson struck out a pair on a total of eighteen pitches, thirteen landing for strikes.
David Goforth entered in the ninth. After allowing a leadoff single to Cutler, Goforth induced a double play off Luis Flores's bat to erase the leadoff man.
Goforth nailed down his nineteenth save of the year after he got Pin-Chieh Chen to ground out to the shortstop Yaidel Rivera.
The Stars(13-13, 59-37) lead the Tennessee Smokies(13-13, 46-49) 1-0 in their five game series. Game two will be Thursday. The Stars will have RHP Jacob Barnes (2-3, 4.63) on the mound. Tennessee will feature RHP Corey Black(4-6, 2.71). The game can be heard with Steve Jarnicki starting at 6:15 pm CDT on 92.9 FM, 1450 AM and wtkiradio.com.
Southern League Stories from July 16, 2014
- Six-Run Inning Sinks Barons against M-Braves - Birmingham Barons
- Montgomery Blanks Generals to Halt Three-Game Win Streak - Jackson Generals
- Smokies Drop Series Opener 6-4 - Knoxville Smokies
- Gagnon Pitches Stars to Victory - Huntsville Stars
- RH Angel Sanchez Promoted from Winston-Salem - Birmingham Barons
- Wahoos, Suns Series Opener Washed Out - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- Wednesday's Game Between Suns and Blue Wahoos Postponed - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- O'Brien Returns to Louisville, Lorenzen Activated - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- Bonifacio Joins Smokies on MLB Rehab Assignment - Knoxville Smokies
- Suns Need Three Wins to Clinch Golden Skillet - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Marlins Reliever Recovering from Shoulder Inflammation - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
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