Hart's Slam Caps Stars' Comeback Win

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


Chattanooga, TN – It was a trend-breaking night at Bell South Park. Huntsville won for just the third time on Monday this season. J.J. Hardy emphatically broke out of his slump. Most importantly, the Stars won their second game this season when trailing after seven innings. With a five-run eighth, capped by Corey Hart's third grand slam this season, Huntsville rallied for a 7-3 victory over Chattanooga at Bell South Park. The Stars (19-16, 59-44) moved into a tie for first in the Southern League West second-half race.

Trailing 3-1 in the seventh, Hardy unloaded on Josh Hall's 2-2 fastball, hammering the ball off the scoreboard in left for his team-high 11th homerun. After snapping his 0-for-20 slide Saturday, Hardy is starting to find his stroke. He finished 2-for-4 with a homer, single and two runs scored.

Still down 3-2 in the eighth, another Monday loss seemed likely, given Huntsville's unexplainable 2-11 record on the first day of the workweek. To win, the Stars had to overcome another daunting statistic: they had just one victory in 36 games when trailing after seven innings. Their eighth-inning rally began with Alejandro Machado legging out an infield hit, his second of the night. Two wild pitches later, Machado stood at third with one out. Ryan Knox ripped a single up the middle to plate Machado with the tying run. Dave Krynzel drew a walk, and Hardy singled sharply to left, loading the bases for Hart.

Hall threw a first-pitch fastball, and Hart launched a breathtaking blast to left. The ball sailed over the monstrous scoreboard Hardy hit the inning before, some 50 feet in the air, Hart's 10th homerun and third grand slam this season. He seized the league-lead in runs batted in, improving his total to 78, and extended his hitting streak to seven games. During the streak, Hart is batting .560 (14-for-25) with a grand-slam homer, six doubles, six runs batted in and seven runs scored.

"To come back and get one like that . . . that was a great win for us," Stars manager Frank Kremblas said.

Ben Hendrickson (5-3) picked up his fifth win, coming on in relief after he was held back because of the threat of rain at game time. Entering in the third, Hendrickson stifled the Lookouts, permitting just five hits and one walk while fanning six over five innings. Mike Adams was overpowering in the last two frames, retiring all six batters he faced and fanning four, including three straight in the ninth. Matt Parker allowed three runs on four hits and one walk with one strikeout over the first two innings.

Hall (6-8) took the loss, also after being held back because of possible rain. He entered in the fourth and retired the first nine batters he faced before Hardy's seventh-inning homer. Hall surrendered six runs on five hits and two walks with six strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings. Hall's personal three-game winning streak ended. Brett Gray worked the first three frames, giving up an unearned run on two hits while fanning four.

Huntsville and Chattanooga conclude the four-game series Tuesday night at Bell South Park. Stars righty Pedro Liriano (6-10, 3.22) battles Lookouts lefty Ty Howington, making his first start for Chattanooga this season. Game time is 6:15 p.m. CT. The Bill Penney Toyota Pre-game Show starts at 6:00 p.m. CT. Stars baseball can heard on Jammin' 1550 WLOR, ESPN 1450 WTKI and at www.huntsvillestars.com.

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Southern League Stories from July 29, 2003


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