Lookouts Rally for 6-2 Win over Stars

May 1, 2003 - Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Huntsville, AL – After blowing leads of 2-0 and 3-2, the Stars fell to Chattanooga, 8-3, on Thursday night at Joe Davis Stadium. Huntsville maintained a two-game lead over second-place West Tennessee in the Southern League West Division.

Following a 75-minute rain delay, Stars lefty Luis Martinez took control. With the two unearned runs in the fourth, Huntsville staked Martinez to a 2-0 lead. He shut out the Lookouts through six innings, pitching out of jams in both the first and fourth. Martinez worked into the seventh for the first time this season, and Chattanooga finally reached him. With two on and two outs, leadoff hitter Andy Beattie doubled deep to left, scoring both runners for a 2-2 tie.

After the Huntsville grabbed a 3-2 lead on Chris Cosbey's run-scoring groundout, the Lookouts rallied against reliever Mike Adams in the eighth. It started with Guye Senjem's bloop hit to center and a wild pitch that pushed him to second. Stephen Smitherman's swinging dribbler up the third base line put runners at first and third. Ed Encarnacion hit a seeing-eye ground ball through the left side, scoring Senjem and moving Smitherman to second. One out later, the Lookouts pulled off a double steal, and when the errant throw bounced away at third, Smitherman raced home. With two outs, Ray Olmedo hit a dunker into shallow left to plate Encarnacion for a 5-3 Lookouts lead. In the ninth, Chattanooga broke the game open on Smitherman's three-run homer.

Reliever Jorge Cortes (1-2) notched the win, allowing one run on two hits in one inning, and Adams (1-2) suffered the loss, permitting six runs on seven hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings. Paul Darnell recorded his first save, tossing two scoreless frames, allowing just a walk.

Huntsville matches right-hander Mike Jones (3-1, 3.86) against Lookouts righty Ryan Mottl (0-1, 3.68) in game two of the series. Game time is 7:15 p.m. at Joe Davis Stadium. A fireworks spectacular follows the game courtesy of Huntsville Hospital.



Southern League Stories from May 1, 2003


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