Minaker Makes Most of Hits in DH Sweep

Published on July 3, 2007 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Chris Minaker delivered game-winning hits in both games to help West Tenn pull off consecutive walk-off wins in a doubleheader sweep of Huntsville Monday night at Pringles Park. The Diamond Jaxx won 10-9 in nine innings in the opener and 7-6 in the nightcap to end a seven-game slide and improve to 5-10 in the second half, while the Stars dipped to 5-10 in the second half and 42-41 overall. The Stars have been swept in three doubleheaders over the last 17 days.

Charlton Jimerson doubled with one out in the home seventh in game two, moved to third base on a single by Rene Rivera and scored the decisive run when Minaker grounded a base hit just inside the bag at first base down the right field line off of Robert Hinton, who fell to 1-2 on the season. Adam Heether tripled to lead off the top of the inning in a 6-6 game but was left stranded there after Brendan Katin lined out to right field and Steve Moss and Carlos Corporan struck out against Craig James, who earned his third win.

Huntsville carried a 6-3 lead into the home sixth, as starter Corey Thurman gave way to Marino Salas after allowing three hits, walking four and fanning three. Salas walked all four batters he faced, including Minaker to force in a run to make it 6-4. Hinton took over and fanned Alex Meneses before Casey Craig's double tied the game. Hinton fanned Brent Johnson and walked Prentice Redman to reload the bases before Marshall Hubbard struck out to end the inning.

The Stars scored twice in the first, twice in the fourth and single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to move out to the three-run lead. West Tenn got a solo home run from Matt Tuiasosopo and a two-run shot from Charlton Jimerson against Thurman, who gave up two long balls in a game for the fourth time this season.

In game one, Michael Hyrnio walked Corporan with one out in the seventh and was taken out of the game and replaced by Mumba Rivera, who saw Brendan Katin belt his second pitch over the wall in right field for a two-run home run that tied the game at nine. Rivera walked two more before ending the inning on a come-backer off the bat of Guilder Rodriguez. He struck out the side in the eighth and stranded two runners in the ninth before the Diamond Jaxx won the game in the bottom half of the inning when Minaker singled home Meneses, who was pinch-running for Luis Oliveros.

Mel Stocker singled in two runs and Hernan Iribarren doubled in a pair as the Stars scored six runs in the third inning to take a seemingly comfortable 7-1 lead. However, the home side responded with five in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by a Jimerson two-run single that knocked out starter Sam Narron after he could not retire any of the five batters he faced in the frame. Tuiasosopo and Jimerson delivered back-to-back run-producing singles in the fourth to give West Tenn an 8-7 lead and a Tuiasosopo sacrifice fly in the sixth made it 9-7 Diamond Jaxx.

The series concludes Tuesday night, as left-hander Lindsay Gulin will take the mound for Huntsville against West Tenn right-hander Travis Chick. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 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 July 3, 2007


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