Mudcats Rally Late For Second Straight Win

Published on May 16, 2008 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Kris Harvey's home run in the eighth inning was the deciding blow in Carolina's 5-4 comeback win over Huntsville Friday night in the second of a five-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Mudcats improved to 24-18 on the season and pulled to within five games of the division leaders, while the Stars dropped to 29-13 and saw West Tenn move to within three and a half games of the top spot in North Division.

Brett Hayes legged out an infield single with two outs before Harvey, a .132 hitter entering into the game, launched a 1-1 offering from Robert Hinton over the wall in left field to break a 3-3 tie and give the Mudcats their first lead since the first inning. It was Harvey's third long ball of the year and gave him five runs batted in over 117 at-bats.

Cole Gillespie's two-out solo home run in the bottom of the ninth off of Chris Mobley kept hope alive for the Stars. Mike Bell then reached on a fielding error by Lee Mitchell at second base before Freddy Parejo grounded out to end the game. Mobley earned his third save after Matt Yourkin tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings to earn his second win.

Mitchell's bases loaded walk in the first inning drove in the first run of the game but Stars' starter Derek Miller worked out of further trouble to keep it a 1-0 score. Huntsville tied the game on a two-out, run-scoring hit by Gillespie in the bottom of the first before RBI hits by Mike Bell in the third and Mat Gamel in the fourth extended the home team's lead to 3-1.

Miller walked John Raynor and Cameron Maybin in the fifth and the pair pulled off their second double steal of the series before a Gaby Sanchez sacrifice fly and a two-out RBI hit by Mitchell got the game tied. Raynor and Maybin were the first two of 21 batters walked by Miller this year to score. He was lifted after five frames, giving up three runs on four hits and issuing a season-high five bases on balls.

Mudcats starter Chris Volstad was taken out after 5 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and five walks. Yourkin took over with Alcides Escobar at first and struck out Gamel to end the home sixth. The southpaw allowed one hit, walked one and fanned two.

The series continues Saturday afternoon with left-hander David Welch taking the mound for the Stars against Mudcats' right-hander Marc Lammachia. Coverage of the game begins at 1:50 pm central time and can be heard locally on SportsRadio 730 WUMP and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com and www.730ump.com.

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Southern League Stories from May 16, 2008


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