Mudcats Take Fifth Straight Over Stars

Published on August 22, 2007 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Gaby Hernandez worked eight very strong innings and got all the support he needed on a Dante Brinkley home run in Carolina's 3-1 victory Wednesday night in the middle of a five-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Mudcats have taken all three games to improve to 29-29 in the second half and move to within four of the top spot with 12 games to go in the regular season, while the Stars dropped a season-high fifth consecutive game to slip to 33-25 in the second half. Huntsville remains a half game ahead of Tennessee for the top spot in the North Division, pending the outcome of the Smokies' game at Mobile.

Mel Stocker led off the home first with a double, moved to third base on an Alcides Escobar sacrifice bunt and scored on a ground ball out by Hernan Iribarren to make it three straight nights the home side has scored first. From there, Hernandez retired the next nine hitters he faced before walking Adam Heether with two outs in the fourth. He then set down the next 12 batters he encountered before Steve Sollmann's two-out ground rule double in the eighth. Hernandez closed his performance by striking out pinch-hitter Steve Moss to end the eighth and match a season-high with eight strikeouts. He allowed two hits, walked one and improved to 9-9. Brandon Villafuerte threw a perfect ninth inning to record his second save of the series and third since joining the team. The Mudcats' bullpen has thrown eight scoreless innings in the series, allowing two hits. The Stars have been held to three runs on four hits in the last two games.

Hernandez singled with one out in the third and scored when Brinkley belted starter Lindsay Gulin's next pitch over the wall in left field for his 11th home run of the season. The Stars have yielded a long ball in seven of their last eight games, during which they have surrendered 13. Eric Riggs tripled with one out in the sixth, stayed put when Grant Psomas grounded out but scored on a wild pitch on ball four to Lee Mitchell to add an insurance run. Gulin was saddled with the loss, and stalled for a third straight start in search of his 12th win, after allowing three runs on four hits. He walked four and struck out six and lost for just a second time in nine starts at home.

The series continues Friday night with left-hander Steve Hammond taking the hill for Huntsville against Carolina southpaw Blake McGinley. 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 August 22, 2007


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