Sixth Inning Surge Sends Stars to Victory

Published on April 23, 2007 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Huntsville strung together six hits, two walks, a hit batter and a sacrifice fly in the midst of a decisive six-run sixth inning rally en route to a 10-3 triumph over Montgomery Monday night in the middle game of a five-game series at Riverwalk Stadium. The Stars have won two straight to even their season record at 8-8 and pull to within one game of North Division-leading Tennessee, which fell at home to Mobile, while the Biscuits dropped to 9-9 and fell four games behind front-running Mississippi in the South after the Braves third straight win over Birmingham.

Brendan Katin led off the fourth inning with a double, moved to third base on a Lou Palmisano single and scored the game's first run on a Mike Carlin sacrifice fly, his second since joining the team last week. Katin's sacrifice fly in the fifth gave the Stars a 2-0 lead before Steve Sollmann swiped home as part of a double steal with Steve Moss to increase the visitors lead to 3-0. It was the Stars' second double steal involving a steal of home on the road this season.

Adam Pettyjohn threw four hitless, scoreless innings and needed only 30 pitches to get through four frames before running into trouble in the fifth. The Biscuits put together six singles, including a Fernando Perez liner off of the southpaw's hip to tally three times to get the game tied. Jason Pridie and Josh Asanovich each knocked in their second runs of the season with bases loaded singles and Perez's line drive hit capped the rally. Pettyjohn was lifted after the five frames and earned his second win after recording one strikeout.

Montgomery starter James Houser was replaced after five innings and Jarod Matthews lasted only four batters in relief, as he was lifted after allowing a single and issuing two walks to load the bases. Jeremy Flanagan took over and hit Sollmann to force in Carlin with the go-ahead run. Adam Heether and Moss knocked in runs with a single, Katin added another sacrifice fly and Palmisano and Jeff Eure capped the Stars' biggest scoring inning of the season with run-scoring singles. The Stars pounded out a season-high 15 hits and matched their largest scoring output of the year in picking up their fourth win in six road games.

Robert Hinton tossed two scoreless innings and Corey Thurman and Grant Balfour each worked a shutout inning in relief to preserve the seven-run victory. Hinton has yet to allow a run in 8 1/3 innings and has yielded only two hits.

The series in Montgomery continues Tuesday morning with southpaw Steve Hammond taking the hill against Biscuits' right-hander Chris Mason. Coverage of the game begins at 10:20 a.m. central time and can be heard through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

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Southern League Stories from April 23, 2007


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