Smokies Edge Stars in Another Close One

Published on May 4, 2009 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Ty Wright doubled in the winning run in the sixth inning to push Tennessee past Huntsville 3-2 in the opener of what was supposed to be a doubleheader Monday night at Joe Davis Stadium. Heavy rains postponed the second game of the scheduled twin bill. The Smokies won both of the games played in the series to improve to 12-9 and lengthen their lead to two and a half games in the North, while the Stars lost a fifth game in a row to drop to 10-12. The Stars have been involved in 13 one-run games.

Darwin Barney led off the sixth inning with a double and scored when Wright sliced a double into the right field corner. Blake Lalli bunted Wright to third base before starter Chris Cody was removed from the game in favor of Robert Hinton, who got Marquez Smith to tap back to the mound, which led to Wright getting tagged out in a run down.

James Russell threw two scoreless innings in relief to grab his second win of the season in his second relief appearance, while former Stars pitcher Vince Perkins worked a shutout seventh inning to nail down his second save.

Kevin Melillo singled in a run in the first inning for Huntsville and the game stayed that way until Lalli belted a home run in the fourth to get the game tied. Huntsville reclaimed the lead in the bottom half of the inning on a two-out single by Adam Stern that plated Shane Justis. The visitors then retied the game in the top of the fifth on a home run by Tony Thomas, his fifth of the season.

Cody was saddled with the loss, his first, after yielding three runs on six hits over 5.1 innings. He struck out two and walked one in his second longest outing of the season. Marcos Mateo went four innings in his second start for the Smokies, giving up two runs, one earned, on four hits, while walking three and striking out one.

The Stars begin a five-game series Tuesday night in Jackson, TN with right-hander Jeremy Jeffress taking the hill for the Stars against Smokies' left-hander Daniel Christensen. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 pm central time and can be heard through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Southern League Stories from May 4, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central