Stars and Rays Suspended, 4-4 in 10th

Published on April 8, 2003 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Huntsville, AL – First, it looked like the Stars had it won. Then, it appeared the Rays might steal it away. In the end, Mother Nature came out on top. After playing under ominous gray skies for nine innings, the clouds overhead finally opened up, dumping a deluge on Joe Davis Stadium and causing the suspension of Tuesday's game between Huntsville and Orlando. The game will resumed with the score tied, 4-4, and the Stars' Corey Hart batting with two outs and the bases empty in the bottom of the 10th.

Stars fans anticipated a game like Tuesday's when word trickled down that Brewers superstar Geoff Jenkins would rehab a sprained left wrist in Huntsville. It took six starts in leftfield, but Jenkins finally displayed the awesome power that won him Milwaukee's Player of the Year honors in 2000.

With Chris Cosbey aboard on an error in the third and the Stars down, 1-0, Jenkins faced Rays starter Jose Veras for the second time. On a 1-0 count, Jenkins hit a scorching drive deep to center, clearing the left-hand side of the batter's eye, some 405 feet from home plate. Then in the fifth, Veras and Jenkins squared off again. After brushing Jenkins off the plate with a high and tight fastball, Veras battled Jenkins to a 3-2 count. Jenkins sent Veras' next offering high into the moist air, the ball finally coming to rest somewhere under the grove of trees on the hillside beyond the rightfield wall.

Jenkins's second blast put Huntsville in control, 4-2, but Orlando did not go away. Antonio Diaz's solo homer in the seventh brought the Rays within one, and they mounted a ninth-inning rally against Stars closer Mike Adams.

A passed ball led to the tying run in Adams' only other save opportunity – a game the Stars won, 2-1, over Jacksonville in 13 innings Saturday night. Tuesday, Adams' balk was his undoing. After Perez walked to start the frame, Chairon Isenia flied to center. Then with pinch-hitter Matt Diaz at the plate, Adams balked Perez to second. Diaz hit a handle-shot that dunked into left for a base hit, sending Perez to third.

Gabby Martinez followed Diaz with a bouncer to third, and Ryan Gripp tried for the out at the plate. Perez beat Gripp's wild throw home, and Diaz raced from first to third. Seeing the overthrow, Martinez made an aggressive bid for second but was caught in a rundown. The Stars tagged out Martinez and Adams fanned Brewer to preserve a 4-4 tie that held until the rain came down in the 10th.

The Stars and Rays will resume play in the 10th inning Wednesday at 12:05 p.m. at Joe Davis Stadium, then play the finale of the three-game series 20 minutes after the suspended game is complete. Huntsville's Ben Hendrickson (1-0, 3.60) faces Orlando's Jon Switzer (0-0, 3.60) in the regularly scheduled game.

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Southern League Stories from April 8, 2003


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