Stars Celebrate Independence Day with 10th Inning Fireworks

Published on July 4, 2008 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Cole Gillespie belted a walk-off home run leading off in the bottom of the tenth inning to lift Huntsville to a dramatic 2-1 win over Birmingham Friday night in front of a season-high 9,444 at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars won their second straight to improve to 9-8 in the second half and move to within two games of North Division-leading Tennessee, while the Barons slipped to 10-7 in the second half. The Stars won their 50th game of the season to match the Barons for the most wins of any team in the league.

Barons' reliever Fernando Hernandez had retired the first six batters he faced before Gillespie drove an 0-1 offering over the wall to the right of straight away center field for his second home run in as many nights, his 12th of the season and his first at home since May 16 against Carolina. It was the Stars' third walk-off win of the season and just their second victory in eight extra innings games.

Freddy Parejo led off the home first with a bunt base hit and advanced to third base on a throwing error by pitcher Justin Cassel but was thrown out trying to score on a tapper back to the mound by Alcides Escobar, the next hitter. Angel Salome led off the second inning with a double, stayed put when Matt LaPorta walked and was thrown out trying to advance to third on a Gillespie fly out to right field.

Birmingham finally broke through in a scoreless game with a leadoff home run from Stefan Gartrell in the fourth against Troy Cate. Huntsville tied the game in the bottom of the fifth when LaPorta singled, move to third on a one-out double by JR Hopf and dashed home on a passed ball that also moved Hopf to third. Again, the Stars could not cash in, as Cassell fanned Mike Bell and Martin Maldonado to end the frame. The Birmingham right-hander allowed six hits, walked one and struck out five over seven innings in his second no-decision against Huntsville.

Cate was taken out with a runner at third and two outs in the eighth and replaced by David Johnson, who struck out Javier Colina to end the inning. Cate yielded four hits, walked three and struck out three in his second turn with the Stars. Johnson was replaced by Juan Sandoval with runners at the corners and two outs in the tenth and the right-hander got Colina to ground out with his first and only pitch. Sandoval, who gave up the Doug Deeds walk-off homer on Wednesday, grabbed his second win of the year.

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Southern League Stories from July 4, 2008


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