Stars Drop Thriller, Series to Smokies

Published on May 27, 2013 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


In a game that featured six lead changes, the Stars lost the series-deciding game of a five-game set with the Tennessee Smokies at Smokies Park by a score of 8-6 on Monday night.

The early (and often) scoring started in the first inning as Stars second basemen and leadoff man Nick Shaw hit his first homer of the season on the fifth pitch of the game to make the score 1-0. In the bottom half of the frame, Tennessee started the lead change trend as an RBI single from Airsmendy Alcantara tied up the game at one apiece.

Scoring remained silent until the fourth inning, where Stars outfielder Brock Kjeldgaard hit a solo homer off of Smokies starter Matt Loosen, giving him his third longball of the series while giving Huntsville a 2-1 lead.

However, they would once again lose the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Stars starting pitcher Arcenio Leon walked four batters in the frame, including two runs home with the bases loaded and also gave up a sacrifice fly to first baseman Jonathan Mota to put Tennessee up by two.

Leon was chased from the ballgame in the fourth (3.1 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 1K), ending the Stars streak of eight consecutive quality starts. Huntsville reliever Mark Williams got Leon out of the inning as he induced an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded.

One inning later, the Stars provided an equalizer of their own. After a two-out walk from outfielder Kentrail Davis, first basemen Jason Rogers crushed his league-leading 10th homer of the year well over the left-field wall to tie the game back up at four.

After the Smokies took the lead back in the sixth, back-to-back RBI doubles from shortstop Hector Gomez and Davis put the Stars back up 6-5 in the top of the seventh inning.

Unfortunately for the Stars, the Smokies offense had one last comeback up their sleeves. Following a game-tying RBI double from outfielder Rubi Silva in the seventh inning, Tennessee took the lead for good their next time up.

With Casey Medlen (L, 1-3) into the ballgame, catcher Chad Noble leadoff the inning with a single. Three batters later, Torreyes hit a two-out, two-run homer that barely hooked inside the left-field foul pole to put Tennessee up for good.

For the Smokies, reliever Tony Zych improved to 1-2 on year, shutting out the Stars in the final two innings of the game.

On offense, the Stars were led by Shaw, who had three hits. Third basemen Mike Walker and Kjeldgaard each had two knocks apiece.

The Stars will drive through the night to The Ballpark at Jackson to start a five-game series with the Jackson Generals on Wednesday. Huntsville will send RHP Jimmy Nelson (5-3, 2.98 ERA) to the bump to square off against Jackson RHP Erasmo James (NR). First pitch is at 7:05 CT.

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Southern League Stories from May 27, 2013


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