Stars Fall in Ninth to Jaxx, 3-2

Published on August 9, 2003 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Jackson, TN – After three consecutive late-inning victories, Huntsville's luck finally ran out. In the opener of a four-game series, West Tenn rallied to win in the bottom of the ninth, 3-2, on Friday night at Pringles Park. The playoff-bound Stars (65-50, 25-22) fell 1½ games behind Birmingham in the Southern League West second-half chase.

Down 2-1 in the sixth, the Diamond Jaxx mounted a threat against reliever Ken Ray. Mike Dzurilla drew a one-out walk and raced to third on Jason Dubois' two-out single. Ray Sadler followed with a slow roller to short, where J.J. Hardy fielded and threw on the run. Sadler was ruled safe on a very close play at first, and Dzurilla scored the tying run.

In the bottom of the ninth, Sadler reached on a high pop-up in front of the plate that grazed third baseman Corey Hart's glove for a two-base error. Jackson Melian, a Star in 2002, received an intentional walk, then Alan West lined out to right after twice failing to execute a sacrifice bunt. Lukas McKnight was hit by a pitch, setting the stage for pinch-hitter Blair Barbier, who lofted a deep sacrifice fly to center, scoring Sadler for a walk-off West Tenn win, 3-2.

The Stars erased an early 1-0 deficit on Noochie Varner's solo homer in the second. Varner's fifth homerun of the year was a monster, nearly reaching the highway beyond a hillside over the leftfield wall. Huntsville grabbed a 2-1 lead in the fifth, when Ray drew a two-out walk, took third on Alejandro Machado's hit-and-run single and scored on a wild pitch.

Huntsville's bullpen carried the day, as starter Ben Hendrickson was removed from the game for precautionary reasons. Hendrickson's velocity was down, and Stars pitching coach Stan Kyles decided not to take a chance. Hendrickson twice this season has had disabled list stints of a month in length with soreness in his prized right elbow and forearm.

"The bullpen did a solid job. When you have to go to the pen in the second inning and you hold them to two runs, that's all we can ask of them and more. There are a lot of tired arms down there. They've been resilient all year. Whatever we've asked them to do, they've stepped up," Kyles said.

Ken Ray provided yeoman's work out of the pen, authoring five stellar innings, his longest stint of the year. Ray permitted just one run on five hits and one walk while fanning four. Matt Parker (8-6) threw 2 2/3 solid frames but suffered a tough loss, giving up only an unearned run on one hit and one walk with two strikeouts. Jaxx starter Mike Nannini recorded 10 strikeouts while permitting two runs on three hits and two walks in seven stanzas, and Emanuel Ramirez (3-1) notched the win in relief, surrendering one hit with three strikeouts in two scoreless innings.

Stars hitters:
Noochie Varner: 2/4, HR, 1B
Alejandro Machado: 1/4, 1B
Corey Hart: 1/4, 1B

Jaxx hitters:
Jason Dubois: 2/4, 2 1B, RBI
Mike Dzurilla: 1/3, 1B, BB, R
Ryan Theriot: 1/3, 1B, BB, R
Ray Sadler: 1/4, 1B, RBI, R
Jackson Melian: 1/3, 1B, BB, SB

In Saturday night's game two of the series, Huntsville matches righty Pedro Liriano (7-11, 3.63) against Jaxx right-hander Jon Leicester (5-5, 3.74). Game time is 7:05 p.m. The Bill Penney Toyota Pre-game Show starts at 6:50 p.m. Stars baseball can heard on Jammin' 1550 WLOR, ESPN 1450 WTKI and at www.huntsvillestars.com.

Stars Notebook:

OF Ryan Knox received his second promotion to triple-A Indianapolis this season. The bus had just left for Jackson, Tennessee, Friday morning when manager Frank Kremblas received a call on his cell phone and directed the driver to return to Joe Davis Stadium. Knox had to be dropped off to catch a flight to rejoin the Indians in the International League . . . Former Stars pitcher Luis Martinez received the call-up to Milwaukee Friday and will make his big league debut Saturday against the Florida Marlins at Miller Park.

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Southern League Stories from August 9, 2003


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