Stars Fall to Jaxx in 11, 5-4

May 18, 2003 - Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Jackson, TN – After rallying from 4-1 down to tie the game in the ninth, Huntsville fell in 11 innings to West Tenn, 5-4, on Saturday at Pringles Park. For the second straight night, the Diamond Jaxx (20-20) recorded a walk-off win against the Stars (23-17). Huntsville's lead in the Southern League West shrunk to two games over second-place Birmingham and three over the Jaxx.

West Tenn won Friday on Brandon Sing's two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth. Saturday, the Stars rallied late to forge a 4-4 tie. Down three in the eighth, J.J. Hardy doubled home Ryan Gripp – Jason Dubois misplayed Hardy's fly ball to right – and Corey Hart's sacrifice fly plated Dave Krynzel to make it 4-3. Then in the ninth, Richard Paz led off with a walk, and two outs later Darryl Clark walked as a pinch-hitter. Ryan Knox delivered a single to left, scoring Paz with the tying run.

"We got some help in the eighth on Hardy's ball," Stars manager Frank Kremblas said. "In the ninth, we got a big two-out hit from Knox. Clark's walk was key in the ninth. That was a great at-bat.

The Diamond Jaxx responded in the 11th against reliever Ryan Miller. With two outs, Jon Hamilton hit a ground ball into centerfield and alertly took second when the ball died in the outfield grass. After Miller threw three balls to Ray Sadler, Sadler received an intentional walk. Pinch-hitter Lukas McKnight promptly singled to left-center, driving in Hamilton for a 5-4 victory.

Jason Szuminski (1-0) won in relief in his first outing for the Jaxx, tossing two scoreless frames. Miller (0-2) suffered his second loss, surrendering one run on two hits and one walk in two-thirds of an inning. Luis Martinez started for Huntsville, giving up four runs, two earned, on seven hits and two walks while fanning five. Brian Adams debuted for the Stars with a scoreless eighth, and Mike Adams bounced back from Friday's loss – he allowed Sing's ninth-inning homer – fanning two over two innings of relief. Sergio Mitre authored seven solid stanzas for West Tenn, permitting two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts.

The Stars and Diamond Jaxx play the finale of the series on Sunday at 2:05 p.m. CT in Jackson. Huntsville righty Pedro Liriano (3-2, 2.49) meets right-hander Mike Nannini (3-1, 4.20). Listen to the Stars on Jammin' 1550 WLOR, ESPN 1450 WTKI and at www.huntsvillestars.com. Broadcast time is 1:50 p.m.

Notebook: The Stars rotation for the upcoming four-game set in Greenville looks like this: Monday, LH Derek Lee; Tuesday, RH Mike Jones; Wednesday, RH Matt Parker; Thursday, LH Luis Martinez.



Southern League Stories from May 18, 2003


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