Stars Rally Past Smokies

Published on May 19, 2010 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - The Huntsville Stars stormed past the Tennessee Smokies on Wednesday afternoon, as the Stars won 11-3 in the final game of the series at Joe W. Davis Stadium. The Smokies still won the series by taking the first three games, despite Huntsville winning the final two contests.

Huntsville starter Alex Periard pitched seven innings as he picked up his second win of the season. He allowed three runs on seven hits, and also struck out a batter in his win.

Tennessee took a 1-0 lead on the Stars in the top of the first inning as Matt Spencer hit an RBI double to right field that scored Tony Thomas night.

The Stars teed off on Smokies starter Alberto Cabrera in the bottom of the first. Huntsville rallied for five runs to take control of the game at 5-1, and Cabrera left the game after retiring just two batters.

Russ Canzler hit his second home run of the series, a solo blast to left field to cut the Stars lead to 5-2. Another solo shot brought the Smokies a run closer in the third, as Wright's solo homer made it 5-3.

The Stars got back on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Lorenzo Cain led off the inning with a homer off Smokies reliever Jeremy Papelbon to extend the lead to 6-3. Huntsville added one more run in the bottom of the frame, this time a solo blast by Zealous Wheeler to make it a four-run game at 7-3.

In the bottom of the sixth, another Huntsville solo home run made it an 8-4 game, as Brett Lawrie hit his second homer of the season. The Stars added two more runs in the frame to extend the lead to 10-3. Lawrie kept up his strong performance in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI single to give the Stars the 11-4 lead.

Huntsville's Donovan Hand shut down the Smokies in the eighth and ninth to preserve Periard's victory.

The Smokies will return home to begin a five-game series against the Jacksonville Suns. This is a rematch of the 2009 Southern League Championship series, which the Suns won in four games over the Smokies. Austin Bibens-Dirkx will start for Tennessee against Jacksonville's Elih Villanueva for the first game of the series at 7:15 p.m. at Smokies Park.

ABOUT THE TENNESSEE SMOKIES The Tennessee Smokies are the minor league Class AA affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Members of the 10-team Southern League, Smokies baseball has been entertaining families and fans of America's national pastime in the East Tennessee region for almost 100 years. To learn more about the Tennessee Smokies, visit www.smokiesbaseball.com .

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Southern League Stories from May 19, 2010


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