Stars Rout Barons, 15-3

Published on July 1, 2003 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Huntsville, AL – After giving up a season-high 18 hits in a loss to Birmingham the night before, the Stars returned the favor and shook the Monday blues in the process. Huntsville pounded out 18 hits and scored 15 runs, both season-high totals, in a 15-3 rout of the Barons at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars improved their record to 2-10 on Monday, their weekly nemesis this season. Huntsville also climbed within one-half game of first in the second-half standings.

Before the game, Huntsville players talked about the Monday jinx openly, hoping it would break the spell. Sure enough, after a rain delay of 42 minutes, the Stars took another step toward removing the whammy, picking up their first Monday win since June 2, the only other one this year.

The Stars capped off their best month of the season to date – Huntsville went 17-10 in June – with their most prolific offensive output of the campaign. Every Star had at least one hit, and five players had two hits or more. Huntsville twice scored five runs in an inning. Remarkably, in a game where they scored 15 runs, the Stars also stranded 13 runners, including 11 in scoring position.

Up 3-2 in the fourth, Huntsville seized control of the contest against Barons reliever Kris McWhirter. Chris Barnwell led off with a single and Ryan Knox singled him to second. Daryl Clark walked to load the bases, and one out later Corey Hart blooped a two-run single to right. Ryan Gripp walked to load the bases again, and Noochie Varner singled home a run. Richard Paz was hit by a pitch to force in a run, and Mike Kremblas' sacrifice fly capped the five-run rally.

The Stars made it 13-2 with five more in the seventh against reliever Rob Purvis. Consecutive walks to Clark and J.J. Hardy set the table for Hart's run-scoring double. Varner lofted a sacrifice fly to right, and Paz drew a walk. Kremblas followed with a laser-shot that curled around the leftfield foul pole for a three-run homer, his fourth of the season. In the eighth, Gripp singled home a run and Varner doubled in another to cap the Stars' scoring.

Hart reached safely in six straight plate appearances, going 4-for-4 with a double, three runs batted in – increasing his total a league-leading 61 – and four runs scored, the most by a Star in a game this season. Hart also walked and was hit by a pitch. Varner was 3-for-5 with a double, four runs batted in and one run scored. Hardy went 3-for-5, drove in one and scored two. Kremblas finished 2-for-4, homered and knocked in four. Paz reached safely in five of six trips, winding up 2-for-3 with a double, two runs batted in and one run scored. Additionally, Paz walked twice and was hit by a pitch.

Ben Hendrickson (3-1) picked up his third win with seven strong innings, his longest outing of the season. Hendrickson threw 75 pitches, 49 for strikes, and retired the last 10 batters he faced. He went to a three-ball count just three times for the second straight start. Hendrickson allowed two runs on five hits and two walks while fanning four for his second straight victory since returning from the disabled list on June 24. Mitch Wylie (1-2) suffered the loss for the Barons, permitting three runs on four hits and three walks with four strikeouts in three innings.

Huntsville and Birmingham conclude the series on Tuesday night at Joe Davis Stadium, when closer Mike Adams (3-3, 3.06) makes a spot start against Barons lefty Byeong An (2-0, 1.59), who faces the Stars for the first time. Game time is 7:05 p.m.

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Southern League Stories from July 1, 2003


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