Stars Stop Slide with 5-2 Win over Jaxx

May 24, 2003 - Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Huntsville, AL – Director Sydney Pollack brings you back where he started in most of his films. Dustin Hoffman's character in Tootsie is again a struggling out-of-work actor after his adventure impersonating a woman finally ends. The Stars completed their own Pollack cycle on Friday night at Joe Davis Stadium.

Huntsville fell out of first place after a five-game slide that began with a blown save by closer Mike Adams at West Tenn. In perfect Pollack symmetry, Adams closed out the win over West Tenn that stopped the losing streak and pushed Huntsville back into first. The Stars beat the Diamond Jaxx, 5-2, to move ½-game in front of Birmingham in the Southern League West.

Down 1-0 in the third, Huntsville rallied against Jaxx starter Mike Nannini. With a Ryan Knox at second and one out, Dave Krynzel ripped a run-scoring double to right-center off Nannini, Krynzel's former teammate at Green Valley High in Henderson, Nevada. J.J. Hardy followed with a two-run homer deep to left, his first since April 24 in Mobile. Hardy had been out of the lineup for 15 games with a strained left hip flexor, then he returned in West Tenn last week, only to strain his low back and miss two more games.

Up 3-2 in the 7th, the Stars put the game away. J.J. Hardy blooped a single over the drawn-in infield to drive in Krynzel, and Hardy later scored on Brandon Gemoll's two-out single for a 5-2 Huntsville lead.

Matt Parker (2-1) picked up his second win, fanning one in 1 2/3 perfect innings of relief. Nannini (4-2) suffered his second loss, giving up three runs, two earned, on five hits and three walks in six innings. Stars starter Luis Martinez was tossing a one-hitter when umpire Brandon Bushee ejected him with no warning for plunking Lukas McKnight on the shoulder with one out in the fifth. Adams recorded his fifth save, fanning two and permitting one hit in the ninth.

Huntsville matches righty Pedro Liriano (3-4, 2.74) against Jaxx right-hander Angel Guzman (0-1, 3.18) in game two of the series Saturday night. Budweiser tote bags are free to the first 1500 fans 21 and over. Game time is 7:05 p.m. at Joe Davis Stadium.



Southern League Stories from May 24, 2003


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