Stars Subdue Smokies in Series Opener

Published on May 10, 2008 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Steve Hammond worked 6 1/3 strong innings and Mat Gamel drove in four runs while coming up a triple shy of hitting for the cycle in Huntsville's 15-1 win over Tennessee Saturday night in the opener of a five-game series at Smokies Park. The Stars improved to 25-11 overall and 8-8 on the road and moved two games in front of West Tenn in the North Division, while the Smokies fell to 15-21. Huntsville has now scored 10 or more runs in a game nine times and, after collecting 15 more hits, have gathered at least ten hits in a game 19 times.

Michael Brantley led off the game with a walk from Jeff Samardzija and scored one out later on a double by Gamel, who then scored on a base hit by Matt LaPorta. The highly-touted Cubs right-hander walked Mike Bell and Angel Salome to open the second inning and both scored on a double by Brantley, who then scored on a two-out single by Gamel to make it 5-0.

Mike Bell singled in Cole Gillespie and then scored on an Angel Salome double in the third to increase the lead to 7-0. Samardzija retired Hammond on a fly ball for the second out of the inning and was taken out of the game and charged with the loss after yielding six earned runs on six hits and four walks, while fanning two. It was his shortest start of the year and dropped his record to 3-3.

The visitors blew the game open with five runs in the fourth against Matt Avery and tacked on three more runs in the eighth against Greg Reinhard in their highest scoring game of the season. Bell singled, doubled, walked twice, scored twice and drove in three, while Angel Salome singled and doubled and knocked in three and Chris Errecart added two run-scoring singles and scored twice. Every Stars position player had at least one hit and scored one time.

Hammond blanked the home side through six innings on only two hits before running into a bit of trouble in the seventh. He was lifted after two singles and a walk loaded the bases and was replaced by EJ Shanks, who walked Chris Robinson on four pitches to force in the Smokies' lone run. He then induced pinch-hitter Doug Deeds to ground into an inning ending double play.

Hammond gave up a run on four hits, walked three and struck out 10 to push his league-leading total to 55. The southpaw earned his fifth win of the season, something he did not do last year until July 14 at Chattanooga. Shanks finished with 2 2/3 scoreless, hitless frames, walking three and recording one strikeout.

The series continues Sunday afternoon with left-hander Derek Miller taking the mound against Smokies' southpaw Donald Veal. Coverage of the game begins at 3:45 pm central time and can be heard locally on SportsRadio 730 WUMP and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com and www.730ump.com.

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Southern League Stories from May 10, 2008


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