Stars Survive Wild Opener at West Tenn

Published on May 5, 2009 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Adam Stern delivered a two-out, two-run single to snap a tie in a four-run eighth inning and propel Huntsville to a 13-10 win over West Tenn Tuesday night in the opener of a five-game set at Pringles Park. The Stars snapped a five-game slide to improve to 11-12 and pull to within a game and a half of front-running Tennessee in the North Division, while the Diamond Jaxx fell to 10-14.

Stern came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth against Marwin Vega in a 7-7 game and singled into center field on a 1-2 pitch to give the visitors their third lead of the night at 9-7. Adam Heether followed with a two-run double to finish the rally and make a loser out of Vega, who fell to 0-2, although all four runs were unearned due to an Oswaldo Navarro throwing error earlier in the frame. Huntsville tacked on two runs in the ninth against Josh Fields, Seattle's number one draft choice last year, and took a six-run cushion into the ninth inning.

Omar Aguilar opened the ninth on the hill and issued two walks and gave up a double to load the bases with nobody out before Yamid Haad singled in a run to cut the lead to five. Pinch-hitter Ronny Prettyman struck out and Jeff Dominguez followed with a base hit to knock in another run and chase Aguilar from the game. Robert Hinton took over and got Matt Mangini to ground out, which chased in a run to make it 13-10, before former Stars' outfielder Mel Stocker struck out to end the highest scoring game the Stars have played in this season. Hinton nailed down his third save, all since April 24.

Drew Anderson led off the second inning with an opposite field home run to left field to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. It was his second of the season and the first for the Stars since his three-run blast in the 3rd inning on April 22 at Carolina. West Tenn tied the game with a run in the bottom of the second and moved out to a 3-1 lead on a two-run single by Haad in the home third. Stars' starter Jeremy Jeffress was lifted after three frames, giving up three runs, two earned, on three hits, while walking five and fanning four.

Jonathan Lucroy's lead off long ball in the fourth, his second of the season and first since Opening Day, pulled the Stars within 3-2 only to see the Jaxx add a run in the bottom half of the frame to push the lead back to two. The teams traded runs in the fifth before the Stars erupted for four runs in the sixth to reclaim the lead at 7-5. Vinny Rottino and Freddy Parejo singled in runs and both would score when the catcher Haad threw into center field trying to cut down Parejo, who was trying to advance to second base on the throw home. However, the lead was short lived, as Marshall Hubbard doubled in two runs with two out in the bottom half of the inning to get the game tied again. Donovan Hand went three innings behind Jeffress, giving up a season-high four runs, three earned, on five hits. Casey Baron tossed scoreless relief in the seventh and eighth innings to earn

The series continues Wednesday morning with left-hander Bobby Bramhall taking the hill for the Stars against Diamond Jaxx left-hander Daniel Christensen. Coverage of the game begins at 10:50 am central time and can be heard through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

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Southern League Stories from May 5, 2009


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