Stars Survive Wobbly Ninth Inning, Again

Published on May 6, 2008 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Matt LaPorta's three-run home run capped a seven-run sixth inning surge and Huntsville survived a shaky ninth inning for a second straight night to down Mobile 10-6 Tuesday in the second of a five-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars improved to 22-10 and maintained their share of the lead, with West Tenn, in the North Division, while the BayBears dropped to 15-17 and fell two games behind Birmingham in the South Division. The Stars improved to 15-2 at home and scored at least 10 runs in a game for the eighth time.

EJ Shanks opened the ninth on the hill for Huntsville inheriting a 10-3 lead and was one out away from victory before Rusty Ryal's bases loaded single plated two runs. Brendan Byrne then scored on a wild pitch to make it 10-6 prior to Shanks walking Frank Curreri and Brandon Burgess to re-load the bases. Patrick Ryan was summoned from the bullpen and induced John Hester to bounce into a force out at third base to end the game. Ryan earned his fourth save of the season and kept Hester from the triple he needed to hit for the cycle.

Hester's two-run home run in the fourth gave the BayBears a 2-0 lead and were the first earned runs allowed by Stars' starter Derek Miller this season at home in 18 1/3 innings. Mat Gamel's run-scoring single in the bottom of the fifth got the Stars on the board before Ryal's lead off long ball, his second in as many nights, in the sixth gave the visitors a two-run cushion again. Miller wound up going six frames and earned his third win of the season, and first at home, after allowing three runs on nine hits.

Tony Barnette, who had worked out of a jam in the fourth and further trouble in the fifth, gave up a two-run double in the home sixth by Angel Salome that tied the game at three. Pinch-hitter Ryan Crew followed with a walk and Barnette was then lifted from the game and replaced by left-hander Forrest Cory. Michael Brantley greeted him with a base hit that plated Salome to give the home side its' first lead and Gamel followed one out later with another RBI single to score Crew to make it 5-3 Huntsville. LaPorta then launched his league-high tenth home run on a 3-2 pitch to finish off the Stars' highest scoring frame of the season. LaPorta has slugged four three-run home runs in the last 12 games. Barnette was charged with the loss after permitting five runs on nine hits and four walks.

Salome and Brantley delivered run-scoring singles in the seventh to push the Stars' lead to 10-3. Salome collected three hits, knocked in three and scored three times for a second straight night, while Brantley had three hits for a second night in a row and Gamel had his first four hit game of the season to pace a season-high 17-hit attack one night after the Stars had collected a then season-best 16 hits.

The series continues Wednesday morning with left-hander David Welch taking the mound against BayBears' right-hander Hector Ambriz. Coverage of the game begins at 10:20 am 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 6, 2008


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