Stars Sweep Smokies For Second Straight Day

Published on May 29, 2009 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Drew Anderson and Freddy Parejo hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth inning to power Huntsville to a 3-0 win in game two and a second straight doubleheader sweep of Tennessee Friday night at Smokies Park. The Stars have fashioned a season-high six-game win streak to improve to 27-20 and move three and a half games in front of Carolina in the North Division. Huntsville has also won six straight on the road for the first time this season to raise their record to 17-9 away from home.

Vinny Rottino came up with one out and a runner at first in the eighth inning in the nightcap and hit a ground ball to third base that could have resulted in an inning-ending double play but Jonathan Mota double clutched on his throw to second base which made Tony Thomas's throw to first base just a tick late, allowing Rottino got there safely to keep the inning alive. Anderson followed with a line drive home run to right field and Parejo then slammed the next pitch from Jake Muyco to left field for his first long ball of the year and the first time the Stars have gone back-to-back this season.

The Smokies loaded the bases in the bottom half of the inning with one out on a walk, a single and a throwing error before Juan Sandoval struck out Marquez Smith and got Mota to pop out to end the inning and game. Sandoval grabbed his second win of the season with two scoreless innings behind Derrick Ellison, who took over in the sixth and worked out of a bases loaded, one-out jam by getting Wellington Castillo and Brandon Guyer to pop out.

Jeremy Papelbon threw three scoreless innings in his first start of the season for the Smokies in game two and was followed by Alex Maestri, who threw a scoreless fourth inning, and Marco Carrillo, who threw 2 1/3 shutout innings in his first outing with the Smokies this season. Josh Wahpepah tossed five scoreless innings in his first start of the season for the Stars and his first start since August 21, 2007. He allowed three hits, walked one and fanned five.

Blake Lalli led off the home second in the opener with a double and stayed put after the next two hitters grounded out before Smith singled to left field to move Lalli to third, from where scored on an errant pickoff attempt at first base by Stars' starter Mark Holliman. Smokies' starter Jay Jackson singled in a run with two outs in the bottom of the fourth to give the home team a 2-0 lead but the developing story was what Jackson was doing on the hill.

The right-hander kept the Stars hitless until Kevin Melillo doubled with two outs in the sixth and scored to cut the home side's lead to 2-1 when Anderson followed with a single that knocked Jackson out of the game. Jackson was not involved in the decision after yielding a lone run on two hits, walking three and fanning one. Brian Schlitter took over and gave up a single to Rottino before striking out Taylor Green to end the inning.

Johnny Raburn singled with one out in the seventh and moved to second base when pinch-hitter Jonathan Lucroy walked on four pitches. The runners advanced when Adam Stern grounded out for the second out before Shane Justis singled into left field to chase home Raburn with the tying run. Parejo, pinch-running, was thrown out at the plate for what looked to be the final out but jarred the ball loose from Lalli, the catcher, and alertly took a couple of steps back to touch the plate just before Schlitter picked up the loose ball and tried to tag him out. Justis moved to second base on the throw home and scored an insurance run when Melillo singled to right field.

Robert Hinton tossed a scoreless bottom half of the inning to nail down his fourth save and preserve the 4-2 win for Holliman, who improved to 2-2 after allowing one earned run on 10 hits, while walking one and not recording a strikeout in his return to Smokies Park, where he pitched with the Smokies over the last two seasons.

The series concludes Saturday evening with southpaw David Welch taking the hill for Huntsville against Smokies' left-hander Casey Lambert. Coverage of the game begins at 5:00 pm central time and can be heard through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

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Southern League Stories from May 29, 2009


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