Stars can't recover from early deficit

The Huntsville Stars failed to pull their 2010 record even by falling at Chattanooga on Friday night 3-2 in a late inning thriller.

In a departure from Thursday’s season opener, Chattanooga was the first to lead thanks to throwing errors by Zelous Wheeler and Brett Lawrie, respectively. One inning later, Elian Hererra singled home Lookouts third baseman Anthony Hatch to neutralize the Stars first inning score, a run credited to Chris Errecart. Errors have been commonplace for the Stars over the first two games this season. On Thursday, Amaury Rivas’ dazzling five inning effort was wasted; Huntsville gave up four unearned runs in a 4-2 loss.

After a pitching change, Caleb Gindl drew Huntsville to within one by plating Lee Haydel with a two out double in the Stars half of the seventh. Huntsville caught the break of the night in the eighth when Chattanooga catcher Lucas May missed a two out, opposite field home run by mere feet. He instead was relegated to a double. A wiley set of substitutions from new Manager Mike Guerrero, including putting Mike Jones on the mound, preserved the one run deficit as Jones worked his way back in the count against Thursday’s hero Scott Van Slyke to retire him on a soft grounder.

The Stars could not, however, take advantage of the momentum as the Lookouts 24 year old flamethrower Javy Guerra retired the stars in the ninth 1-2-3. The Stars are left hanging their heads as the lone Northern Division team to be without a win in 2010, leaving eight base runners on base Friday night. Alex Periard takes the loss for the Stars allowing three runs (two earned) over six full innings. Alberto Bastardo scattered seven hits over five innings while allowing one run in taking the win. Guerra picks up his second save in as many games.

Three games remain in the current five game series in Chattanooga before the Stars return home on Wednesday. Saturdays contest starts again at 6:15 while Sunday is a matinee affair with a first pitch scheduled for 1:15. Coverage of all Stars baseball games begins 15 minutes before the first pitch and can be heard on the Huntsville Stars Radio Network (AM-1450/92.9-FM WTKI Huntsville) or online at www.huntsvillestars.com, www.chadandersonweb.org and www.wtkiradio.com.