Late Runs Not Enough

by Connor Shreve

The Huntsville Stars heroic rally fell one run short amidst Memorial Day celebrations at Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville in an 8-7 loss to the Mobile Bay Bears. The loss drops the Stars three games under .500 with a record of 24-27.

Stars Starter Alex Periard (2-4 4.53) proved to be his own worst enemy in the first, walking four Bay Bears batters. After a Colin Cowgill leadoff double, the first two walks were issued to Evan Frey and Kory Casto which loaded the bases for Konrad Schmidt. The catcher scored two with a single up the middle. Periard walked two more batters and threw a wild pitch, allowing two additional runs before a strike out and a Tom Layne double play ended the inning.

Periard did settle down to allow only four hits and one run over his next five innings. The 22 year old worked six innings, giving up seven hits and five runs while walking five Bay Bears and striking out two. Periard continued his 2010 trend of throwing at least five innings in every one of his starts this season. His counterpart however received the offensive support he needed in throwing 100 pitches over five innings for the win. The only blemish on Tom Layne’s (6-2 3.15) line is a Lorenzo Cain home run that departed The Joe over the left field fences in the first inning.

The Stars waited until the bottom of the eighth to start their ill fated rally. Mobile reliever Kyler Newby began his outing by firing a ball off the helmet of Zelous Wheeler. Drew Anderson and Martin Maldonado both added singles to bookend a Lee Haydel pop out. Seventh inning defensive substitution Taylor Green picked the right time to send a ball out of the park. His first home run of the year, and the Stars first grand slam brought Huntsville to within one run and set up the defining play of the game, a play at the plate on Brett Lawrie.

The Stars second baseman singled and moved to third on a Cain base hit. Cain stole second and when Mobile short stop Jake Wald bobbled the throw, Lawrie dashed for home. Schmidt’s block of the plate forced Lawrie’s slide to the foul side of the diamond and his tag on the base runners left foot came in time, according to home plate umpire Quinn Wolcott. Huntsville’s youngster was instantly thrown out of the ballgame for throwing his helmet up the third base line in showing his displeasure at the call; manager Mike Guerrero joined him in the clubhouse moments later.

Mobile and Huntsville added to the tension with two runs a piece in the final inning.

Huntsville will try to start the month of June on the right foot Tuesday night in game two of the current series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. (CDT) and, as always it can be streamed live at www.huntsvillestars.com