Stars attempt late comeback, but fall short against Barons

By Connor Shreve

The Huntsville Stars trailed the entire way on Friday en-route to an 8-6 loss to the Birmingham Barons at Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville. After splitting the series opening double header on Thursday, Birmingham leads the five game series two games to one.
The visitors jumped to an early lead with two runs in the first inning. A passed ball charged to Martin Maldonado allowed the Barons’ Dale Mollenhauer to second after a leadoff single. Brent Morel and Christian Marerro followed with back to back RBI base hits scoring Marerro and Jim Gallagher, who was aboard thanks to a one out walk.
Chris Errecart doubled home Mat Gamel in the second to get Huntsville to within one run but the Stars best early chances to even the score died on the base paths. In the third frame, Maldonado and Lorenzo Cain were victimized by a strike him out, throw him out double play. Second baseman Brett Lawrie was caught trying to stretch a leadoff double in to three bases with a perfect relay in the fourth inning.
Stars defensive miscues allowed Birmingham to extend the lead in the sixth inning. Brett Lawrie was the first to misplay a hard hit grounder with two outs. Lawrie’s ninth error loaded the bases for Tyler Kuhn, who followed with a two run double. After an infield single, Stars reliever Donovan Hand threw a wild pitch past Maldonado that allowed Kuhn to score from third.
After scuffling through the first inning, Huntsville’s starting pitcher Mark Rogers (2-4, 3.60) completed his night with four innings of no hit baseball. Rogers tossed five full innings, allowing two runs on five hits. The Stars nearly bailed out their hurler with a late rally but after a three run home run by Caleb Gindl in the eighth, momentum seemed to die and Barons reliever Deunte Heath picked up his first save of the season.
Rogers’ counterpart Brandon Hynick (1-0 2.89) picked up one out in the sixth before departing. Hynick saw 22 batters, allowed two runs on five hits and struck out four in picking up his first win.
The penultimate game of the current five game series is scheduled for a 6:00 pm (CDT) first pitch Saturday night at Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville. The contest will feature a fireworks display following the game, the first Stars fireworks show of the season. Saturday’s game will be broadcast on the Huntsville Stars Radio Network (AM 1450 FM 92.9 WTKI, Huntsville) and online at www.huntsvillestars.com
Notes: Chris Errecart finished the game 2-3 including a solo home run in the seventh. Against the Barons this season, Errecart is batting .375 (9-24) with six runs.