Stars can't dig their way out of early hole, lose second half of double dip

By Aaron Morse

The Huntsville Stars (23-24) got a one-run victory in game one of Thursday’s double header, but suffered a one-run loss by a final score of 5-4 in game two against the Birmingham Barons (15-31).

The Barons took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first thanks to a sacrifice fly off the bat of Jim Gallagher. That scored John Shelby III who doubled to lead-off the frame.

They’d chase Stars’ starter Chris Cody in the top of the third due to the long ball. Shelby III started things by hitting the first homer of the inning. Greg Paiml quickly followed with a double to left. Then Jim Gallagher capped the scoring with a two-run bomb. That would be all for Cody as Mike Guerrero called upon Mark Willinsky to finish the inning. He did, but it wasn’t easy, as an error and a single put runners at the corners with nobody out. A strike-out and a 6-4-3 double play got him out of it though with no further damage.

Facing a 4-0 deficit, the Stars got three of the runs back in a big way in the bottom of the fifth. With one away and runners at the corners Drew Anderson continued to make an impressive 2010 Stars debut with a three-run homer.

Willinsky pitched three scoreless innings before giving way to Eduardo Morlan in the top of the sixth. Morlan, recently acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays’ organization, gave up a one-out single and a two-out triple as the Barons extended their lead to 5-3.

They would need all five of those runs as the Stars came storming back again in the bottom of the frame. With one away, Lee Haydel lay down a beautiful bunt single. He would steal second and move to third on a passed ball. Then with two away, Matt Gamel delivered a clutch single to make the score 5-4.

But that’s how the game would end as the Stars went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh.

Cody (2-5) suffered the loss while Matt Long (3-4) was perfect through four and ended up going five innings for the win. Anthony Carter earned his fourth save of the year.

The offensive stars for Huntsville were Gamel and Anderson as Gamel went 2-3 with a run scored and a RBI. Meanwhile Anderson smacked his first homer for the Stars in 2010, driving in three in the process.

The Stars remain five games back of the Tennessee Smokies in the north division. Huntsville is back at it Friday night as they’ll send Mark Rogers (2-3, 3.60) to the mound. You can catch all the action beginning at 6:45pm central time on the Huntsville Stars Radio Network and online at www.huntsvillestars.com.