Stars Offense Limited in Loss to Smokies

Connor Shreve

Huntsville’s offense struggled for the second consecutive game against the first placed Tennessee Smokies in a 4-2 loss at Smokies Park Wednesday night.

It took Cubs top prospect Josh Vitters to put the Stars in trailing position. Both Blake Lalli and Matt Spencer walked to set the table for Vitters in the second inning. The 2007 first round draftee looped a ball in to right field for the RBI. Stars starter Josh Butler, making his third rehab start this season for the Milwaukee Brewers, worked out of the jam with a strike out and induced a ground out from Smokies pitcher Hung-Wen Chen.

Huntsville evened the score at one run a piece thanks to a miscalculation on the part of Lalli. The Smokies first baseman scooped a Taylor Green grounder and opted to start a 3-6-3 double play instead of stepping on first to start the action. Much to the dismay of Lalli, Zelous Wheeler hustled down the base path and was called safe at second though the turn was in time to retire Green at first. The play allowed Lorenzo Cain to score from third after he led the inning off with a base hit.

The home club benefitted from some two out magic that made the difference in the game. Brandon Guyer’s second home run of the season gave the Smokies the lead. It came in the fifth inning with two outs and Tony Thomas on base. The Smokies lead was extended further with two outs in the sixth. Vitters and Matt Spencer strung together two base hits in the clutch to score Lalli before the inning came to a close with a Tony Thomas ground out.

Josh Butler allowed four runs on seven hits while striking out two. The improvement from his last start, a loss to the Mobile Bay Bears, came in the walks department; Butler walked two compared to the five he gave free passes to on the June fourth outing in Huntsville. Much like last time, most of the damage on Butler came late. Three of the four runs came in the final two innings of his outing. In throwing 80 pitches, Butler set his season high pitch count with the Stars. With a less stringent pitch count limit Butler was allowed to throw six innings, two better than either of his previous two starts.

Huntsville rallied in the ninth for a run but could not come up with more. Green started the frame with a walk followed by a hit batter, Steffan Wilson. With an out, Anderson Machado singled home Green. David Cale entered in relief and struck out Chuckie Caufield before getting Brett Lawrie to line out deep to left field to end the threat.

With 10 games left to determine the first half division champion, Huntsville is 9.5 games back of the Smokies. The Stars road trip continues Thursday against a new opponent. Huntsville plays the Carolina Mudcats for the first time this season for five games before the Stars return home next Wednesday. First pitch Thursday at Five County Stadium in Zebulon is scheduled for 6:15.