Suns hold off Stars

By Aaron Morse

Steffan Wilson tallied three hits and drove in two runs but the Huntsville Stars (2-2, 35-39) fell to the Jacksonville Suns (2-2, 42-32) by a final score of 6-4 Friday night.

The Stars took an early 1-0 lead when Wilson went yard for his fifth homer of the year in the second.

Brandon Tripp and the Suns came roaring back against Stars’ starter Josh Butler in the fourth. Tripp hit a long ball to start the inning and then they played some small ball to take the lead. Vinny Rottino reached on an error and immediately stole second base. He moved to third on a fly ball and scored on a ground-out as the Suns went up by a score of 2-1.

One swing of the bat cost Butler again in the sixth as a two-out three-run home run off the bat of pinch hitter Jason Delaney gave the Suns a 5-1 lead.

Jeff Allison went six innings, giving up the lone run on only three hits, but the Stars got to reliever Daniel Jennings in the seventh. With one away Taylor Green doubled to right. Wilson followed with his second RBI of the game on a single to right. Down 5-2, the Stars kept at it as Lee Haydel reached on an infield single. That combined with a throwing error put runners on second and third. Dayton Buller grounded out to short, driving home Wilson to make the score 5-3.

Jacksonville tacked on one more run in the seventh against reliever Mark Willinsky.

The Stars made one last run at the game in the top of the eighth. Down 6-3, Lorenzo Cain singled to left with one away. Caleb Gindl doubled him home to make the score 6-4. Zelous Wheeler singled to left, moving Gindl to third. Wade Korpi entered the game only to walk Taylor Green to load the bases. Steffan Wilson and Lee Haydel both had chances against reliever Todd Doolittle but neither was able to come through as the Suns escaped still up 6-4.

That’s how the game would end as Jhan Marinez worked a scoreless ninth to pick up the save.

Josh Butler (1-4) suffered the loss as he went six innings, giving up five runs, four earned, on six hits. He walked three and struck-out six. Allison (4-3) got the win.

The Stars will look to take back the series lead Saturday evening. First pitch is at 6:05pm central time.