Stars take early lead, fall to Barons late

By Aaron Morse

The Huntsville Stars (28-25, 61-62) took a 3-0 edge in the second, but the Birmingham Barons (21-32, 45-78) came back to win 4-3 as Christian Marrero hit the go-ahead single in the eighth inning Thursday night.

With one away in the second, Chris Nowak singled on a line drive that deflected off of Barons’ starter Matt Long in to center field. Long was okay, but immediately gave up a two-run shot to Taylor Green. It was Green’s team-leading 12th homer of the year. Huntsville kept the pressure on when Andy Machado tripled down the right field line. After Caleb Gindl walked, Dayton Buller hit a fly ball to left field that Jim Gallagher caught for the second out of the inning. Machado was able to score on the play, but Gindl got thrown out at second base by catcher Cole Armstrong as he tried to advance to end the inning.

The Barons got one back in the bottom of the frame against Stars’ starter Mark Rogers. With one down, Armstrong singled to center. Salvador Sanchez followed with a double to left-center to cut the score to 3-1.

Rogers worked around trouble in the third and fourth but was not as fortunate in the fifth. John Shelby III got things going with a single to left. A wild pitched moved him to second. That’s when Eduardo Escobar laid down a bunt that Rogers fielded; his throw sailed down the right field line and Shelby III came around to score. It was ruled a bunt single for Escobar and he went to second on the error. Rogers proceeded to issue his first and only walk of the night when he gave Gallagher a free pass. Christian Marrero foreshadowed his game-winning hit by tying the game with a single to right.

Rogers was able to get out of the inning without any further damage. He’d get a no-decision, going five innings, scattering nine hits, giving up three runs (all earned), walking one and striking out five.

The Stars loaded the bases with only one out in the sixth, but Buller hit into a 6-3 double play to end the threat. The Stars were 0-5 with runners in scoring position on the night and left seven men stranded.

Birmingham took the lead against Robert Hinton (4-3) in the eighth. With one away, Shelby III drew a walk. Escobar followed with a single up the middle. Hinton got two strikes on Gallagher but hit him with the pitch. Marrero stepped to the plate and delivered his second clutch hit of the night with a single to right, scoring Shelby III and giving the Barons a 4-3 lead.

Anthony Carter had no problem nailing down his 20th save of the year in the ninth. Gregory Infante (2-2) picked up the win in relief for Birmingham.

West Tenn also lost Thursday night so the Stars remain 2.5 games back in the Wild Card race. The Smokies won so Huntsville falls to six back in the division.