MOBILE, Ala. - Collin Cowgill was the hero du jour for the first-place BayBears on Thursday night at Hank Aaron Stadium as he drove home all three runs in a 3-2 victory over the Huntsville Stars to shrink the playoff-clinching magic number to seven.

Cowgill brought the BayBears (70-57, 34-25) back from a 2-0 deficit in the bottom of the fifth as he pasted a double off the wall in center field, scoring pitcher Ryan Cook all the way from first base. With Sean Coughlin on first in the seventh, Cowgill ripped a two-out, two-run homer off Jim Henderson (4-5) to put the BayBears on top to stay.

Reid Mahon tossed a scoreless eighth out of the bullpen for the BayBears while Daniel Stange (S, 10) tabbed the final three outs. Huntsville (63-67, 30-30) did have Anderson Machado reach with a single to start the ninth against Stange, but he was doubled off second base after a line drive off Brett Lawrie's bat was handled by shortstop Taylor Harbin to end the contest.

Cook pitched well for the BayBears in his home debut as he tossed 5.2 innings while allowing two runs on six hits. He overcame five walks while punching out four. Cook was relieved in the sixth by Bryan Woodall (1-3), who helped Cook out of a jam by fanning Lee Haydel with two men on base.

Amaury Rivas had paced the Stars through the first five frames with six strikeouts. He was handed the lead in the first when Lawrie walked and stole second before a double by Drew Anderson. Anderson cracked another two-bagger in the third and was brought to the dish on a single by Zelous Wheeler.

With their victory, the BayBears pulled a ½ game in front of the Jacksonville Suns for the second half South Division lead. They remain 4 ½ games on top of the Biscuits for the South Division wild card.

The BayBears take on the Stars Friday night at 7:05 in a ballgame that will be followed by a postgame fireworks show. The last installment of the BayBears' Friday Night Fireworks package this season. For tickets, which start at $5 for kids and $7 for adults, please call (251) 479-BEAR or log on to www.mobilebaybears.com. For more information on the Hank Aaron Childhood Home & Museum, please visit www.hankaaronstadium.com.