Stars Split Doubleheader, Lose Series to BayBears
To cap off a stretch where they played 28 innings of baseball in 25 hours, the Huntsville Stars split a doubleheader with the Mobile BayBears, the last game being the rubbermatch between the two teams at Hank Aaron Stadium on Sunday.
In game one, the Stars got off to a rare quick start off of BayBears starting pitcher Anthony Meo.
After allowing the first three batters of the game to reach base, Meo gave up a sacrifice fly to Stars first basemen Jason Rogers to give Huntsville the first run of the ballgame. Later in the inning, a two-run single from centerfielder Rene Tosoni made the score 3-0.
Those three runs were plenty for the Stars pitchers, especially starting pitcher Arcenio Leon.
Besides giving up a solo homer to BayBears center fielder Ender Inciarte in the third inning, the 26-year-old righty pitched very well in his first start since being placed on the disabled list on April 20th. The former Astros farmhand threw four innings of one-run baseball, giving up just three hits in the process.
Since Leon did not pitch long enough to qualify for a win as a starting, Stars reliever R.J Seidel improved to 1-0 on the year after giving up a run in an inning of relief.
The Stars got their insurance run in the fifth inning on a RBI single from right fielder Kentrail Davis.
Stars closer Casey Medlen shut down the BayBears in order in the seventh inning to notch his fourth save of the season.
In game two, the BayBears returned the Stars favor from the previous contest and provided an early surge in the first inning off of Stars starter Alan Williams.
After Williams walked Inciarte and gave up a single to second baseman Mike Freeman, a sacrifice fly by third baseman Nick Evans gave Mobile their first run. Williams then surrendered a two-run homer to BayBears first basemen Jon Griffin to give Mobile a 3-0 lead.
However, that deficit was washed away by the Stars offense almost immediately.
Following RBI singles by both Tosoni and second basemen Ozzie Chavez cut the BayBears lead to one in the second, a RBI groundout from Stars third baseman Mike Walker in the top of the third knotted the game up at three apiece.
The game remained that way all the way up to the 10th inning, where the BayBears ultimately clinched a doubleheader split and a series victory.
With Stars reliever Santo Manzanillo on the hill, catcher Raywilly Gomez drew a four-pitch walk to begin the inning. During the next at-bat, two wild pitches from Manzanillo allowed Gomez to advance to third. Two batters later, Freeman launched a line-drive well over the head of Tosoni in left-center field to win the game for Mobile.
The split in the doubleheader clinched the Stars fifth straight series loss.
After an off day on Monday, the Stars will welcome the Jackson Generals to town to open up a five-game series at Joe Davis Stadium on Tuesday. Huntsville will send RHP Jimmy Nelson (3-1, 1.91 ERA) to the bump to square off against Jackson LHP Ronenis Elias (1-2, 2.93 ERA). First pitch is at 6:43 PM.
For more information on the Huntsville Stars, visit huntsvillestars.com or call (256) 882-2562.