Stars Take Second Half Opener, 7-6 over Suns
Jacksonville, Fla. - The Huntsville Stars (34-37, 1-0) overcame a five error night by outhitting the Jacksonville Suns 40-31, 0-1) 12-6 in a 7-6 win over the Suns in front of 4,998 Tuesday night at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
Huntsville starter Michael Bowman (7-5) picked up the winning decision while Suns starter Elih Villanueva (6-4) allowed six earned runs in four and two-thirds innings for the loss. Huntsville's Jim Henderson (2) saved the game after giving up a one-out walk in the ninth inning.
The teams traded early runs, with each team scoring one in the first inning. Huntsville's Brent Lawrie led off with a double and scored on a Caleb Gindl sacrifice fly for a 1-0 score, before Ozzie Martinez walked and scored on an error in the bottom of the inning for a 1-1 deadlock.
The Stars added three with two out in the second against Villanueva. With Dayton Buller at second base with one, out Villanueva walked Lawrie to get to Lorenzo Cain who tripled home both runners for a 3-1 lead. Gindl next singled home Cain for a 4-1 lead.
Jacksonville stayed within reach with a run in the second inning, Torres scoring on an error, and a Vinny Rottino leadoff homerun in the fourth for a 4-3 score.
Suns reliever Kyle Gunderson gave up a Cain two-out single in the fifth inning which scored two runners against Villanueva for a 6-4 Huntsville lead.
In the sixth inning, Gindl struck again with a leadoff homerun, opening a 7-4 lead on Gunderson.
Jacksonville rallied for a run in the sixth inning, as Vinny Rottino scored on a wild pitch, and a two-run seventh inning when Ozzie Martinez scored on an error and Saccomanno came in on a two-out single, ending the scoring a 7-6.
Suns RH Tom Koehler will face Stars RH Mark Rogers in game two of the six-game series Wednesday at 1:05 p.m. ET Tickets are available through the Suns box office at 358-2846 or by visiting jaxsuns.com.
Huntsville starter Michael Bowman (7-5) picked up the winning decision while Suns starter Elih Villanueva (6-4) allowed six earned runs in four and two-thirds innings for the loss. Huntsville's Jim Henderson (2) saved the game after giving up a one-out walk in the ninth inning.
The teams traded early runs, with each team scoring one in the first inning. Huntsville's Brent Lawrie led off with a double and scored on a Caleb Gindl sacrifice fly for a 1-0 score, before Ozzie Martinez walked and scored on an error in the bottom of the inning for a 1-1 deadlock.
The Stars added three with two out in the second against Villanueva. With Dayton Buller at second base with one, out Villanueva walked Lawrie to get to Lorenzo Cain who tripled home both runners for a 3-1 lead. Gindl next singled home Cain for a 4-1 lead.
Jacksonville stayed within reach with a run in the second inning, Torres scoring on an error, and a Vinny Rottino leadoff homerun in the fourth for a 4-3 score.
Suns reliever Kyle Gunderson gave up a Cain two-out single in the fifth inning which scored two runners against Villanueva for a 6-4 Huntsville lead.
In the sixth inning, Gindl struck again with a leadoff homerun, opening a 7-4 lead on Gunderson.
Jacksonville rallied for a run in the sixth inning, as Vinny Rottino scored on a wild pitch, and a two-run seventh inning when Ozzie Martinez scored on an error and Saccomanno came in on a two-out single, ending the scoring a 7-6.
Suns RH Tom Koehler will face Stars RH Mark Rogers in game two of the six-game series Wednesday at 1:05 p.m. ET Tickets are available through the Suns box office at 358-2846 or by visiting jaxsuns.com.