Escobar's 5-for-5 night sparks Stars' rally

Alcides Escobar went 5-for-5 with three RBIs as visiting Huntsville rallied past West Tenn, 8-5, on Thursday.

Escobar singled and scored in the first inning and singled again in the third and fifth before ripping an RBI base hit in the seventh. His two-RBI triple capped a three-run ninth for the Stars (33-20).

The 20-year-old shortstop is batting .500 (16-for-32) with eight RBIs over his last seven games.

Brendan Katin belted a three-run shot, his team-leading 23rd, in the first and Mel Stocker went 3-for-3 for Huntsville.

Reliever E.J. Shanks (2-0) recorded the final out in the eighth to pick up the win and Luis Pena struck out one in a perfect ninth for his 11th save.

Michael Hubbard launched his 14th homer leading off the second and Rene Rivera started the fifth with his fifth roundtripper for the Diamond Jaxx (20-33).

West Tenn reliever Juan Sandoval (1-4) was charged with three runs on four hits and a walk in two innings.