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After some early season obstacles, Huntsville hurler Nic Ungs is getting his season back on track.

The 28-year-old right-hander tossed seven one-hit innings en route to his first Double-A win of the year Thursday as the Stars blanked the Tennessee Smokies, 4-0, at Smokies Park.

"My catcher, [Martin] Maldonado, and I were on the same page," Ungs said after yielding only a two-out single to Matt Craig in the fourth inning and two walks.

"We had a good game plan going in. They're a pretty aggressive team, so I tried not to be predictable. I wanted to throw inside, throw away, change speeds and look for early contact, but not good contact."

Ungs (1-0), who lowered his ERA to 0.75 in his second appearance for the Stars, didn't record any strikeouts, but kept the Smokies off balance by inducing 14 groundball outs.

The former 12th-round pick signed a Minor League contract with the Brewers in January after seven seasons in the Florida Marlins organization. In 2007, he went 5-5 with a 4.98 ERA for Triple-A Albuquerque of the Pacific Coast League.

He started this season at Triple-A Nashville, but spent most of May on the disabled list with tendinitis in his pitching arm. Then he took some time to go home to Iowa because of a family illness.

Ungs was assigned to Huntsville upon his return to action and made his first start for the Stars on June 28 against the Carolina Mudcats, allowing one earned run on four hits over five innings. He did not receive a decision as the Stars dropped a 5-4 decision.

Three years ago, Ungs hurled a no-hitter for Carolina against the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx.

"I'm just trying to get the feel of being back," he said. "I'm enjoying the fact that I'm healthy again. And this is a great team to be associated with."

Jason Shiell preserved the shutout for the Stars (7-8) after allowing two hits and two walks with two strikeouts over the final two frames.

Huntsville scored all its runs via the longball as Matt LaPorta belted a two-run homer in the fourth and Cole Gillespie duplicated the feat in the sixth.

Starter Alessandro Maestri (0-1) surrendered four runs on six hits and a walk with five strikeouts over six innings for the Smokies (11-4).

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Power edges Suns 3-2
Winning streak rises to six games
By Tommy R. Atkinson
Charleston Gazette Staff writer

The West Virginia Power's Eric Fryer could get used to first place.

The left fielder's run-scoring single in the bottom of the fourth inning provided the go-ahead run Thursday night and starter Dan Merklinger stymied the Hagerstown (Md.) Suns as the Power won its sixth straight with 3-2 victory.

A paid crowd of 3,838 attended the battle for first place in the South Atlantic League's Northern Division at Appalachian Power Park.

The Power finished the first half of the season sixth in the eight-team Northern Division, but has won 10 of its first 14 games to start the second half and climb atop the standings.

West Virginia moved into first place for the first time Tuesday night after a 4-3 win over Greensboro. The Suns (8-6) were only one game out of first place entering Thursday's play.

"It's definitely a loose clubhouse right now,'' said Fryer, who went 3-for-3 with a triple Thursday. "Everyone's joking around in there. It's really easy when you're winning games. Hopefully it continues to be that way because it's a lot more fun.''

Anderson De La Rosa cracked a leadoff solo home run down the right field line to give the Power a 1-0 lead in the third. Hagerstown knotted the game at 1-all in the top of the fourth, but West Virginia came through with some clutch at-bats to seize the momentum.

After the first two Power batters fouled out, Steffan Wilson coaxed a full-count walk, then moved to second on a passed ball. Fryer hit a liner to right field to hand West Virginia the lead for good at 2-1.

The Power extended its advantage with more big hits in the fifth. Matt Cline came up with a one-out double, hustling around first base to turn what appeared to be a bloop single to short left field into a two-base hit. After Eric Haydel struck out, Eric Farris punched an RBI single into left field for a 3-1 edge.

Merklinger (3-5) shut down the Suns, surrendering just one earned run on four hits in six innings with nine strikeouts. Rob Bryson earned his fifth save, allowing one run on a hit in three innings.

Bryson set down Hagerstown in order in the seventh then an error and passed ball helped the Suns close the deficit to 3-2 in the eighth.

Bryson returned to form in the ninth, fanning the first two hitters before fielding a weak grounder to end the game.

"Right now we're hitting the ball real well and our pitching is giving us a chance to stay in ballgames,'' said Fryer. "It's a good combination.''

The Power is giving every indication it is ready for a run at a second-half title. Fryer and most of the Power's roster played at Helena (Mont.) last season, capturing the first-half title in the rookie Pioneer League.

"We know what it takes to get [in the playoffs],'' Fryer said. "I think it was just a matter of getting used to the [South Atlantic] League. There's a little better pitching here and the umpires [have] different zones. Everyone's getting more comfortable in the [batter's] box [and] in the field.''

Briefly: Merklinger is 3-0 in his last five starts.

Helena's David Fonseca was called out while attempting to steal second base by Osprey shortstop Reynaldo Navarro during the first inning Thursday night at Ogren-Allegiance Park. The Brewers won, 15-6.
Photo by MICHAEL GALLACHER/Missoulian