Stars rally for victory in Tucson

SUN STAFF REPORTS

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Eddie Williams simply wouldn't let the Las Vegas Stars begin the season's second half the way they ended the first.

After preserving Thursday night's game against the Tucson Sidewinders with an over-the-shoulder catch in the bottom of the ninth, the veteran first baseman kept the Stars' 12th inning alive with a two-out double.

That paved the way for Creighton Gubanich's three-run homer moments later, giving the Stars (40-44) an 8-5 victory and snapping the team's five-game losing skid.

Williams, who set new franchise records earlier this season with four home runs and 10 RBI in a single contest, broke the Las Vegas mark for doubles with four in this ballgame. For the game, Williams finished 5-for-6 with a pair of RBI and two runs scored.

As it turned out, though, it was Gubanich who came up with the game's biggest hit when he turned on a Barry Manuel (0-2) pitch and knocked it out of Tucson Electric Park.

The Stars' relievers also deserve a significant share of the credit for the extra-inning victory over the Sidewinders (39-45). Although ace Matt Clement labored in his five innings of work, Al Newman, Will Cunnane, Bryan Wolff and Bubba Dixon (2-2) combined to shut the hosts out for the final seven innings.

Cunnane got the visitors out of their tightest jam, escaping a bases-loaded ninth inning, thanks to a game-saving throw to the plate from Chris Prieto to Gubanich and to Williams' defensive gem behind first base.

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