The title above says it all as the Stars lose for the 10th time in 13 games.... They were in both games early, and playing more aggressively in Game Two, even had a lead, but Tennessee hitters exploited the Stars' pitching weaknesses, patiently getting what they wanted, and hit balls like they were coming out of rocket launchers....... Ty Wright's home run off Jim Henderson, just off the disabled list, in Game One, came off the lower portion of the scoreboard with a resounding bang........ Jason Vitters' line drive home run off Mark Rogers in the 5th came so quickly off his bat, no one sitting around me saw where it went. Only the reaction of left fielder Brent Brewer gave it away....... In both games, Smokie hitters, 3rd in the SL in home runs and slugging and tops in doubles, were hitting them off the wall, off the base of the wall, over the wall, and a few times when they weren't reaching the wall, they gave Stars outfielders a run to the warning track........ In the dry 78° air on this sunny day, with a west wind blowing about 10 mph or less, the Stars were reaching for distance, too. Caleb Gindl hit his 3rd HR of the year over the 1st wall in right field -- about 348', and in the 2nd inning, Chris Errecart, who went 4-for-5 in the twin bill, blasted one deep to center over all three walls -- a 405' shot or better that tied the game at 2-2....... Rogers, who had trouble finding the plate, threw only six first-pitch strikes in five innings of work. Though he settled down after a 23-pitch 1st inning, he still threw only 54% of his pitches for strikes. Of his three walks, two came on four pitches thrown, another on five.

Chris Cody looked like he would have better success in this game than Rogers...... While the Stars gave him an early 2-0 lead on Chris Errecart's double off the center field wall, scoring Zelous Wheeler from first, and Sean McCraw's grounder after a sac bunt moved Errecart to third, Cody had held Tennessee to two-out hits in the 2nd and 3rd........ Cody was throwing strikes and having more success in getting the Smokies to hit the ball on the ground......... Back-to-back home runs by Matt Spencer and Russ Canzler in the 4th changed all that. The momentum of the game swung back to the Smokies. In the 6th, the Smokies drove fans away from the stadium....... Mark Willinsky (2-0, 3.37 in his last appearances) gave up a long double off the center field wall, a single, a walk, another double to the wall, another single, and hit a batter before getting anyone out. Casey Baron came in, but the damage was done. The Smokies scored 6 in the 6th, and the Stars were clearly out of this game as well, much to the delight of a couple of very loud, obnoxious middle-aged Tennessee Smokie fans who apparently drove in from Knoxville and brashly cheered for each and every one of their hitters every time they came up, and their pitcher, as well, with every Huntsville at-bat. It got very old.

Prior to the start of Game Two, Brewers' minor league farm director Reid Nichols honored Amaury Rivas on the field with the Southern Leauge pitcher-of-the-month award. Rivas (4-2, 2.23) will start Tuesday's game against Smokies' right-hander Hung-Wen Chen (3-3, 2.95)....... Rivas is 9th among Southern League ERA leaders, and at the risk of jinxing him, has not given up a home run this year.........  The Stars are now 1-21 when they score three runs or fewer in a game........ Never in 15 years have seen so many players on the disabled list at once. Taylor Green was placed on the DL, May 13. Lee Haydel is still out, placed on the DL, May 10, after being pulled from a game on the 8th. Steffan Wilson has been on the DL since May 7. Patrick Arlis, who has played just once since coming down from Nashville...... Jim Henderson came off the list today to pitch in Game One, but there are still four other pitchers out -- Evan Anundsen, Bobby Bramhall, Rob Wooten, and Brae Wright....... At various points during the season, pitchers Casey Baron, Mark Willinsky, and Donovan Hand have spent time on the DL, as well as catcher Patrick Arlis, who has played just once, shortstop Andy Machado, and outfielder Lorenzo Cain, who is 2-for-13 since coming off the DL......... Mike McClendon, was promoted to Nashville this past weekend, leaving behind a 0.61 ERA from the bullpen in 14 2/3 innings......... Adam Stern earned himself a promotion to Milwaukee with a .349 start for the Nashville Sounds. The Sounds, by the way, are now charging $3 to park at Greer Stadium (parking had been free in past seasons) and $10 to get into games, up from last year......... Josh Butler and Mat Gamel are doing their rehab assignments at Brevard County.

A number of former Stars are sprinkled among the managing and coaching staffs in the minors this year. Here they are with the years they were with the Stars in the right column: