SL1 Mississippi Braves

Braves can't get by Barons

Published on June 24, 2008 under Southern League (SL1)
Mississippi Braves News Release


The M-Braves entered Tuesday night's contest in sole possession of first place in the Southern League's South division. It looked as though they'd leave that way, but Birmingham put up four runs in the third and four more in the seventh to coast to an 8-5 win.

In his first swing after coming off of the disabled list, JC Boscan gave the M-Braves a 2-0 lead Tuesday night. Jordan Schafer reached on an error and Javier Guzman followed with a bloop-single. Boscan then ripped a double to left-center that plated both Schafer and Guzman with the game's first runs.

Birmingham came roaring back in the top of the third. The Barons got a single, three doubles and a home run to take a 4-2 lead. Robert Valido got it started with a bloop single, but none of the other hits were bloopers. Miguel Negron doubled home Valido and Victor Mercedes ripped an opposite-field home run that put Birmingham up 3-2. Micah Schnurstein then laced an opposite-field double and he came around to score on Cole Armstrong's double to center. After the top of the third, Birmingham led 4-2.

The M-Braves got one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning. Reid Gorecki walked and stole second and third to move into scoring position. Schafer then ripped a single up the middle that plated Gorecki with the Braves' third run. After three, Mississippi trailed 4-3.

Mississippi tied it with small ball in the sixth. Kala Ka'aihue led off with a single to third and Schafer followed with a single to the pitcher. Javier Guzman bunted them into scoring position and Ka'aihue scored easily on Boscan's grounder to third. After six, the score was knotted at four.

Birmingham came right back with four runs in the seventh to push the lead to 8-4. Valido led off with a single to first and Negron bunted him over to second. Victor Mercedes walked and Javier Colina drove them both home with a double to left-center. Micah Schnurstein was hit by a pitch and Cole Armstrong's single loaded the bases. Stefan Gartrell singled home Colina and Leo Cruz brought Schnurstein to the plate with a sac-fly.

The Braves got one run back in the eighth. Schafer walked and stole second before coming in to score on a double by JC Holt. After eight, the Braves trailed 8-5.

Todd Redmond gave up four runs on nine hits through six innings, but left the game with the score tied at four. Kevin Gunderson gave up four runs in one-third of an inning and fell to 1-1 on the year. Sung Ki Jung tossed 2.2 scoreless innings.

Justin Cassel improved to 6-3 on the year after allowing four runs, two earned, on seven hits through six innings. Joe Torres threw two-thirds scoreless and John Lujan gave up a run in his inning. Shaun Babula threw one-third scoreless and Jon Link earned his 20th save of the year by throwing a scoreless ninth.

The Braves and Barons will play the second game of this six-game set Wednesday night at Trustmark Park at 7:05. Mississippi's Tommy Hanson will take on Birmingham's Dewon Day.

Wednesday night will be Kids Night at the ballpark when children 14 and under will get field level box seats for $2, a funzone wristband for $5 and personal pizzas from the Hot Corner Slice for $4.

Check out the Mississippi Braves Statistics

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Southern League Stories from June 24, 2008


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