SL1 Mississippi Braves

Braves Fall in Home Opener

Published on April 9, 2008 under Southern League (SL1)
Mississippi Braves News Release


The M-Braves came into tonight's contest having lost their first five games of the season. That skid continued as Mobile dropped the M-Braves, 10-1, in front of 3,358 fans at Trustmark Park Wednesday night.

In the top of the first, Yunesky Sanchez ripped a one-out double to left-center to start things for the BayBears. With two outs and runners at first and second, Rusty Ryal hit a dribbler up the first baseline that was misplayed by Braves hurler Dan Smith allowing Sanchez to score. After a walk to Frank Curreri loaded the bases, Smith got out of the inning by throwing a wild pitch. JC Boscan collected the ricochet off the netting behind home plate and flipped to Smith at the plate to tag Cesar Nicolas who was trying to score from third.

The BayBears added their second run when Cyle Hankerd led off the second inning with his first homer of the year.

In Mobile's half of the third, an error, a single, and a hit batsmen loaded the bases with two outs. Orlando Mercado drew a two-out walk that forced in Bryan Byrne with the BayBears third run of the game.

Mississippi got on the board in the fourth when Mark Jurich drew a two-out walk and Van Pope doubled him home. After four, Mobile led 3-1.

The wheels fell off for Mississippi in the seventh. Four hits, two errors, and a walk plated five runs for the BayBears to extend the lead to 8-1.

Pitcher AJ Shappi got the BayBears started with a bloop single in the ninth. Greg Thomson then drew a walk and Yuneski Sanchez ripped a two-out, two-RBI triple to put the BayBears on top, 10-1.

Braves' starter Dan Smith struggled for the second consecutive outing and surrendered his second straight loss. He gave up three runs, two earned, on six hits through three innings of work. Brad Nelson came on in relief and gave the Braves three strong shutout innings. Luis Valdez gave up five runs, two earned, in one inning of work. Jerome Gamble threw one scoreless inning and Sung Ki Jung gave up two runs in an inning of work.

BayBears' starter Brooks Brown gave up a run on five hits through six innings of work and improved to 1-1 on the year. AJ Shappi threw two scoreless innings and Mark Rosen threw a scoreless ninth.

The M-Braves and the BayBears will play game two of this five-game series Thursday night at Trustmark Park at 7:05 pm. The Braves will send righty James Parr to the hill in search of his first win of the year while the BayBears will counter with righty Tony Barnette who's also looking for his first W.

Mississippi Mentionables:

Greg Creek ripped his second triple of the year in the sixth inning ... It's only the fourth triple of his career. Diory Hernandez and JC Boscan notched their first multi-hit games of the year ... The two hits were Boscan's first two hits of the season.

Check out the Mississippi Braves Statistics

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Southern League Stories from April 9, 2008


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