Braves fry Biscuits, 12-2
July 15, 2007 - Southern League (SL1)
Montgomery Biscuits News Release
MONTGOMERY -- Matt Esquivel homered in consecutive innings to lead an offensive onslaught from the Mississippi Braves (10-15; 52-43) in a 12-2 laugher over the Montgomery Biscuits (18-7; 53-42) at Riverwalk Stadium.
Mississippi hammered out 18 hits and four home runs against three Biscuits pitchers, with four different Braves notching three hits in the rout. Of the nine-man starting lineup, only catcher Clint Sammons failed to score a run or collect a base hit.
Montgomery starter Jon Barratt (2-7) gave up six runs (five earned) on eight hits in just three innings of work to suffer the loss.
After keeping the Braves off the scoreboard in their first at-bat, Barratt balked home two runs in the second inning, doubling his total for the year. Both balks were called by first base umpire and crew chief Manny Gonzalez, who summarily ejected Billy Gardner, Jr., after the Montgomery manager left the dugout to heatedly protest the second call.
In the third inning, Mississippi stretched out its lead to 6-0 thanks in part to back-to-back home runs from Brandon Jones and Esquivel. It was the fourteenth home run of the season for Jones and the seventeenth for Esquivel.
An inning later, the Braves' rightfielder collected his eighteenth home run against reliever Derek Feldkamp with a teammate on base, tying him for the Southern League lead with Montgomery's Evan Longoria and Tennessee's Jake Fox.
Feldkamp lasted 3 1/3 innings, surrendering six more runs on nine hits, including Josh Burrus' fourth home run of the season. The Montgomery righthander was knocked out of the game by a hard comebacker by J.C. Holt that glanced off his right leg in the seventh inning.
Mississippi starting pitcher Brad Nelson (4-1) picked up the victory, striking out eight Biscuits while allowing two runs on six hits over six innings.
Leadoff hitter Fernando Perez provided one of the lone bright spots for the Biscuits, going 3-for-5 with two doubles in the losing cause.
Still, Montgomery finished the homestand with three victories in five games against the Braves. On Monday, the Biscuits receive a travel day to make their way to Zebulon, North Carolina, where they will begin a five-game series at the Carolina Mudcats on Tuesday.
Former Biscuits southpaw Chris Seddon (4-6, 5.02) will start the opener for the Mudcats, opposed by Montgomery righthander Wade Davis (3-0, 2.30). Gametime is set for 6:15 p.m. CST.
Southern League Stories from July 15, 2007
- Braves Salvage Series Finale with Rout of Biscuits - Mississippi Braves
- Braves fry Biscuits, 12-2 - Montgomery Biscuits
- Smokies Rally Again, 7-6 - Knoxville Smokies
- Late Rally Dooms BayBears - Mobile BayBears
- Suns Take Series from Barons - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Jaxx Fall in 12th, 5-4 - Jackson Generals
- Mudcats With Fourth Straight in Dramatic Fashion - Carolina Mudcats
- Stars Take Series Finale, 1-0 - Chattanooga Lookouts
- Narron, Bullpen Blank Lookouts - Huntsville Stars
- Suns Homestand Ends Today - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Riggs fuels Mudcats offense - Carolina Mudcats
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