Braves outlast Biscuits in extras, 8-7
May 6, 2006 - Southern League (SL1)
Montgomery Biscuits News Release
MONTGOMERY - Eric Schmitt struck out Michael Coleman looking with the tying and winning runs on base in the bottom of the thirteenth inning to give the Mississippi Braves (11-17) an 8-7 victory over the Montgomery Biscuits (17-12). The game took four hours and 17 minutes to play, the longest game in Biscuits history.
Montgomery leapt out quickly on top with a run in the bottom of the first off of Braves starter Ryan Basner. Third baseman Aneudi Cuevas upped the lead to 3-0 in the second inning with a two-run home run, his first homer of the season.
After tallying once in the top of the third, Mississippi knocked out Montgomery starter Mike Prochaska with a five-run fourth. Eddie Perez led off with a single, Yunel Escobar doubled him home, and then Matt Esquivel brought home Escobar with a two-run homer. Two batters later, Joshua Arteaga lashed a solo roundtripper to right field. Josh Burrus climaxed the frame with a run-scoring double off of reliever Jeremy Flanagan to make the score 6-3 in favor of the visitors.
In the bottom of the inning, Montgomery seized the lead back. A pair of two-run homers off the bats of Elliot Johnson and Chairon Isenia forced the exit of Basner, giving the Biscuits the 7-6 advantage.
After an RBI groundout in the seventh tied the game at 7, the bullpens took over, holding the game scoreless for the next five innings. The Biscuits threatened in the bottom of the ninth, but Manny Acosta struck out Jason Pridie with the bases loaded to send the game into extra frames.
Montgomery's Yorkin Ferreras and Mississippi's Will Startup matched goose eggs until the twelfth inning, but an Arteaga two-out RBI double in the top of the thirteenth gave the Braves the lead.
Eric Schmitt relieved Startup to begin the bottom of the thirteenth. He fanned leadoff hitter Chairon Isenia, but Gabriel Martinez reached on a single to right. With Mark Schleicher at first pinch-running for Martinez, Ryan Christianson singled to left. Schmitt retired Francisco Leandro on a flyout to centerfield, though Schleicher tagged up and advanced to third. With runners at the corners and two out, Coleman was sent up to pinch-hit for Aneudi Cuevas, hoping to be a hero. Instead he was frozen by a Schmitt off-speed pitch on the outside corner for strike three, giving the Mississippi righthander his first save of the season.
Startup (3-0), who threw three perfect innings and struck out three, earns the victory. Ferreras (1-3) suffers the loss, hurling three innings and giving up just the one crucial run (unearned because of a Matthew Maniscalco error).
With the defeat, the Biscuits watched their four-game winning streak come to an end. Montgomery is now 12-3 against Mississippi all-time at Riverwalk Stadium.
The Braves and the Biscuits play the final game of the five-game series at 7:05 pm on Saturday night. Chris Flinn (1-2, 6.08) takes the mound for Montgomery, opposed by Mississippi's Matt Wright (1-1, 2.45).
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Southern League Stories from May 6, 2006
- Mudcats see moves - Carolina Mudcats
- Schleicher assigned to Hudson Valley - Montgomery Biscuits
- Huntsville defeats Diamond Jaxx - Jackson Generals
- Cron pulls Barons off field, Suns named winners - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Lookouts defeat Smokies, 3-2 - Chattanooga Lookouts
- Carolina takes 4 of 5 from Mobile - Mobile BayBears
- Carolina defeats Mobile - Carolina Mudcats
- Reese's Really NUTS Night ar Pringles Tonight - Jackson Generals
- Lookouts game notes - Chattanooga Lookouts
- Barons defeat Suns, 6-5, in 14 innings - Birmingham Barons
- Randel's knocks in game-winner in the ninth - Carolina Mudcats
- BayBears fall on ninth-inning single - Mobile BayBears
- Barons take game four marathon - Birmingham Barons
- Braves outlast Biscuits in extras, 8-7 - Montgomery Biscuits
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