SL1 Mississippi Braves

Connor Lien Homers Twice in Mississippi's 5-4 Extra-Inning Loss to Jacksonville

Published on August 10, 2018 under Southern League (SL1)
Mississippi Braves News Release


JACKSONVILLE, FL - The Mississippi Braves lost a heartbreaker on Friday night to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, 5-4, in 10 innings. The M-Braves scored two runs in the top of the 10th, but down to their final out, Jacksonville scored three runs in the bottom of the inning to take game three of the series in front of 7,002 at The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.

With Michael Mader starting for Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday, the M-Braves bullpen was called into action to cover the start. Kelvin Vasquez made his first start since May 4, 2015, and was successful. Vasquez matched a season-high with 4.0 innings pitched, giving up just one run on four hits with one walk and one strikeout. The lone run allowed was scored by Jacksonville in the bottom of the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Eric Jagielo.

Trailing 1-0, Connor Lien tied the game with a solo homer that hit his headshot on Jacksonville's left field video board. The 419-foot shot was Lien's first since June 22 and fifth on the year. The Orlando native was activated from the DL earlier in the day.

Lien came back to the plate against Jacksonville starter Robert Dugger in the sixth inning with one out and hit a 370-foot shot into the right-field bleachers to put Mississippi on top 2-1. The multi-homer game was the second of his career and second in as many nights for the M-Braves. Travis Demeritte hit two homers in Thursday's 16-8 win. Lien's previous two-homer game was on July 31, 2016, at Pensacola.

Vasquez turned the game over to Tyler Pike, who delivered 3.0 scoreless innings and survived a hard collision at first base with Jacksonville's Eric Jagielo. Jason Hursh pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

Rex Brothers was called upon by manager Chris Maloney to pitch the ninth inning and surrendered a solo home run to John Silviano that tied the game at 2-2.

Demeritte was Mississippi's bonus runner at second base to start the 10th inning. Jacksonville reliever Tommy Eveld (W, 2-0) intentionally walked Tyler Marlette and then Jonathan Morales sacrificed the runners up 90 feet with a bunt. Eveld then intentionally walked Daniel Lockhart to load the bases. Only one pitch was thrown and the bases were full of M-Braves. Ray-Patrick Didder put the M-Braves back on top with a two-run double down the right-field line scoring Demeritte and Marlette and it was 4-2. Didder has reached base safely in 24 of 26 games with Mississippi.

Josh Graham (L, 4-3) took over for the Braves in the bottom of the 10th and struck out the first two batters. Monte Harrison singled with two outs to place runners at the corners. Justin Twine brought home Harrison and bonus runner Max Duval with a gapper to right-center and the game was tied again at 4-4. Graham was called for a balk that advanced Twine to third. He then sprinted home on a passed ball off the glove of Morales to give Jacksonville the 5-4 win.

The loss dropped the Braves to 4-4 in extra-inning games this season.

The M-Braves will try to pull even in the series against Jacksonville on Saturday night at The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. LHP Kyle Muller (1-0, 3.38) will make his second Double-A start for the Braves against RHP Cody Poteet (2-9, 5.63). First pitch is set for 5:35 pm CT with coverage beginning at 5:50 pm CT on 103.9 WYAB and the free TuneIn Radio App.

The M-Braves have 10 regular season home dates remaining in 2018, with back-to-back fireworks nights, August 17-18 and August 24-25, following those Friday and Saturday home games. Promotions and tickets are at www.mississippibraves.com/tickets.

Check out the Mississippi Braves Statistics

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Southern League Stories from August 10, 2018


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