SL Mississippi Braves

Friday, July 9 vs. Pensacola Blue Wahoos: 6:35 PM: Trustmark Park

Published on July 9, 2021 under Southern League (SL)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Mississippi Braves (ATL) (35-22, 1st, AA-S South, +2.0) vs. Pensacola Blue Wahoos (MIA) (33-24, 2nd, AA-S South, -2.0)

Starting Pitchers: RHP Victor Vodnik (0-1, 2.51) vs. LHP Will Stewart (3-4, 4.53)

Game #58 | Home Game #34

Radio: 103.9 FM WYAB and (LISTEN LIVE LINK)

TV: MiLB.TV

Today's Promotions:

M-Braves Floppy Cap Giveaway: The first 1,000 adults (21+) will receive a Mississippi Braves Floppy Cap, presented By Budweiser.

Maroon Friday: The M-Braves will honor the College World Series Champion Mississippi State Bulldogs as local Diamond Dawgs Tanner Leggett and Preston Johnson will throw out first pitches.

Kids Run The Bases: Kids, 14-and-under will have the opportunity to run the bases after every Friday and Sunday home game at Trustmark Park, presented by Game on Wheels.

Trustmark's $10,000 Dash For Cash: After each Friday home game, fans can register for the chance to snag cold hard cash. Then, ten lucky fans will have 1:00 to snag as much of the $10K spread out all over the outfield.

Today's Roster Moves:

RHP Victor Vodnik reinstated from the 7-Day Injured List

RHP AJ Puckett transferred to High-A Rome from Mississippi

TODAY'S GAME: The Mississippi Braves (ATL) play game four a six-game homestand on Friday night against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (MIA). The M-Braves are 3-0 in the current series, and 8-7 against the Wahoos this season, including 5-4 at Trustmark Park.

- The M-Braves haven't dropped a series since the second one of the season, May 11-16, at Biloxi (2-4). Overall, the club is 3-2-3 in series' this season. The M-Braves are coming off of a 3-3 road trip at Montgomery.

ROSTER MOVES: RHP Victor Vodnik returns from the Injured List today to make his first M-Braves start since May 27 vs. Montgomery. RHP AJ Puckett was transferred to High-A Rome to make room on the roster.

SEASON TURNAROUND: The 35-22 record is the best record in the Double-A South, and 3rd-best in Double-A. Since May 19 (starting 4-8), the Braves are 31-14. The 31 wins are the most over that period of time in minor league baseball.

M-BRAVES PICK UP TWO MORE WINS ON THURSDAY NIGHT: The M-Braves picked up two more wins Thursday night, 4-3, in the continuation of Wednesday's suspended game, and 9-5 in the nightcap. Braden Shewmake hit a go-ahead RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning of game one, handing the Braves their third-straight win. In the second contest, Pensacola led until the sixth inning when the Braves broke out for six runs. Justin Dean hit a two-run single to put the Braves up 5-4, then Trey Harris hit a two-run homer to extend the lead to 7-4. Jefrey Ramos capped the inning with a two-run triple, ballooning the lead out to 9-4. The Wahoos added a ninth run in the seventh.

STREAKING SHEWMAKE: Currently, Braden Shewmake is on a league-best 11-game hitting streak, batting .419 (18-for-43) with four doubles, two triples, two home runs, and 12 RBI. After batting just .099 in May with three extra-base hits, and six RBI, Shewmake hit .264 in June with nine extra-base hits, 15 RBI. Over his last 20 games, Shewmake is batting .347 with 12 extra-base hits and 18 RBI.

RIJO MANIA: M-Braves utility man Wendell Rijo has six home runs over his last 11 games, batting .375 with two doubles, 11 RBI, six walks, three stolen bases, and a .468 OBP.

THE PRIDE OF POWDER SPRINGS: Harris is currently on his second 7-game hitting streak of the season, batting .355 with two home runs, and six RBI. Over his last 22 games since June 8, the Powder Springs, GA native is batting .355.

AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS: Shea Langeliers ranks among the league leaders in home runs (T-1st, 14), slugging (1st, .547), OPS (3rd, .898), extra-base hits (T-10th, 19), RBI's (T-8th, 28) and total bases (8th, 88). Justin Dean ranks among the leaders in stolen bases (1st, 16) and OBP (8th, .363). Braden Shewmake ranks among the leaders in triples (T-3rd, 3) and RBI (T-8th, 28). Drew Lugbauer ranks among the leaders in OBP (2nd, .394), OPS (4th, .860), batting (9th, .278), and slugging (10th, .466). Trey Harris is 8th in hits (49). Greyson Jenista is T-7th in walks (27). Brandon White is T-3rd in saves (7). Hayden Deal is 10th in ERA (3.98), and 10th in IP (52.0). Odalvi Javier ranks among the league leaders in ERA (4th, 3.10), opponent's batting AVG (4th, .201), and WHIP (7th, 1.16).

RECORD MONTH OF JUNE: The M-Braves went 18-8 in June, the most wins during the month in club history (previous, 17, 2008. The most wins in a single month in M-Braves history was 21 during May 2014.

LEADING THE LEAGUE IN PITCHING AND DEFENSE: The M-Braves lead the league, are 6th in MiLB, with a 3.41 ERA. The 205 runs allowed, is the 5th-fewest in MiLB this season. M-Braves hurlers have served up just 28 home run balls, which is T-2nd-fewest in all of minor league baseball. The starting rotation holds a 3.22 ERA, ranking 3rd in all of minor league baseball.

- The M-Braves lead the Double-A South and are T-4th in Double-A baseball with a .982 fielding percentage, just 36 errors in 57 games.

DON'T RUN ON SHEA: Shea Langeliers is 19-for-37 in catching opposing base stealers, 51%. His 19 caught stealings are T-1st in MiLB, while 9 double plays and 39 assists are first among catchers in minor league baseball.

65 HOME RUNS ON THE YEAR: The M-Braves have 65 home runs so far this season, in 57 games, ranking 3rd in the Double-A South. Of the 244 runs scored this season, 100 have come via the home run ball.

- The M-Braves are over halfway to the 2019 total (in 139 games) of 87 and have tied the total hit in 2019 (70 games) with 28 (33 games). The most home runs in club history were 97 in 2017. The Braves are on pace for 137 home runs in 120.

PLAYOFFS?!?: At the Double-A, High-A, and Low-A levels, the top two teams in each league will compete in a best-of-5 championship series, beginning Tuesday, Sept. 21. The two teams from each league will be determined by best full-season winning percentage, regardless of division.

KINGHAM NAMED DOUBLE-A SOUTH PITCHER OF THE MONTH: Braves right-hander Nolan Kingham led the league in innings pitched (32.2) and went 3-0 with a 0.83 ERA in five starts. He held opponents to a .193 batting average and had a streak of 27 scoreless innings when he was promoted to Triple-A Gwinnett on June 29. Kingham, 24, was selected by Atlanta in the 12th round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of the University of Texas.

151 MAJOR LEAGUE DEBUTS: LHP Kyle Muller made his major league debut for the Atlanta Braves in the top of the fifth inning on June 16 vs. Boston. Muller became the first M-Braves alum to debut in 2021 and 151st all-time. Muller made 27 starts for the M-Braves over the 2018 and 2019 seasons, going 11-7 with a 3.14 ERA. The Dallas, TX native gave up four hits and two runs in the outing with one strikeout in 1.0 inning of relief.

FIRST ROUND PICKS AND PROSPECTS: The squad features both of Atlanta's first-round selections from the 2019 draft in catcher Shea Langeliers (#9) and shortstop Braden Shewmake (#21). They represent the third and fourth-ranked prospects in the organization, according to MLB.com and Langeliers is #64 on the MLB.com Top 100 and sixth-ranked catching prospect in baseball.

- Overall, the M-Braves feature 10 of the Braves' Top 30 prospects by MLB Pipeline. After Langeliers and Shewmake, OF Trey Harris (#14), RHP Victor Vodnik (#15), RHP Bryce Elder (#16), RHP Daysbel Hernandez (17), INF Greyson Jenista (#19), RHP Spencer Strider (20), INF C.J. Alexander (#20) and OF Justin Dean (#26) are among the Top 30.

WELCOME TO THE DOUBLE-A SOUTH: In MLB's new structure for the 2021 season, the M-Braves will be part of the Double-A South. The eight-team circuit consists of eight former members of the Southern League, split into two divisions. Mississippi will be in the South Division along with the Biloxi Shuckers (Milwaukee Brewers), Montgomery Biscuits (Tampa Bay Rays), and Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Miami Marlins). The North Division will consist of the Birmingham Barons (Chicago White Sox), Chattanooga Lookouts (Cincinnati Reds), Rocket City Trash Pandas (LA Angels), and Tennessee Smokies (Chicago Cubs).

2019 SEASON IN REVIEW: The Mississippi Braves concluded their 15th anniversary season in Central Mississippi with a 64-75 overall record, finishing fourth in the Southern League South Division. While the club missed out on the postseason for the third-straight season, the 2019 campaign saw the 3 millionth fan enter Trustmark Park, 1,000th franchise win, third no-hitter in club history, record three postseason All-Stars and the first Southern League Most Valuable Player.

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Southern League Stories from July 9, 2021


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