SL1 Mississippi Braves

Friday, June 21 at Biloxi Shuckers| 6:35 PM CT | MGM Park

Published on June 21, 2019 under Southern League (SL1)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Game #71: Mississippi Braves (1-0, 34-36) at Biloxi Shuckers (0-1, 41-30) | 6:35 pm | MGM Park

Streak: W1, W 4 of 5

Home/Road: 17-18/17-18

Starting Pitchers: RHP Jasseel De La Cruz (1-2, 3.70) vs. RHP Alec Bettinger (4-5, 4.22)

Standings: Mississippi (T-1st, SL South, -), Biloxi (T-2nd, SL South, -1.0)

Current Series: 2 of 5 (1-0)

vs. Biloxi: 2019 (2-4, 21 games) All-Time (46-49), at MGM Park (22-26)

Radio: Coverage begins at 6:20 pm on 103.9 FM WYAB and on TuneIn Radio

TV: MiLB.TV

Social Media:Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Today's Roster Moves: LHP Dallas Keuchel recalled by Atlanta to MLB roster, RHP Connor Johnstone transferred to Mississippi from Triple-A Gwinnett.

Today's Game: The M-Braves continue the first series of the second-half at Biloxi on Friday night at MGM Park. The Magnolia State rivals meet 21 times this season. The Shuckers return to Trustmark Park for a series, July 4-9 and the clubs will meet again at MGM Park, Aug. 23-27.

All-time the M-Braves are 46-49 against the Shuckers since 2015 and 22-26 in games played at MGM Park. The M-Braves are 2-4 against the Shuckers this season.

last time out: The M-Braves pounded out a season-high 15 hits in an 11-6 win over Biloxi on Thursday night at MGM Park. 1B Ryan Casteel was 4-for-6 with two doubles and two runs scored, CF Cristian Pache matched a career high with five RBI and finished 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and 3B Riley Unroe was 3-for-5 with a home run and two runs scored. LHP Joey Wentz started and earned the win with 5.0 innings of four-run baseball, scattering six hits with two walks and six strikeouts. RHP Jeremy Walker struck out three with the bases loaded in the ninth to earn his fourth save.

Thursday's game by the numbers: Mississippi's 15 hits was a season-high as well as the combined 28 hits. The 17 runs combined matched a season high. Pache became the first M-Braves player to reach base safely five times in 2019, matching a career high and tying Luis Valenzuela for the most RBI in a game this season. Ryan Casteel became the

NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL HIGH QUALITY H20:OF Drew Waters went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Tuesday's Southern League All-Star Game. So far this season, the Woodstock, GA native has recorded nine three-hit and three four-hit games this season and has a league-best 27 multi-hit games. Waters leads all of Double-A baseball with 94 hits (next closest with 88, also 3rd in MiLB), 148 total bases, 23 doubles and 36 extra-base hits. He leads the league in eight categories, AVG (.335), hits (94), doubles (23), triples (8), XBH (36), TB (148), slugging (.527), runs (42) and 2nd in OPS (.904).

THE STREAKS: Waters is on a season-high and 2019 Southern League best 26-game on-base streak that began on May 23, batting .396 (40-for-101) with eight doubles, six triples, two home runs, 13 RBI, 17 runs, seven walks and .445 OBP. He is also on a 14-game hitting streak that began on June 4, batting .439 (25-for-57) with six doubles, two triples, two home runs, nine RBI, eight runs, four walks and a .484 OBP. The streak is the longest by an M-Brave this season and longest active streak in the Southern League.

the atlanta braves top prospect:OF Cristian Pache ranks among the top 10 in the Southern League in 11 different offensive categories: AVG (.299, 5th), Hits (75, 3rd), doubles (16, 4th), triples (5, 3rd), XBH (32, 2nd), TB (130, 2nd), slugging (.518, 4th), OPS (.877, 3rd), HR (9, T-8th), runs (36, T-8th) and RBI (41, T-3rd). Pache has hit five of his nine home runs over 17 games in June.

Pache is also riding a season-high 10-game hitting streak that began on June 8, batting .313 (13-for-36) with four doubles, three home runs, 11 RBI, eight runs, four walks and .361 OBP.

TOP ARMS: M-Braves pitchers are at the top of three pitching categories in the league. RHP Ian Anderson leads the league with 93 strikeouts, LHP Tucker Davidson leads the league with a 1.61 ERA and LHP Kyle Muller ranks 2nd with a .188 opponents' batting average.

all-stars: The M-Braves had seven All-Star selections for the June 18 game at Biloxi. Outfielders Cristian Pache and Drew Waters are joined by pitchers Ian Anderson, Tucker Davidson, Jason Hursh Kyle Muller and Jeremy Walker.

leading the league in strikeouts: RHP Ian Anderson leads the Southern League with 93 strikeouts over 14 starts and ranks T-7th in wins (5), 4th in opponents' batting average (.201), 9th in innings pitched (72.2), and 8th in ERA (2.85).

davidson dealing: Over 13 starts, LHP Tucker Davidson leads the league with a 1.61 ERA, 5th in opponents' batting average at .206 and 8th in strikeouts with 72.

MULLER TIME: LHP Kyle Muller has six quality starts over his last nine outings. Muller is 2nd in the league with a .188 opponents' batting average, 2nd in strikeouts (86), 5th in innings pitched (73.2) and 10th in ERA (3.18).

11 ATL top 30 prospects on the active roster: In the May 14 MLB Pipeline ranking update, OF Cristian Pache is the new No. 1 prospect for the Braves and No. 17 prospect in their top 100. There are 12 total top 30 prospects on the M-Braves roster: RHP Ian Anderson (3, #31 overall), OF Drew Waters (5, #64 overall), C William Contreras (7), LHP Joey Wentz (10), LHP Kyle Muller (11), OF Greyson Jenista (13), LHP Thomas Burrows (16), LHP Tucker Davidson (19), INF C.J. Alexander (IL - 20) RHP Jasseel De La Cruz (23), and INF Ray-Patrick Didder (27).

pulling away in the triples category: The M-Braves recorded their league-leading 24th triple last Saturday at Jackson. The next closest team is Chattanooga with 18. Drew Waters leads the league with eight, while Cristian Pache is 3rd with five.

DON'T LET THE LAST NAME FOOL YOU: RHP Jeremy Walker logged the first three saves of his career in an All-Star first half. In 17 appearances, including one start this season and over 54.2 IP, he has 51 strikeouts and just three walks. Walker has a 2.47 ERA and 1.02 WHIP.

Young guns: The roster contains seven players that are 21-years-old, or younger. OF Drew Waters is the youngest (20, 12/30/98), followed by OF Cristian Pache (20, 11/19/98), RHP Ian Anderson (21, 5/2/98), C William Contreras (12/24/97), LHP Kyle Muller (21, 10/7/97), LHP Joey Wentz (21, 10/6/97) and RHP Jasseel De La Cruz (21, 6/26/97).

hammer time: Jackson, MS native Chris Maloney "Hammer" returns for his second season as M-Braves manager. Maloney, 57, the seventh skipper in franchise history attended Jackson's St. Joseph High School and went on to play collegiate baseball at Mississippi State University, graduating in 1983.

During his first season in 2018, Maloney guided the M-Braves to a 67-71 record, boasting a 38-30 mark in the second half of the season, missing out on the playoffs by just one game in the standings. Maloney enters 2019 ranked eighth among active minor league managers with 1,417 wins (1,417-1,321 overall record, .518 winning percentage) and has guided his clubs to winning records in 11 of 21 seasons and league championships in 1993 (Savannah Cardinals, South Atlantic League) and 2009 (Memphis Redbirds, Pacific Coast League).

Based in Pearl, MS since 2005, the Mississippi Braves are the Double-A Southern League affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. The M-Braves are owned and operated by the Atlanta Braves, the longest continuously operated franchise in Major League Baseball. Follow the M-Braves at www.mississippibraves.com, www.facebook.com/mbraves, and www.twitter.com/mbraves.

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Southern League Stories from June 21, 2019


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