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SL1 Mississippi Braves

G-Braves Smoke Tennessee

July 4, 2003 - Southern League (SL1)
Mississippi Braves News Release


GREENVILLE, SC -- A season high 8,043 fans were treated to an action-packed Independence Day baseball game in which the Greenville Braves defeated the Tennessee Smokies 5-3 Friday night at Greenville Municipal Stadium. The victory marks the G-Braves' first defeat of Tennessee in eight tries during the second half of the Southern League season.

The Smokies jumped on top with a run in the first off of G-Braves starter Chris Waters on a Caonabo Cosme sacrifice fly that plated Skip Schumaker. Waters would be pulled after the first frame in favor of reliever Ray Aguilar.

The G-Braves struck in the third inning off of Smokies starter Rhett Parrott (6-8) when Ramon Castro and Lee Evans came around on a James Jurries two-out, two-run double to right to make the score 2-1.

Greenville stretched the lead to 5-1 in a wacky fifth inning. The fun started with three straight singles from Jason Fitzgerald, Jurries, and Ryan Langerhans to load the bases. Richard Lewis then topped a Josh Axelson pitch into the dirt that rolled like a bunt down the third baseline. Axelson attempted to get the force-out at home, but he threw wildly and late over the head of catcher Dan Moylan. Moylan scurried to the backstop and committed the second error of the play as he tried to gun down Jurries at the plate. The bad throw allowed Langerhans to come around from first and Lewis ended up at third.

Kevin Barry (3-3) pitched 2.2 innings of no-hit ball to pick up the win for Greenville. Parrott allowed five runs, two earned, over 4.1 innings in the loss. Billy Sylvester recorded the final four outs of the game to earn his seventh save of the season.

Game Notes

Friday night's crowd was the largest to take in a game at Municipal Stadium since 10,878 fans came to see John Smoltz pitch on a rehab assignment on May 5, 2001...The G-Braves return to action Saturday night as they host the Smokies for the ninth time in 13 games at 7:15 at Greenville Municipal Stadium...The first 1,000 fans will receive Hank Aaron bobble head dolls, and Zooperstars will entertain all night long...It is also Huntington Learning Center Honor Roll Night...Former G-Brave and big leaguer Jeff Blauser will sign autographs from 6:00-7:00 before the game...All sponsored by Advance Auto and WMYI FM.

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