SL Mississippi Braves

Game Info: Friday, May 10 at Rocket City Trash Pandas: 6:35 PM CT: Toyota Field

May 10, 2024 - Southern League (SL)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Mississippi Braves (10-20) at Rocket City Trash Pandas (15-14)

Friday, May 10, 2024 - 6:35 PM CT - Toyota Field - Madison, AL

Game 31 of 138 - Away Game 19 of 69 - 102.1 The Box - Bally Live - MiLB.tv

Starting Pitchers: RHP Ian Mejia (2-0, 2.40) vs. RHP Chase Chaney (2-1, 4.97)

Watch Live: Bally Live / MiLB.TV / MLB At Bat

Listen Live: 102.1 The Box

Today's Roster Move

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TODAY'S GAME: The Mississippi Braves and Rocket City Trash Pandas play game four of a six-game series tonight at Toyota Field. This is the fourth of 12 meetings between the clubs this season. Rocket City will visit Pearl for a six-game series from June 11 to 16 at Trustmark Park.

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Trash Pandas used a five-run seventh inning to pull away from the Braves and win 7-1 Thursday night at Toyota Field. The loss spoiled a quality start from JJ Niekro (L, 1-4), who tossed 6.0 innings of two-run baseball. Niekro suffered the loss but pitched well throughout the start, striking out six and walking just one, ceding six hits, which included a two-run home run in the fourth inning. Rocket City sent out Angels second-ranked prospect Caden Dana (W, 2-2), who held the M-Braves (10-20) to just one run on four hits over 7.0 innings. Cal Conley provided Mississippi's lone RBI with a single in the top of the seventh. Conley was 1-for-4 with an RBI and stolen base, upping his on-base streak to 10 games.

FINAL TRIP TO THE ROCKET CITY: This week marks the final meeting between the Mississippi Braves and Rocket City Trash Pandas at Toyota Field ... Since Rocket City's first season in 2021, the M-Braves are 16-11 against the LA Angels Double-A affiliate ... The two teams did not meet during the 2021 season. In the first-ever matchup at Trustmark Park, the M-Braves swept the Trash Pandas in a six-game set, July 12-17, 2022 ... Against the previous iteration of minor league baseball in North Alabama, the Huntsville Stars, Mississippi was 81-82 against the Stars from 2005-14.

SOUTHERN LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE WEEK: RHP Ian Mejia, Mississippi's Opening Day starter tossed 7.0 shutout innings, on two hits with one walk, and seven strikeouts on Saturday to earn Southern League Pitcher of the Week ... In a team-best six starts, the New Mexico State product has a 2.40 ERA, which ranks 7th in the Southern League, and 34 strikeouts, which is also 7th. He also ranks among the league leaders in innings pitched (T-6th, 30.0), WHIP (9th, 1.10), and opponent's batting average (5th, .192). In his last five starts, he has given up four earned runs in 28.1 innings, which is a 1.27 ERA ... The M-Braves are 5-1 in Mejia's six starts.

WINNING WALDREP: RHP Hurston Waldrep, the Atlanta Braves' first-round pick in 2023 (24th overall), earned his first professional win on Thursday night. Over his last four starts, Waldrep has a 1.17 ERA, giving up just three earned runs in 23.0 innings.

NEED FOR SPEED: The M-Braves lead all Double-A in stolen bases with 65 (65-for-73) through 30 games. The club has five players who have reached double-digit steals. Geraldo Quintero leads the club and ranks T-2nd with 13. Justin Dean and Cody Milligan have 12, ranking T-5th, and Nacho Alvarez Jr. and Cal Conley have 10 ... Mississippi had 157 stolen bases last season and is on pace for 299 (2.2 per game) in 2024. The most by an M-Braves team was 159 in 2007.

COUNTIN' ON CAL: INF Cal Conley is on a 10-game on-base streak, which began on 4/27 ... Conley has a hit in 10 of his last 12 games and is batting .313 over his last five games.

"NACHO" AVERAGE SHORT STOP: Atlanta's top-ranked position player prospect, Nacho Alvarez Jr. has hit in 10 of his lat 12 games, and has reached safely in six-straight games. He went on a 13-game on-base streak from April 13 to May 1, the longest by a Mississippi player this season. The 21-year-old leads the club and ranks 4th in the Southern League with a .405 OBP ... He ranks among the circuit leaders in walks (3rd, 18) and batting average (10th, .289).

M-BRAVES REACH 1,200 WINS: Thursday night's 13-3 win over Montgomery was Mississippi's 1,200th in franchise history. It took the M-Braves until the sixth game of the inaugural season in 2005 to win the first game in club history, which was a 7-4 win over the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx in game two of a doubleheader at Pringles Park on April 12, 2005. Jeff Francoeur was 0-for-3, with a walk and RBI, in the game, using a five-run sixth fueled by RBIs by Scott Thorman, Francoeur, and Derrick Gibson. Brian O'Connor got the win for Mississippi.

GIVE ME FIVE: The M-Braves are 9-11 in games when starters go 5+ innings. In the 20 games with 5+ innings, they have combined for a 2.41 ERA (31 ER/115.2 IP). In the 10 games of less than 5, the starter's ERA is 7.69 (30 ER/35.1 IP).

TOP PROSPECTS: According to MLB Pipeline, the M-Braves have five of Atlanta's Top 30 prospects. RHP Hurston Waldrep (No. 2), SS Nacho Alvarez Jr. (No. 6), C Drake Baldwin (No. 11), LHP Luis De Avila (No. 20), and INF/OF Geraldo Quintero (No. 28) are included. In Baseball America's Top 30, OF Cody Milligan (No. 27), RHP Ian Mejia (No. 28), and INF Keshawn Ogans (No. 30) are included.

COACHING STAFF WITH A NEW FLO: After spending one season as manager of the Braves High-A affiliate Rome Braves (Emperors), Angel Flores will take the reins for the first time at the Double-A level, succeeding Kanekoa Texeira. Texeira was promoted to manager of the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers after Matt Tuiasosopo was named to the Braves' Major League coaching staff for 2024. Flores returns to Mississippi, where he served as bench coach in 2022. Flores took over as interim manager from April 26 to May 15, 2022, while Bruce Crabbe took a leave of absence from the club. During the 18-game stretch, the M-Braves went 10-8. During his first season as a full-time manager last year, Flores led the R-Braves to a 34-32 record in the second half and an overall 64-68 mark. Rome closed the year with a 21-15 record in August and September. Overall, he holds a 74-76 record as a manager.

MISSISSIPPI MADE: M-Braves outfielder Brandon Parker, a native of Saucier, MS, on the Gulf Coast and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College product, became the first player to prep in Mississippi and play for the M-Braves since Austin Riley in 2017. Riley prepped at Desoto Central in North Mississippi ... Parker was a two-time All-American at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Parker attended West Harrison High School.

FINAL SEASON IN MISSISSIPPI: On January 9, it was announced that after 20 years, 2024 will be the M-Braves' final season in Pearl, MS. As of the start of the 2025 season, the Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves will be relocating to Columbus, GA.

Check out the Mississippi Braves Statistics



Southern League Stories from May 10, 2024


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