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SL Mississippi Braves

Game Info: Wednesday, July 31 vs. Tennessee Smokies: 6:35 PM: Trustmark Park

July 31, 2024 - Southern League (SL)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Mississippi Braves (15-13, 46-50) vs. Tennessee Smokies (17-11, 57-39)

Wednesday, July 31, 2024 - 6:35 PM - Trustmark Park - Pearl, MS

Game 97 of 137 - 2nd Half 29 of 69 - Home Game 41 of 63

Starting Pitchers: RHP David Fletcher (1-2, 5.05) vs. RHP Jimmy Endersby (0-0, 7.71)

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

Listen Live: 102.1 The Box

Recent Roster Moves

7/31: INF Geraldo Quintero placed on the Mississippi 7-day Injured List

7/31: OF Bryson Worrell transferred to Mississippi from High-A Rome (will follow up with a number)

Today's Promotions:

First Responders Day: First Responders Wednesday offers FREE field-level or general admission tickets to first responders and emergency personnel, thanks to AMR.

Web Wednesday: Half-price tickets (online only) for Club, Diamond, and Field Level Tickets. Click HERE to get the deal.

Happy Hour: Each Wednesday night game, ½ price select mixed drinks in the Farm Bureau Grill from gates open until 7.

STARTING LINEUPS

TODAY'S GAME: The M-Braves continue a two-week, 12-game homestand on Wednesday night with game two of a six-game series against the Tennessee Smokies at Trustmark Park. The M-Braves will welcome the Pensacola Blue Wahoos for six games next week, August 6-11.

FINAL MEETING WITH THE SMOKIES: This week marks the final series between the Smokies and M-Braves. Since 2005, the Smokies lead the all-time series, 105-97. The Smokies took four out of six from the M-Braves at Smokies Stadium, June 18-23.

ABOUT TUESDAY: The Tennessee Smokies shut out the Mississippi Braves 7-0 on Tuesday night to open the homestand at Trustmark Park. Tennessee starter Chris Kachmar (W, 5-3) struck out eight over 7.0 scoreless innings. The Smokies (17-11, 57-39) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Matt Shaw started the scoring with a solo home run. Haydn McGeary added an RBI single, and Luis Verdugo capped the frame with a two-run home run. Justin Dean paced the offense with a 2-for-4 night at the plate. Keshawn Ogans was 0-for-3 and saw his team-high 24-game on-base streak end.

ROSTER MOVES: The M-Braves have made four roster moves since Sunday. C Javier Valdes was released on Sunday, INF David McCabe was reinstated from the 60-day IL and transferred to Mississippi on Tuesday, OF Geraldo Quintero was placed on the IL, and OF Bryson Worrell was transferred to Mississippi from Rome on Wednesday.

IMPRESSIVE ON-BASE STREAK: INF Keshawn Ogans was 0-for-3 on Tuesday and saw his team-high 24-game on-base streak that started June 9 end. Over the streak, he hit .287 with a .374 OBP, 3 doubles, 5 RBI, 13 runs, 9 walks, 3 HBP, and 4 steals. The streak was the fourth-longest in the league this season and the longest by an M-Brave since Jesse Franklin V had a 23-game on-base streak, July 16-August 12, 2023. Michael Harris II had a 31-game on-base streak from April 8 to May 13, 2022. Ozzie Albies has the club record with a 36-game on-base streak from April 24 to August 2, 2016.

M-BRAVES SET SINGLE-SEASON STEALS RECORD...IN 88 GAMES: With five stolen bases on July 20 at Pensacola, the M-Braves set a new single-season record for steals in a season, surpassing the previous mark, 159, set by the 2007 club.

Leading Double-A: Mississippi leads Double-A with 178 stolen bases (178-for-220, 81%) through 96 games. The closest club is Birmingham, with 154. The M-Braves are on pace for 254 (1.85 per game) in 2024. Birmingham set the Southern League record with 264 in 1989.

Four players have reached 30+ steals: The M-Braves became the first team in Minor League Baseball to have four players with 30+ steals in 2024. Justin Dean leads the way and leads Double-A with 44. Cody Milligan is 6th with 31, Geraldo Quintero, and Cody Milligan and Cal Conley are T-7th with 30. The last team with 4+ players with 30+ steals was the 2022 Down East Wood Ducks (5). The most by a team since 2005 was the 2017 Lancaster Jethawks, with six players.

JUSTIN DEAN, THE MAN OF STEAL: OF Justin Dean set a new M-Braves single-season record on July 28 at Montgomery, in just 88 games, passing Matt Young's previous record of 42 ('09). Dean has 44 stolen bases and is the M-Braves all-time leader with 114.

HACKENBERG BECOMES STRIKEOUT KING: RHP Drue Hackenberg became the first pitcher in Minor League Baseball to strike out 16 on Sunday, July 21 at Pensacola, setting a new club record. He became the 21st Minor League pitcher since 2005 to record 16 or more strikeouts in a single game and the first since Matt Sauer, who totaled 17 for Double-A Somerset on Aug. 25, 2022.

The 16-K Game: The 22-year-old didn't walk a batter over 7.0 innings, allowing one run on three hits and retiring the final 14 Pensacola batters. The righty retired the side in order in the first inning -- coming one strike shy of an immaculate frame -- before retiring the side again in the second. Hackenberg topped the M-Braves' strikeout record of 14 previously held by Ian Anderson (June 28, 2019) and Tommy Hanson (June 25, 2008).

ROAD WARRIORS: The M-Braves are coming off a 6-3 road trip to Pensacola (3-0) and Montgomery (3-3) and are 9-3 over their last 12 games. After starting the season 6-14 on the road, the M-Braves are 22-14 over their last 36 games away from Trustmark Park, including a 4-1 mark in a home-away-from-home series at Toyota Field, June 13-16. They won a club record nine straight games away from Pearl from May 12 to June 5. The streak included a six-game sweep in Chattanooga, May 21-26.

(FORMER) ANGEL IN THE INFIELD...AND PITCHING: David Fletcher logged his first professional win on the mound on July 19 at Pensacola ... He joined the M-Braves roster on June 2 as a two-way player... Through nine starts as a knuckleball pitcher is 1-2 with a 5.05 ERA (29 ER/51.2 IP), 19 walks, 18 strikeouts, five quality starts, and pitching into the sixth inning in seven outings ... Fletcher set a new career high with 8.2 innings pitched on July 13 vs. Birmingham (8.2 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO) ... Fletcher is the first Southern League player since Rick Ankiel to log a pitching win, 45+ IP, and 180 at-bats as a position player at the Double-A level.

DE AVILA IS DEALIN': Luis De Avila has a team-best 10 quality starts this season, and in his last eight starts since June 2, De Avila leads the Southern League with a 1.65 ERA (49.0 IP/9 ER), 38 strikeouts, and 13 walks. During that time period, he ranks among the league leaders in wins (T-4th, 4), opponents' batting average (4th, .194), and WHIP (2nd, 0.96). This season, De Avila ranks among the league leaders in innings pitched (T-4th, 97.1 IP), ERA (9th, 3.42), opponents' batting average (9th, .236), and starts (T-5th, 18).

START ME UP: The M-Braves' starting pitchers have, and 39 quality starts, plus a 3.43 ERA, ranking them 6th in Double-A. They lead Double-A with five complete games, T-1st with three CG shutouts, and 10th with 444 strikeouts.

HIP, HIP, TOLVE: Tyler Tolve homered in three straight games from July 13 to 21, becoming the first M-Brave to do it this season and the 10th in club history. Tolve blasted a walk-off homer on July 13 vs. Birmingham. Over 23 games since June 21, Tolve leads the league with seven home runs and is batting .259 with two doubles, a triple, and 18 RBI.

TO THE TOP...OF THE LONGEST SCORELESS STREAKS: Pearl River CC and Southern Miss product Landon Harper hasn't allowed a run over his last 10 M-Braves outings and 22.0 innings pitched, dating back to June 2. He hasn't allowed an earned run over his last 26.0 innings between Rome and Mississippi. The 22.0 innings without a run is the third-longest in the Southern League this season and the longest currently.

THE MEJIA MAGIC: Ian Majia ranks among the league leaders in ERA (5th, 2.96), wins (T-2nd, 7), strikeouts (T-5th, 93), WHIP (8th, 1.20), and opponent's batting average (5th, .222). Mejia set a new club record, not allowing a run over 30.1 innings from April 28 to May 5. Mejia was named Southern League Pitcher of the Month for May and was 4-0, not allowing a run in 26.2 innings, five walks to 30 strikeouts.

M-BRAVES TO THE SHOW: INF Nacho Alvarez Jr. became the eighth M-Braves alum to make their MLB debut on July 22 for Atlanta. Nacho joined and became the seventh M-Brave alum to make their major league debut on July 9 for Colorado. Gordon joined Roddery Munoz (4/20, MIA), Tyler Ferguson (5/7, OAK), Spencer Schwellenbach (5/29), Justyn-Henry Malloy (6/3, DET), Hurston Waldrep (6/9), C.J. Alexander (6/24, KC), and Tanner Gordon (7/9, COL). Overall, 176 former M-Braves have made their Major League debut.

THE JUCO BANDIT HAD A GREAT JUNE: Cody Milligan homered in back-to-back games on June 25-26, for the first time as an M-Brave and had three multi-hit games in the Montgomery series. The Binger, OK native, went 9-for-24 with two doubles, two homers, four RBI, three runs, and two stolen bases in the June 25-30 series. In June, Milligan hit .300 and was T-5th in the league with 11 extra-base hits, plus eight RBI, five walks, and six stolen bases. His .538 slugging percentage ranked seventh in the league.

"MAY" BE A GOOD SIGN...NO JUNE SWOON: After going 7-15 in April, the M-Braves went 28-26 the past two months, completing a 16-10 May and 12-14 June. The 16 wins in May were the fifth-most in Double-A. The Mississippi pitching staff gave up the second-fewest runs in Double-A (86) during the month and posted a 3.19 ERA.

WALDREP TO THE SHOW: RHP Hurston Waldrep was promoted to Triple-A Gwinnett on May 8, and after just one start in Triple-A, he made his major league debut on June 9 at Washington. He was the 173rd player to move from Mississippi to "The Show." The Atlanta Braves' first-round pick in 2023 (24th overall) went 3-1 with a 1.19 ERA from Mississippi in May, with 31 strikeouts to seven walks.

MEJIA TOSSES FIFTH NO-HITTER IN M-BRAVES HISTORY: RHP Ian Mejia's seven-inning no-hitter in game two of the Friday, May 17 doubleheader vs. Biloxi was the fifth no-hitter in M-Braves history, and first individual one since Tommy Hanson's nine-inning no-hitter on June 25, 2008, vs. Birmingham at Trustmark Park. The M-Braves beat the Barons 6-0, and Hanson walked three and struck out 14 in the game. There have been three combined nine-inning no-hitters in team history (Julio Teheran & Tyrelle Harris, 8/2/10 vs. Mobile, Ian Anderson & Jeremy Walker, 6/28/19 vs. Jackson (TN), and Bryce Elder & Daysbel Hernandez, 7/10/21 vs. Pensacola.

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.

M-BRAVES REACH 1,200 WINS: The April 25, 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 an April 12, 2005, 7-4 win over the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx in game two of a doubleheader at Pringles Park. 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.

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.

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Southern League Stories from July 31, 2024


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