SL1 Mississippi Braves

Heath Hurls M-Braves to Third Straight Win

Published on April 21, 2009 under Southern League (SL1)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Pearl, MS - Deunte Heath continued his hot start as the Mississippi Braves defeated the Chattanooga Lookouts Tuesday night, 5-1. Heath threw seven spectacular innings and Brett Butts and Rafael Cruz combined to hold the Lookouts in check over the final two frames. The Braves held the Lookouts to four hits in the game.

Heath hadn't allowed an earned run over his first two starts of the season, nine innings through two outings. That streak came to an end in the top of the first Tuesday night as the Lookouts went up 1-0 on Andrew Lambo's RBI-double. Justin Sellers singled and scored from first on the double that shot down the line past a diving Kala Ka'aihue. Heath struck out the side in the inning to strand a second run at third.

The Braves answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning. Gorkys Hernandez led off the home-half of the first with a single up the middle and he moved into scoring position by stealing second - his fifth steal of the year. Hernandez moved to third on a passed ball and would later score on a sac-fly by Concepcion Rodriguez.

The scored remained knotted at one until the bottom of the seventh. Brandon Hicks singled and stole second to get things started. With two outs in the inning, pinch-hitter Kody Kirkland shot a single through the left side that scored Hicks and gave the Braves the 2-1 lead. Kirkland moved to second on the throw to the plate and scored on Hernandez's triple off the centerfield wall. Matt Young then shot a single through the right side that plated Hernandez and pushed the Braves lead to 4-1.

The M-Braves added an insurance run on a Travis Jones double in the ninth to extend the lead to 5-1.

Heath gave the Braves their second quality start of the year as he went seven strong innings. He gave up a run on three hits while fanning seven and left the game with a 4-1 lead after the Braves put up three runs in the seventh. Brett Butts threw one scoreless inning and Rafael Cruz threw a scoreless ninth to finish out the game.

Tim Corcoran had a good outing in his first start of the year. He held the Braves to one run on two hits through four innings and left the game with the score tied at one. Matt Sartor threw two scoreless innings and Jacobo Meque gave up three runs in two-thirds of an inning. Brent Leach gave up a hit in his third of an inning. Paul Koss gave up a run in his inning on the hill.

The Braves and Lookouts will play game three of this five-game set on Wednesday at 11 am. Lefty Scott Diamond (0-1, 3.00) will take the hill for Mississippi while righty Josh Lindblom (1-1, 3.60) will go for Chattanooga.

Wednesday is the second 11 am game for the M-Braves this year and the first 500 fans will get a Bobby Cox bobble head. The first 1,000 children will get a Babe Ruth Educational Magazine. It's also Kids Day when children 14 and under will get field level seats for only $2 and FunZone wristbands for only $5.

Tomahawk Chops:

Deunte Heath gave the Braves their second quality start of the year as he fanned seven and allowed one run on three hits over seven innings ... It was his first earned run allowed this season. Gorkys Hernandez went 2-3 with a triple, an RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base. Brandon Hicks went 2-3 with a triple, a run scored and a stolen base. Mississippi's pitchers have held Chattanooga to seven hits in the two games so far in this series.

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Southern League Stories from April 21, 2009


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