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SL1 Mississippi Braves

Kubitza Blasts Pair of Homers in M-Braves' Win

April 26, 2014 - Southern League (SL1)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Pensacola, FL - Behind a team record-tying four home runs and an outstanding pitching performance from Jason Hursh and Aaron Northcraft, the Mississippi Braves soared to a 6-3 win over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Saturday night at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.

Kyle Kubitza led the way at the plate, hitting a pair of homers with solo shots in the second and eighth innings. He was the first Brave to hit two home runs in a game since Christian Bethancourt hit two against the Jackson Generals on August 11, 2013.

For the second straight day, Mycal Jones hit a home run to start the game, blasting a 2-1 pitch over the left field wall to give the Braves (9-14) a 1-0 lead.

In the second, Kubitza hit his first shot, a one-out, 1-0 pitch pulled to right field. Two batters later, Braeden Schlehuber sent one up into the wind to left for his second home run of the year, another solo shot to make it 3-0.

The four homers tied a team record, last done on July 15, 2007 on road against the Montgomery Biscuits.

The three runs were all Reds' prospect Robert Stephenson gave up in his six innings of work. He struck out eight and walked two in a no-decision.

The Wahoos (9-14) battled back in the early innings. In the second inning, Juan Silverio hit a two-out solo home run to left off of Hursh to pull it to 3-1.

Then in the third, a one-out error by second baseman Emerson Landoni allowed Brodie Greene to reach, then Steve Selsky doubled to put two in scoring position. Travis Mattair grounded out to short, scoring Greene to make it 3-2. Bryan Anderson singled on a line drive to right to plate Selsky, the tying run.

But that was the last base runner the Wahoos would get all night.

Hursh and Northcraft combined to retire the final 19 Wahoos hitters, while the Braves took the lead in the 7th. Jones led off the seventh with a chopper infield hit to third and Matt Lipka lined one to right-center that Juan Duran misplayed, scoring Jones from first. Lipka took second on the error and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, setting up a Seth Loman sac fly to make it 5-3 Braves.

In the eighth, Kubitza hit his second home run to stretch the lead to 6-3.

Northcraft (1-1) picked up the win, pitching a perfect four innings with four strikeouts in relief. Reliever Brooks Pinckard (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing the go-ahead run while pitching just 1/3 of an inning.

Jones went 2-for-4 at the plate, while Gustavo Nunez had three hits as the support cast, but Kubitza was the star of the show.

The Braves will try to take the series in Sunday's fourth of five games, with first pitch slated for 4:00 PM CT. Right-hander Williams Perez (1-1, 1.26) takes the hill against Wahoos right-hander Jon Moscot (0-1, 2.82).

Listen live to Kyle Tait on the call beginning at 3:30 PM CT on 103.9 WYAB or online at MississippiBraves.com and TuneIn Radio.

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Southern League Stories from April 26, 2014


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