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SL1 Mississippi Braves

La Stella Blasts M-Braves Past Blue Wahoos

August 16, 2013 - Southern League (SL1)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Pensacola, FL - For the second straight night, an opposite field home run got the Mississippi Braves back in the ballgame. And for the second straight night, that home run came off the bat of Tommy La Stella.

Trailing the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 3-2 in the seventh inning with pitcher Mitch Atkins standing at second, La Stella smacked a pitch over the left field wall to give the Braves a 4-3 lead for good on Thursday night at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.

For La Stella, it was his fourth home run of the season, and it came on the heels of his ninth-inning game tying shot on Wednesday night to force extra innings. The Braves went on to win 3-2 in 14 frames.

All through the middle innings, the Braves (30-23; 68-55) were clawing back from an early deficit. Wahoos rightfielder Yorman Rodriguez hit a three-run home run in the third inning to stake Pensacola to an early 3-0 lead.

But in the fifth, Mississippi loaded the bases with two outs, and Omar Luna singled off starter Josh Smith to put the Braves on the board 3-1.

In the sixth, Edward Salcedo golfed a line drive home run to left-center to pull it to 3-2, his 12th home run of the season.

Atkins got off to a rough start but settled down in time to pick up his fifth win of the year. The first four Wahoo hits went for extra bases - including the Rodriguez home run - but he didn't allow a run the rest of the way in seven strong innings.

Smith was strong early for Pensacola, but the Braves got to him late in the outing. He finished seven innings, allowing all four runs on ten hits en route to his ninth loss.

The game went right down to the wire. Centerfielder Ryan LaMarre doubled to start the ninth inning against Braves reliever James Hoyt, moving to third on a groundout.

But Hoyt struck out Josh Fellhauer looking on a knee-buckling backdoor breaking ball, then got pinch-hitter Brandon Short to ground to Salcedo at third to end the game. It was Hoyt's first save of the season.

With Jacksonville's 2-0 loss to Birmingham, the Braves gain a game in the South division race and now sit just one game back with 17 games remaining.

The playoff race continues on Friday night at 7 PM CT as the Braves play game four of five against the Blue Wahoos. Right-hander Michael Lee (7-8, 4.02) gets the nod for the Braves against right-hander Robert Stephenson, making his double-A debut for Pensacola. Listen live to Kyle Tait on the call beginning at 6:30 PM CT with the "Countdown to First Pitch" on 103.9 WYAB and online at MississippiBraves.com.

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Southern League Stories from August 16, 2013


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