SL1 Mississippi Braves

Leonard Lines M-Braves to Third Straight Win

May 8, 2014 - Southern League (SL1)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Mobile, AL - Entering Wednesday night's ballgame, Mississippi Braves first baseman Joe Leonard was sitting on two RBIs for the year.

His next two came in the clutch, a sixth inning bases-loaded double down the left field line to send the Mississippi Braves to a 5-3 win over the Mobile BayBears on Wednesday night at Hank Aaron Stadium.

Leonard's hit was the peak of a mountain of hits for the Braves on Wednesday night, striking for 14, including 11 on BayBears starter Andrew Chafin.

The Braves (16-17) built up an early lead in the first few innings. In the first, Emerson Landoni singled and scored on an Elmer Reyes two-strike double to left to make it 1-0.

Mycal Jones led off the third inning with a solo home run, his third of the year, and Landoni, Reyes and Kyle Kubitza got singles in the frame, with Kubitza's driving in a run to make it 3-0.

The BayBears (19-14) came storming back. Jake Lamb hit a two-run home run to left-center off of Braves starter Jason Hursh in the bottom of the third to pull Mobile within a run. Two innings later, Garrett Weber jumped on a 2-0 fastball for a game-tying solo shot over the foul pole in left to make it 3-3.

The Braves kept threatening though, loading the bases off Chafin in the sixth to set up Leonard's heroics. Braeden Schlehuber singled to start the frame before Jones was hit by a pitch and Landoni drew a walk to pack the bags for the tie-breaker.

Chafin (2-1) suffered the loss, allowing all five runs on 11 hits over 5 1/3 innings. Hursh (2-2) earned the win for the Braves, allowing three runs on eight hits over five innings while striking out four and walking one.

Shae Simmons earned the save, his eighth in as many tries, pitching a scoreless ninth. Simmons has now held opponents scoreless in 12 of his 13 appearances so far this season.

Brandon Cunniff made his double-A debut, throwing two innings of hitless, scoreless baseball with three strikeouts, and James Hoyt also pitched a scoreless frame with two strikeouts in relief.

Kubitza and Schlehuber finished the day with three hits apiece, while Jones, Landoni and Reyes each had two.

It was the third straight win for Mississippi, who also clinched their third consecutive series after taking sets from Pensacola and Jacksonville over the last two weeks.

The M-Braves go for a fourth straight win in Mobile on Thursday night at 7:05 PM CT. Right-hander Williams Perez (2-3, 1.83) takes the ball for the Braves against BayBears- and former M-Braves--right-hander Mike Lee (3-2, 3.79).

Listen live to Kyle Tait on the call beginning at 6:30 PM CT on 103.9 WYAB and online at MississippiBraves.com or TuneIn Radio.

Check out the Mississippi Braves Statistics



Southern League Stories from May 8, 2014


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central