SL Mississippi Braves

M-Braves Hit Three Homers, Allow Just Two Hits in 8-0 Win Over Montgomery

Published on May 18, 2023 under Southern League (SL)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Mississippi Braves' manager Kanekoa Texeira congratulates Javier Valdes
Mississippi Braves' manager Kanekoa Texeira congratulates Javier Valdes
(Mississippi Braves)

MONTGOMERY, AL - The Mississippi Braves (16-19) dominated the Montgomery Biscuits (18-18) 8-0 on Friday night at Riverwalk Stadium. The offense homered three times, and five M-Braves pitchers combined for a two-hit shutout.

Javier Valdes homered to left field in the first frame to give the M-Braves a 1-0 lead. Valdes reached base four times, going 2-for-3 with a home run and two walks. The catcher is batting .303 with five homers, four doubles and nine RBI.

In a bullpen day, RHP Jose Montilla made the start. The right-hander pitched three perfect innings with three strikeouts.

In the fourth, Drew Lugbauer smacked a two-out, two-run double off the top of the wall in left center to extend the lead to 3-0.

Tyler Tolve's first Double-A hit was a loud one. The catcher hopped a double off the wall in the right-field corner to score a run and make it 4-0 in the fifth.

LHP Hayden Deal followed Montilla, striking out four in two shutout innings. The left-hander has a 3.77 ERA over 14 1/3 innings this season.

The M-Braves broke the game open in the seventh. After Cal Conley bunted a ball off the third base bag for an infield single, Justin Dean smashed a two-run homer over the railroad tracks past left field. Three batters later, Lugbauer crushed a 412-foot, two-run homer to deep center, making it 8-0.

Lugbauer went 2-for-5 with his team-leading sixth home run. Lugbauer moved up to 52 career M-Braves homers, continuing to extend his record. Dean homered for a second time with the M-Braves, and Conley went 2-for-5 in his eighth multi-hit game of the season.

RHP Domingo Gonzalez struck out four in two scoreless innings.

In the eighth, a line drive to left center got past the diving glove of Dean to seemingly score a run. Drew Campbell got the ball to Conley who then relayed to Valdes at the plate to record the 7-6-2 putout and preserve the shutout. LHP Jake McSteen pitched the eighth inning.

RHP Victor Vodnik closed the game with a pair of strikeouts in a scoreless ninth inning.

The fourth game of the series is on Friday at Riverwalk Stadium. LHP Domingo Robles (3-1, 1.33) will make the start for Mississippi while RHP Anthony Molina (0-2, 6.04) makes the start for Montgomery. The first pitch is at 6:35 pm CT, with coverage starting 15 minutes before on 102.1 The Box, First Pitch App, and Bally Live.

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Mississippi Braves' manager Kanekoa Texeira congratulates Javier Valdes
Mississippi Braves' manager Kanekoa Texeira congratulates Javier Valdes
   



Southern League Stories from May 18, 2023


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