SL1 Mississippi Braves

M-Braves Win Wild One over Wahoos

Published on April 25, 2014 under Southern League (SL1)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Pensacola, FL - The Mississippi Braves capitalized on five Pensacola Blue Wahoos errors for six unearned runs en route to an 11-9 win on Thursday night at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.

It was the second straight see-saw night for the Braves (8-13) after dropping a 10-7 back-and-forth affair on Wednesday in Montgomery.

The Blue Wahoos (8-13) jumped on starter Ryan Weber early for three in the first. Rey Navarro singled and stole second, Yorman Rodriguez walked and Donald Lutz doubled in Navarro to make it 1-0. Travis Mattair grounded out to second to double the lead before Bryan Anderson singled to plate Lutz and make it 3-0.

The Braves pulled close again in the second with two runs. Matt Kennelly and Robby Hefflinger drew back-to-back walks in the second and moved up on a wild pitch, setting up a Weber groundout to short for a run. A batter later, Matt Lipka chopped a ball to first and Travis Mattair kicked it away for the first error, scoring Hefflinger and making it 3-2.

Pensacola scored another pair in the second inning, both with two out. Rodriguez singled and Lutz doubled him home to make it 4-2. Mattair singled to score Lutz and grew the lead to 5-2.

That was the end of the day for Weber, who gave up five runs on eight hits over two innings. John Cornely came on in relief and shined. And the Braves' offense was just getting started.

Mississippi got a run back in the third when Seth Loman doubled and Kyle Kubitza and Matt Kennelly drew walks to load the bases. Robby Hefflinger grounded a ball toward third base which Juan Silverio misplayed for the second Wahoos error, plating Loman to make it 5-3.

Then in the fourth, the comeback was completed. Elmer Reyes stroked a two-run triple to tie the game 5-5, then Kubitza tripled Reyes home to take a 6-5 lead. Another error, this time by Navarro at short, scored another Braves run to make it 7-5. The Braves never gave back the lead.

Cornely (2-0) picked up the win, throwing 3 2/3 clutch innings, allowing two runs on three hits. The Braves scored nine unanswered runs while Cornely shut down Pensacola.

The Braves plated another run in the fifth to make it 8-5 on back-to-back singles by Lipka and Emerson Landoni, with another error added in right field on the Landoni knock. Lipka scored all the way from first thanks to the error.

Three more runs came across in the sixth thanks to two walks, another error and a two-run single for Landoni, making it 11-5.

The Wahoos made it close again with a pair of two-run home runs in the bottom of the sixth by Lutz and Anderson to pull to 11-9, but Ryne Harper got out of the jam. Shae Simmons threw two relief innings for his fifth save in as many tries.

Michael O'Brien (0-2) took the loss in relief for Pensacola, allowing five runs, three earned, on four hits over two innings. He struck out three and walked four. Contreras went just 1 2/3 innings in the start before leaving due to injury. Pensacola used six relievers after Contreras' exit.

The Braves will look to make it back-to-back wins over the Wahoos in Friday night's second game of a five-game series, with first pitch slated for 6:30 PM CT. Mike Minor (0-1, 13.50) will make his second rehab start for the M-Braves and sixth minor league rehab overall in 2014 opposite Wahoos right-hander Daniel Corcino (1-2, 4.35).

Listen live to Kyle Tait on the call beginning at 6:00 PM CT on 103.9 WYAB or online at MississippiBraves.com and TuneIn Radio.

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Southern League Stories from April 25, 2014


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