SL Mississippi Braves

Martinez Hits Walk-Off Home Run in Return to M-Braves

Published on June 25, 2021 under Southern League (SL)
Mississippi Braves News Release


PEARL, MS - Carlos Martinez returned to Trustmark Park on Friday night, and the 26-year-old catcher doubled twice and hit a 434-foot walk-off home run to give the Mississippi Braves a 4-3 victory over the Tennessee Smokies. The third-straight win keeps the Braves in a first-place tie, atop the Double-A South with Pensacola.

The M-Braves (28-18), now 10-games over .500, have won 20 out of their last 26 games, which is the second-best record in minor league baseball since May 27.

Martinez came to the plate to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning and quickly ended the game with a home run on the first pitch by Cayne Ueckert (L, 1-1) that disappeared over the left-field foul pole. Martinez was transferred to Mississippi from Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday and was fresh off his time with Team Columbia in the Olympic Qualifiers. Martinez has played in 108 M-Braves games from 2018 to 2021, including 63 in 2019.

Hayden Deal logged his second-straight quality start and allowed just one run on four hits over 6.0 innings, walking one and striking out three. Deal gave up a first-inning run to the Smokies but posted all zeroes for the rest of his 8outing. The Maiden, NC native settled for a no-decision but lowered his ERA to 3.02.

The Braves would tie the game in the second inning after Smokies starter Javier Assad walked Greyson Jenista with two outs, and then Martinez hit a double down the right-field line to score him.

The red-hot Braden Shewmake put the M-Braves on top in the third inning with another two-out double. Wendell Rijo singled with one out, and Drew Lugbauer followed with a walk. After a strikeout, Shewmake laced a ball to the gap in left-center to score both, and it was 3-1.

The Smokies (15-29) pulled within a run in the seventh inning on a Nelson Maldonado home run. After a scoreless outing by Chris Nunn in the eighth inning, Daysbel Hernandez (W, 3-0) let the first three Smokies reach, and Connor Myers hit an RBI single to tie the game at 3-3. Hernandez limited Tennessee to just the one run with a pair of strikeouts and fielder's choice.

Martinez provided the walk-off in the bottom of the ninth inning, the fifth of the year, and the second walk-off home run in the past five days. 

The M-Braves will go for a fourth-straight win and third-straight series victory on Saturday night in game five of the six-game series. RHP Odalvi Javier (3-1, 2.78) will start for the Braves, against LHP Alex Katz (0-1, 7.71) for Tennessee. The first pitch is set for 6:05 pm, with coverage on 103.9 WYAB, mississippibraves.com, and MiLB.tv.

Saturday's game features Post-Game Fireworks, presented by Riverbend Tire Center.

For tickets or more information about the M-Braves, visit mississippibraves.com or call 888-BRAVES4.

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Southern League Stories from June 25, 2021


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