SL Mississippi Braves

Minor League-Best Stretch Continues for M-Braves with Two More Wins Thursday

Published on July 9, 2021 under Southern League (SL)
Mississippi Braves News Release


PEARL, MS - Nobody has been better in minor league baseball since May 19 than the Mississippi Braves. The M-Braves won two games over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Thursday night, extending their winning streak to four games, and going a season-best 13-games over .500 at 35-22 on the season - two games ahead of the Wahoos in the standings. The team that calls Pearl, Mississippi home is 31-14 since May 19.

The M-Braves opened the night by taking Wednesday's suspended game over the Wahoos, 4-3. Rain halted play in the bottom of the fifth inning, and when the game restarted at 5:35 pm on Thursday, pitching dominated. Sean McLaughlin and Will Latcham (W, 2-1) worked 2.0 shutout innings each and kept Pensacola off the scoreboard. 

The M-Braves broke the 3-3 tie in the bottom of the eighth inning with a Braden Shewmake RBI single to center. Shewmake finished 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI, running his league-best hitting streak to 11 games.

Trey Harris reached base safely three times and went 2-for-3, and Jefrey Ramos was 2-for-3 in the win.

The nightcap was a cat and mouse game until the sixth inning. Odalvi Javier battled through 5.0 innings on the mound in his 11th game and 10th start, coming away with a no-decision. He allowed four runs on five hits with four walks and three strikeouts but left with still one of the league's top ERA's at 3.10.

Pensacola jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead on a two-out, two-run double by Riley Mahan in the first inning.

The M-Braves cut the lead in half on the seventh home run of the season by Wendell Rijo in the second inning. The homer was the 25-year-old's sixth over his last 11 games!

After the Wahoos extended the lead to 3-1 in the top of the third inning, Jefrey Ramos answered with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the frame to make it a one-run game again. Harris, Lugbauer, and Rijo all had singles in the third.

Shea Langeliers cut a 4-2 deficit to 4-3 with a line-drive home run down the left-field line. The former first-round pick has 10 home runs over his last 24 games and is in a first-place tie with Rocket City's Izzy Wilson for the league lead.

After trailing the entire night, the M-Braves busted out for a six-run inning in the bottom of the sixth. Justin Dean plated Jalen Miller and Greyson Jenista with a single to give the M-Braves their first lead of the game at 5-4. Then, Harris followed with a two-run home to left and it was 7-4 in a matter of moments. Harris' third home run of the season was the last batter that Wahoos starter Jeff Lindgren (L, 2-5) would face. Lindgren dropped to 0-3 in three starts this season against Mississippi. Reliever Jose Mesa Jr. walked two straight M-Braves batters and Ramos made the right-hander pay with a two-run triple to cap the inning.

Brooks Wilson pitched the seventh and surrendered one run, which was his first in six games, to make the final score 9-5.

With three more home runs, the M-Braves have hit 67 on the season through 57 games. Harris was 2-for-4 in the nightcap with the home run, finishing the day 4-for-8. Harris is on a six-game hitting streak and is batting .357 since June 8. Jenista walked twice and singled, reaching base safely all three times. Shea Langeliers scored twice and was 1-for-3, and Rijo was 2-for-4 with a homer.

The M-Braves will go for the series win on Friday night at Trustmark Park in game four of the six-game series. RHP Victor Vodnik is scheduled to make the start for Mississippi against LHP Will Stewart for Pensacola. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm with coverage on 103.9 WYAB, mississippibraves.com and MiLB.tv.

Friday's Promotions:

M-Braves Floppy Cap Giveaway: The first 1,000 adults (21+) will receive a Mississippi Braves Floppy Cap, presented By Budweiser.

Maroon Friday: The M-Braves will honor the College World Series Champion Mississippi State Bulldogs as local Diamond Dawgs Tanner Leggett and Preston Johnson will throw out first pitches.

Kids Run The Bases: Kids, 14-and-under will have the opportunity to run the bases after every Friday and Sunday home game at Trustmark Park, presented by Game on Wheels.

Trustmark's $10,000 Dash For Cash: After each Friday home game, fans can register for the chance to snag cold hard cash. Then, ten lucky fans will have 1:00 to snag as much of the $10K spread out all over the outfield.

For tickets, and information on upcoming promotions, visit mississippibraves.com, or call 888-BRAVES4.

Check out the Mississippi Braves Statistics

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Southern League Stories from July 9, 2021


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