SL1 Mississippi Braves

Pensacola Scores Four in the Ninth to Walk-Off M-Braves 4-3 on Tuesday Night

July 3, 2018 - Southern League (SL1)
Mississippi Braves News Release


PENSACOLA, FL - The Pensacola Blue Wahoos (9-3, 39-41) scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Mississippi Braves (4-8, 33-39) 4-3 in Tuesday's series finale at Blue Wahoos Stadium in front of a sellout crowd of 5,308. Pensacola won five of six in the series and leads the South Division with a 9-3 record to start the second-half.

The walk-off defeat spoiled the best start at the Double-A level for Bryse Wilson. The 20-year-old No. 12 prospect for the Atlanta Braves struck out a season-high nine Blue Wahoos over 7.0 shutout innings, scattering five hits. The quality start was the 14th over the last 20 games from an M-Braves starting pitcher.

After the Blue Wahoos and M-Braves played three scoreless frames, Mississippi cracked the scoreboard first with a two-run fourth inning. Luis Valenzuela, batting .344 since May 26, led off the inning with a double. Valenzuela scored on a single by Travis Demeritte to make it 1-0. Demeritte swiped his fourth base of the season to get into scoring position at second base. With two outs, Brandon Downes reached on an error and then Luis Marte smacked a single to left letting Demeritte scored the second run.

Tyler Marlette hit a one-out double in the sixth inning and then scored on a single to right from Tyler Neslony to push the advantage to 3-0.

Corbin Clouse relieved Wilson after he matched a season-high with 7.0 innings of shutout baseball. Wilson's nine strikeouts were the second-most in a game over the course of his career. Clouse put two runners on with a walk and hit by pitch, but struck out two to maintain the shutout after eight innings.

Left-handed reliever Adam McCreery took over in the ninth and walked Gavin LaValley to start the inning. Chris Okey followed by flying out to center. Taylor Sparks hit a dribbler back to McCreery, but his low throw allowed him to reach. McCreery plunked Pensacola leadoff man T.J. Friedl and the bases were loaded with one out.

M-Braves manager Chris Maloney called on Chad Sobotka (L, 1-3) for the second straight day, after picking up a save on Monday night in game two. Jose Siri was first to face Sobotka and lifted a sacrifice fly to left for the second out, scoring LaValley, to make it 3-1. Shed Long followed with an RBI single that plated Sparks and moving Friedl to third and it was 3-2. While Mitch Nay was batting, Sobotka threw a wild pitch that bounced to the left of Carlos Martinez and Friedl raced down the line to score the tying run. Martinez's throw to the plate sailed past Sobotka and enabled Long to score all the way from first base to win it for Pensacola 4-3.

Blue Wahoos reliever Jesus Reyes (W, 1-8) pitched a scoreless top of the ninth inning and collected his first win of the season. The loss was the third in the series when the M-Braves held a lead after seven innings and fifth in 33 games. Pensacola leads the season series 14-7 and the clubs will meet one final time at Trustmark Park, July 12-16.

The M-Braves return to Trustmark Park on Wednesday for a Supersized Independence Day Fireworks Show and celebration against Biloxi! LHP Ricardo Sanchez (0-2, 10.80) is slated to start for the M-Braves against a to be determined starter for Biloxi. For tickets or more information fans can visit mississippibraves.com or call 888-BRAVES4.

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Southern League Stories from July 3, 2018


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