SL Mississippi Braves

Saturday, July 17 at Tennessee Smokies: 6:00 PM CT: Smokies Stadium

Published on July 17, 2021 under Southern League (SL)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Mississippi Braves (ATL) (40-24, 1st, AA-S South, +4.0) vs. Tennessee Smokies (CHC) (25-35, 4th, AA-S North, -8.5

Starting Pitchers: RHP Spencer Strider (1-2, 6.91) vs. LHP Luis Lugo (2-3, 5.29)

Game #65 | Road Game #2

Radio: 103.9 FM WYAB and (LISTEN LIVE LINK)

TV: MiLB.TV

Today's Roster Moves:

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TODAY'S GAME: Leading the series 3-1, the Mississippi Braves (ATL) play game five of a six-game road series, against the Tennessee Smokies on Saturday night at Smokies Stadium. The M-Braves are 7-3 against the Cubs affiliate this season, after going 4-2 at Trustmark Park, June 22-27.

ELDER BACKED BY THREE HOMERS IN 40TH WIN OF 2021 ON FRIDAY: The M-Braves improved to 4-0 in Bryce Elder starts, as the Decatur, TX native improved to 3-0 on Friday night, tossing 7.0 two-run innings on four hits, three walks, and five strikeouts. Elder was backed by homers from CJ Alexander, Greyson Jenista, and Hendrik Clementina. Jenista led the offense going 3-for-4 with the homer, and two runs scored.

FIRST TO 40 W'S: The M-Braves became the first Double-A South team to 40 wins on Friday night, joining only Somerset (AA, NYY) as the only Double-A clubs with 40 wins. The M-Braves are one of 14 teams in MiLB that have reached the 40-win mark.

MOST WINS IN MILB SINCE MAY 19: Since May 19 (starting 4-8), the Braves are 36-16. The 36 wins are T-1st over that period in minor league baseball. Single-A Charleston is 36-13 over that time. The M-Braves have a +41 run differential.

ANOTHER SERIES WIN: The M-Braves took five of six from Pensacola last week, and have won four series out of the last five (split at Montgomery 6/28-7/4). The M-Braves haven't dropped a series since the second of the season, May 11-16, at Biloxi (2-4). Overall, the club is 5-2-3 in series' this season.

RIJO MANIA: M-Braves utility man Wendell Rijo has six home runs over his last 17 games, batting .306 with six homers, 12 RBI, 16 runs, 10 walks, and .434 OBP. Rijo has recorded two eight-game hitting streaks this season.

THE PRIDE OF POWDER SPRINGS: Trey Harris has hit in 11 of his last 12 games, and over his last 23 games since June 13, the Powder Springs, GA native is batting .330 with four doubles, three home runs, 16 RBI, 15 runs, five walks, and .385 OBP.

AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS: Shea Langeliers ranks among the league leaders in home runs (T-3rd, 14), slugging (3rd, .514), OPS (3rd, .855), extra-base hits (T-7th, 21), RBI's (T-10th, 30) and total bases (T-7th, 95). Justin Dean ranks among the leaders in stolen bases (1st, 18), runs (T-8th, 33), and OBP (4th, .376). Braden Shewmake ranks among the leaders in triples (T-4th, 3) and RBI (T-11th, 28). Drew Lugbauer ranks among the leaders in OBP (2nd, .385), OPS (6th, .843), walks (T-10th, 28), batting (13th, .265), and slugging (12th, .458). Trey Harris ranks among the leaders in hits (7th, 56), and batting (11th, .271). Greyson Jenista is 6th in walks (31). Brandon White is T-3rd in saves (7). Odalvi Javier ranks among the league leaders in wins (T-2nd, 5), ERA (5th, 3.15), opponent's batting AVG (5th, .207), and WHIP (10th, 1.16). Troy Bacon ranks T7th in games (20).

DIAZ DEBUT: RHP Indigo Diaz made his Double-A debut on Wednesday night, striking out three, and walking one over 2.0 innings, surrendering one hit. Over his 29 innings this season between Rome and Mississippi, the 22-year-old from Vancouver, Canada, has 57 strikeouts.

M-BRAVES RECORD FOURTH NO-HITTER IN TEAM HISTORY: On Saturday, July 10, Bryce Elder and Daysbel Hernandez combined for the fourth no-hitter in club history, stretching Mississippi's winning streak to six games at the time. Elder went the first 7.0 innings, striking out six and walking four. Hernandez pitched the final 2.0 innings with four strikeouts and one walk. It was the first no-hitter since Ian Anderson and Jeremy Walker combined for one on June 28, 2019, vs. Jackson.

SUPER SENSATIONAL SATURDAYS: The M-Braves are 6-0 at home this season on Saturdays at Trustmark Park, including two walk-off wins and a no-hitter on July 10 vs. Pensacola.

TURNAROUND FOR SHEWMAKE: Braden Shewmake saw his league-best 12-game hitting streak come to an end on Saturday, but the Wylie, TX native is batting .361 (26-for-72) with six doubles, two triples, three home runs, 17 RBI, and 12 runs scored in his last 19 games since June 17. After batting just .099 in May with three extra-base hits, and six RBI, Shewmake hit .264 in June with nine extra-base hits, 15 RBI.

RECORD MONTH OF JUNE: The M-Braves went 18-8 in June, the most wins during the month in club history (previous, 17, 2008. The most wins in a single month in M-Braves history was 21 in May 2014.

LEADING THE LEAGUE IN PITCHING AND DEFENSE: The M-Braves lead the league, are 6th in MiLB, with a 3.50 ERA. The 240 runs allowed is the 4th-fewest in MiLB this season. M-Braves hurlers have served up just 35 home run balls, which is the 3rd-fewest in all of minor league baseball. The starting rotation holds a 3.42 ERA, ranking 7th in all of minor league baseball.

- Despite three errors on Thursday night, the M-Braves still lead the Double-A South with a .981 fielding percentage, 43 errors in 64 games.

DON'T RUN ON SHEA: Shea Langeliers is 20-for-39 in catching opposing base stealers, 51%. His 20 caught stealings are 1st in MiLB, while nine double plays and 40 assists are tops among catchers in minor league baseball.

75 HOME RUNS ON THE YEAR: The M-Braves have 75 home runs so far this season, in 64 games, ranking T-2nd in the Double-A South. The M-Braves are over halfway to the 2019 total (in 139 games) of 87 and have surpassed the total hit at Trustmark Park in 2019 (28 in 70 games) with 31 (36 games). The most home runs in club history were 97 in 2017. The Braves are on pace for 141 home runs in 120 games.

151 MAJOR LEAGUE DEBUTS: LHP Kyle Muller made his major league debut for the Atlanta Braves in the top of the fifth inning on June 16 vs. Boston. Muller became the first M-Braves alum to debut in 2021 and 151st all-time.

FIRST ROUND PICKS AND PROSPECTS: The squad features both of Atlanta's first-round selections from the 2019 draft in catcher Shea Langeliers (#9) and shortstop Braden Shewmake (#21). They represent the third and fourth-ranked prospects in the organization, according to MLB.com and Langeliers is #64 on the MLB.com Top 100 and sixth-ranked catching prospect in baseball.

- Overall, the M-Braves feature 10 of the Braves' Top 30 prospects by MLB Pipeline. After Langeliers and Shewmake, OF Trey Harris (#14), RHP Victor Vodnik (#15), RHP Bryce Elder (#16), RHP Daysbel Hernandez (17), INF Greyson Jenista (#19), RHP Spencer Strider (20), INF C.J. Alexander (#20) and OF Justin Dean (#26) are among the Top 30.

WELCOME TO THE DOUBLE-A SOUTH: In MLB's new structure for the 2021 season, the M-Braves will be part of the Double-A South. The eight-team circuit consists of eight former members of the Southern League, split into two divisions. Mississippi will be in the South Division along with the Biloxi Shuckers (Milwaukee Brewers), Montgomery Biscuits (Tampa Bay Rays), and Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Miami Marlins). The North Division will consist of the Birmingham Barons (Chicago White Sox), Chattanooga Lookouts (Cincinnati Reds), Rocket City Trash Pandas (LA Angels), and Tennessee Smokies (Chicago Cubs).

2019 SEASON IN REVIEW: The Mississippi Braves concluded their 15th anniversary season in Central Mississippi with a 64-75 overall record, finishing fourth in the Southern League South Division. While the club missed out on the postseason for the third-straight season, the 2019 campaign saw the 3 millionth fan enter Trustmark Park, 1,000th franchise win, third no-hitter in club history, record three postseason All-Stars, and the first Southern League Most Valuable Player.

Check out the Mississippi Braves Statistics

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Southern League Stories from July 17, 2021


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