SL Mississippi Braves

Saturday, July 31 at Pensacola Blue Wahoos: 4:05 PM CT: Blue Wahoos Stadium

Published on July 31, 2021 under Southern League (SL)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Mississippi Braves (ATL) (43-32, 1st, AA-S South, +1.5) vs. Pensacola Blue Wahoos (MIA) (37-38, 3rd, AA-S South, -6.0)

Pitching Matchups:

Game 1: RHP Spencer Strider (1-4, 6.65) vs. RHP Elieser Hernández (MLB Rehab)

Game 2: LHP Hayden Deal (2-2, 3.91) vs. RHP Jeff Lindgren (3-6, 4.76)

Game #76/77 | Road Game #34/35

Radio: 103.9 FM WYAB and (LISTEN LIVE LINK)

TV: MiLB.TV

Today's Roster Moves:

N/A

TODAY'S GAME: The M-Braves and Pensacola Blue Wahoos (MIA) play games four and five of a six-game series on Saturday at Blue Wahoos Stadium - the 22nd, and 23rd of 30 meetings between the clubs this season. The Wahoos and Braves will meet again at Trustmark Park, August 24-29. The M-Braves have a 2.5-game lead over Montgomery in the Double-A South standings.

- The South Division rivals began their all-time series in 2012...The all-time series is even, 90-90, while Pensacola holds a 44-39 advantage in games played in Pensacola. In 2021, the M-Braves hold a 13-8 edge.

TARNOK FANS 12 AS M-BRAVES WIN THIRD-STRAIGHT, 5-1, ON THURSDAY: In his second Double-A start, Freddy Tarnok struck out a career-high 12 batters, walking two, and allowing one run on three hits over 5.0 innings in his first M-Braves win. After falling behind 1-0, the M-Braves hit three more home runs, pushing their series total to 13 with long balls by Greyson Jenista, Justin Dean, and Jalen Miller in the 5-1 win. Tarnok and relievers Will Latcham, Troy Bacon, Sean McLaughlin, and Daysbel Hernandez combined for a season-high 20 strikeouts.

93 HOME RUNS ON THE YEAR: The M-Braves have hit 13 home runs over the last three days, the most in a three-day stretch in club history. The 93 home runs this season in 75 games, ranks 2nd in the Double-A South, and 6th in all of Double-A. The M-Braves have surpassed the 2019 total (in 139 games) of 87 and have surpassed the total hit at Trustmark Park in 2019 (28 in 70 games) with 34 (42 games). The most home runs in club history were 98 in 2017. The Braves are on pace for 149 home runs in 120 games.

- The M-Braves have four players with double-digit home runs for the first time since 2008, Shea Langeliers leads the way with 17, while Drew Lugbauer and Greyson Jenista have 11, and Wendell Rijo has 10. In 2008, Kala Ka'aihue (14), Jason Perry (13), Reid Gorecki (10), and Jordan Schafer (10) reached double-digit homers. Langeliers' 17 homers is T-4th-most in a single season by an M-Braves player.

- The M-Braves have hit 19 home runs over nine games in Pensacola this season, and overall 35 in 21 games.

THE SLUGBAUER: Drew Lugbauer has homered in four of his last six games. Over those six games, the Pleasant Valley, NY native is batting .316 with a 1.276 OPS.

PEN"SHEA"COLA: Shea Langeliers has 8 home runs in 17 games against Pensacola this season, including 10-for-28 with five home runs, and a double, in six games at Blue Wahoos Stadium. He had a 3-homer game in Pensacola on June 2 in Pensacola, and three total multi-homer games this season.

FIRST TO 40 W'S: The M-Braves became the first Double-A South team to 40 wins on Friday, July 16, at Tennessee. The M-Braves' 43-32 record is the best in the league, with Montgomery the only other team with 40 wins.

39 WINS SINCE MAY 19: Despite the losing streak, since May 19 (starting 4-8), the Braves are 39-24. The 39 wins are 1st in Double-A over that time.

M-BRAVES DROP FIRST SERIES SINCE MAY 16: The M-Braves were swept in a six-game series to Biloxi, July 20-25, and have lost eight straight games for the first time since dropping eight-straight in 2019, 6/29-7/6. The M-Braves went nine consecutive series without dropping one. Overall, the club is 5-3-4 in series' this season.

TURNAROUND FOR SHEWMAKE: Since June 17, Braden Shewmake is batting .370 with 8 doubles, 2 triples, 5 home runs, 20 RBI, and 18 runs scored in his last 24 games. Prior to June 17, in his first 31 games, Shewmake was batting .133.

AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS: Shea Langeliers ranks among the league leaders in home runs (T-1st, 17), slugging (2nd, .518), OPS (5th, .848), extra-base hits (8th, 25), RBI's (T-9th, 35) and total bases (T-5th, 114). Justin Dean ranks among the leaders in stolen bases (1st, 22), runs (T-9th, 37), triples (T-5th, 3), walks (T-9th, 32), and OBP (7th, .367). Braden Shewmake ranks among the leaders in triples (T-5th, 3). Drew Lugbauer ranks among the leaders in OBP (5th, .371), OPS (3rd, .871), home runs (T-10th, 11), and slugging (6th, .500). Trey Harris ranks among the leaders in hits (T-11th, 60). Greyson Jenista is 5th in walks (37), and T-10th in home runs. Brandon White is T-4th in saves (7). Odalvi Javier ranks among the league leaders in wins (T-4th, 5), ERA (3rd, 3.14), opponent's batting AVG (3rd, .202), and WHIP (5th, 1.10). Hayden Deal ranks 8th in innings pitched (69.0), and T-1st in starts (14).

ELDER IMPRESSING IN FIRST PRO SEASON: In his first 15 professional starts, the 2020 5th-round draft pick is 6-2 with a 2.96 ERA, 82.0 innings, 35 walks, 90 strikeouts, 1.16 WHIP, and .203 BAA between High-A Rome and Mississippi. His 82 innings ranks 3rd in MiLB. He has gone 7.0 innings in each of his last four starts.

TOPS IN STRIKEOUT PERCENTAGE: Reliever Indigo Diaz over 33.2 innings this season between Rome and Mississippi has allowed, 13 hits, 3 ER, 10 walks, 65 strikeouts, 0 HR, a 0.80 ERA, 0.84 FIP, 17.38 K/9, 51.2% K, 7.8% BB. He ranks 1st in MiLB (min 30 IP) in FIP, K/9, K%, xFIP, 2nd in K-BB%, and 3rd in ERA and AVG.

PITCHING AND DEFENSE: The M-Braves lead the league, and are 3rd in Double-A baseball, with a 3.7q ERA. The 294=5 runs allowed is the 2nd-fewest in Double-A baseball this season. M-Braves hurlers have served up 47 home run balls, which is the fewest in Double-A baseball, and 6th fewest in all of minor league baseball. The starting rotation holds a 3.53 ERA, tops in Double-A baseball, and 8th in MiLB. The M-Braves still lead the Double-A South and are 4th in Double-A with a .982 fielding percentage.

DON'T RUN ON SHEA: Shea Langeliers is 22-for-44 in catching opposing base stealers, 50%. His 22 caught stealings are 1st in MiLB, while nine double plays and 48 assists are tops among catchers in minor league baseball.

151 MAJOR LEAGUE DEBUTS: LHP Kyle Muller made his major league debut for the Atlanta Braves 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 #56 on the MLB.com Top 100 and sixth-ranked catching prospect in baseball.

- Overall, the M-Braves feature 11 of the Braves' Top 30 prospects by MLB Pipeline. After Langeliers and Shewmake, RHP Freddy Tarnok (10), RHP Bryce Elder (#11), OF Trey Harris (#12), RHP Victor Vodnik (#13), RHP Daysbel Hernandez (15), INF Greyson Jenista (#17), C.J. Alexander (#18), RHP Spencer Strider (19), INF and OF Justin Dean (#24) are among the Top 30.

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.

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).

Check out the Mississippi Braves Statistics

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Southern League Stories from July 31, 2021


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