SL Mississippi Braves

Saturday, June 26 vs. Tennessee Smokies: 6:05 PM: Trustmark Park

Published on June 26, 2021 under Southern League (SL)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Mississippi Braves (ATL) (28-18, T-1st, AA-S South, --) vs. Tennessee Smokies (CHC) (15-29, 4th, AA-S North, -9.5)

Starting Pitchers: RHP Odalvi Javier (3-1, 2.78) vs. LHP Alex Katz (0-1, 7.71)

Game #47 | Home Game #29

Radio: 103.9 FM WYAB and (LISTEN LIVE LINK)

TV: MiLB.TV

Today's Promotions:

Post-Game Fireworks - Stay after the game for a Patriotic Themed Post-Game Fireworks Show, presented by RiverBend Tire Center.

Today's Roster Moves:

N/A

TODAY'S GAME: The Mississippi Braves (ATL) continue a 12-game homestand on Saturday night, with game five of a six-game series against the Tennessee Smokies (CHC) at Trustmark Park (3-1). A win today would clinch the third-straight series win for the M-Braves. This is the first of two series meetings between the clubs, and 12 total games. The M-Braves will visit Smokies Stadium in Kodak, TN, July 13-18.

- The M-Braves went 5-1 against the Barons, June 15-20, including five-straight wins. The Braves haven't lost a series since dropping the first two series against Pensacola and at Biloxi (each 4-2). The M-Braves have gone 5-1 in three of the last four series, and are 20-6 since May 27.

FIRST PLACE M-BRAVES: The M-Braves are tied with Pensacola for first place in the South Division, and the best record in the Double-A South. The M-Braves are 20-6 over their last 26 games dating back to May 27, the 2nd-best record in MiLB. Since starting the season 4-8, the Braves are 24-10, the best record in the Double-A South.

RECORD MONTH OF JUNE: The M-Braves are 16-6 so far in June, one win shy of the most victories in June since 2008 (17), with four games to go. The most wins in a single month in M-Braves history was 21 during May 2014.

MARTINEZ WALKS OFF M-BRAVES ON FRIDAY: Carlos Martinez doubled twice and hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning on Friday night, to beat Tennessee for a third-straight night, 4-3. Starter Hayden Deal worked 6.0 innings of one-run ball in the start, striking out three and walking just one. Braden Shewmake added a two-run doubled to put the M-Braves on top in the third inning.

AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS: Shea Langeliers ranks among the league leaders in home runs (T-2nd, 11), slugging (2nd, .539), OPS (3rd, .884), extra-base hits (T-6th, 16) and total bases (T-7th, 69). Justin Dean leads the league in stolen bases (14), and T-3rd in doubles (10), and 3rd in OBP (.392). Jacob Pearson is T-5th in triples with 2. Brandon White is 3rd in saves (7). Nolan Kingham is T-1st in starts (9), T-1st in wins (5), 1st in innings pitched (55.0), 5th in ERA (2.29), 6th in WHIP (1.04), and T-2nd in winning percentage (.833). Hayden Deal is 8th in ERA (3.02).

KINGHAM'S INCREDIBLE STRETCH: Nolan Kingham is 3-0, and has given up three earned runs total in 32.2 total innings this month (0.83 ERA) (five starts) while walking four batters against 20 strikeouts. The Las Vegas native hasn't allowed a run over his last three starts and 22 innings, on 12 hits with 17 strikeouts and two walks. He hasn't given up a run since the first inning of his start on June 6 at Pensacola, 25.0 IP.

THE DEAN OF THE CLASS: Justin Dean is batting .438 with two doubles, seven RBI, five runs, and six walks over his last nine games with four stolen bases and a .538 OBP. The Mauldin, SC native is leading the club with a .319 average in June with six doubles, a triple, 12 RBI, five walks and .417 OBP.

LEADING THE LEAGUE IN PITCHING AND DEFENSE: The M-Braves lead the league, are 3rd in all of minor league baseball with a 3.29 ERA. M-Braves hurlers have served up just 20 home run balls, the fewest in Double-A, and 2nd-fewest in all of minor league baseball (Salem, 17).

- The starting rotation holds a 2.78 ERA with 206 strikeouts, 81 walks, in 210.1 IP, ranking 2nd in all of minor league baseball.

- The M-Braves lead the Double-A South, and are T-4th in minor league baseball with a .985 fielding percentage, just 24 errors in 46 games, including just two errors in the last 17. M-Braves catchers have caught 22 attempted base-stealers, which is T-1st in all of Double-A baseball and ranks T-5th in all of MiLB.

DON'T RUN ON SHEA: Shea Langeliers is 16-for-32 in catching opposing base stealers, 50%. His 16 caught stealings are T-3rd in MiLB, while seven double plays and 31 assists are first among catchers in minor league baseball.

49 HOME RUNS ON THE YEAR: The M-Braves have 49 home runs so far this season, in 46 games, ranking 3rd in the Double-A South (BIR, 57/RCT, 63). Of the 182 runs scored this season, 82 have come via the home run ball. In just 46 games, the M-Braves are over half way to the 2019 total (in 139 games) of 87. The Braves remain last in hitting in the league at .211.

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. Muller made 27 starts for the M-Braves over the 2018 and 2019 seasons, going 11-7 with a 3.14 ERA. The Dallas, TX native gave up four hits and two runs in the outing with one strikeout in 1.0 inning of relief.

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 eight of the Braves' Top 30 prospects. After Langeliers and Shewmake, OF Trey Harris (#14), RHP Victor Vodnik (#15), RHP Daysbel Hernandez (17), INF Greyson Jenista (#19), 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.

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Southern League Stories from June 26, 2021


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