M-Braves Keep Rolling, Beat Smokies

Kodak, TN - The Mississippi Braves fell behind early but scored six unanswered to take down the Tennessee Smokies 6-3 on Friday night at Smokies Stadium.

With the win, the Braves (13-15) moved to 6-2 on the 10-game road trip and took the series against the Cubs affiliate with two games remaining.

The Smokies (13-15) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first two innings against Sean Newcomb. In the first, Jeimer Candelario and Mark Zagunis hit back-to-back doubles for an RBI, and Victor Caratini hit an RBI single for a 2-0 lead.

Tennessee added another in the second. Bijan Rademacher walked, moved to second on a wild pitch, and Jacob Hanneman singled him home to make it 3-0.

From there it was all Braves. Some shaky defense cost the Smokies in the fourth, as back-to-back errors by shortstop Carlos Penalver put Matt Lipka and Dansby Swanson aboard. Dustin Peterson knocked an RBI single, scoring Lipka to make it 3-1.

Carlos Franco and Jacob Schrader hit back-to-back groundouts, with the latter bringing home Swanson and making it a one-run game, and Willians Astudillo knocked a run-scoring single to tie it 3-3.

Both starters took a no-decision, with Newcomb allowing three runs on eight hits over six innings, striking out a season-high eight and walking a season-low one. Tennessee's Paul Blackburn allowed three unearned runs on three hits over seven innings, with four strikeouts and two walks.

The Braves finally broke the tie in the eighth against reliever David Garner (1-2), who walked pinch-hitter Steve Rodriguez, hit Lipka with a pitch and walked Swanson to load the bases. With Peterson at the plate, a wild pitch plated pinch-runner Sean Godfrey, and the Braves led 4-3.

In the ninth, Mississippi got some insurance from Johan Camargo, a two-run home run, his first of the year and fifth career homer, to make it 6-3.

Danny Burawa (1-0) grabbed the win in relief, pitching a scoreless seventh. Madison Younginer and Mauricio Cabrera (S, 4) added scoreless frames to close it out, with Cabrera striking out pinch-hitter Billy McKinney in the ninth to notch his fourth save.

The Braves and Smokies continue the set on Saturday night at 6:05 PM CT, sending right-hander Rob Whalen (1-3, 4.26) to the hill against Smokies right-hander Tyler Skulina (1-2, 4.07).

Mississippi Braves (13-15)                           6 R          6 H         1 E
Tennessee Smokies (13-15)                         3 R          9 H         2 E

W - Burawa (1-0)
L - Garner (1-2)
S - Cabrera (4)
Time: 2:46
Attendance: 5,235