Biscuits blank M-Braves to take series

PEARL, MS -- The first three-and-a-half innings of game four between the Mississippi Braves (33-36) and the Montgomery Biscuits (37-32) had the makings of another pitcher's duel as Max Fried and José Mujica traded outs in near-perfect starts. But with two outs in the top of the fourth, the Biscuits were able to break through and score the first run of the game and the visitors were off to the races. Montgomery used five doubles and a three-run homer to run the M-Braves out of Trustmark Park in an 11-0 victory, sealing the series three-games-to-one.
Max Fried (2-10) started the game in fine fashion: after hitting the first batter, Fried retired the next 10 batters faced. The talented lefty was in prime position to have his best start of the year, until he issued two two-out walks in the fourth. Mac James smashed a ball up the middle that Reed Harper dove to stop, allowing James to beat the throw to first. One run scored, but a heads-up play by Levi Hyams at first caught the second runner.

In the fifth, Fried was touched for two more runs, as the Biscuits got two of their five doubles on the night in back-to-back at-bats. The sixth spelled the end for Fried, as the Biscuits continued the offensive onslaught and scored five runs in the inning. After a leadoff double and a single, Fried got a strike out but was unable to do anymore as he gave up an RBI-double to Nick Ciuffo. Bradley Roney came on in relief and promptly gave up a single and a three-run homer, the first of the year for Nathan Lukes, to make it 8-0 Montgomery.
After a scoreless seventh and eighth, the Biscuits added the finishing touches to their win in the ninth off reliever Chad Sobotka. A double, walk and single loaded the bases with just one out for Mac James. A wild pitch and dropped third strike allowed two runs to score and James to reach safely. A Ciuffo single plated the final run of the game before Sobotka got two fly-balls to end the ninth.
Offensively, the M-Braves were baffled by José Mujica, who went seven innings of scoreless ball, scattering three hits and a walk and striking out three. Mississippi got three hits, all singles, from Jared James, Sal Giardina and Connor Lien. James also reached on a walk, but that was all the M-Braves could muster in the game.
Game five is set for 1:00 PM Sunday at Trustmark Park.
Montgomery: 11-13-0
Mississippi: 0- 3-0
WP: Mujica
LP: Fried
Attn: 3,324
Time: 2:36