M-Braves win 14-inning marathon in Pensacola

Pensacola, FL - Long after the rest of the Southern League had gone to bed, the Mississippi Braves and Pensacola Blue Wahoos were still awake and going strong into the 14th inning.

With the bases loaded with Braves in the 14th, reliever Drew Hayes threw it in the dirt, scoring Greg Golson from third to give Mississippi (29-23; 67-55) the lead for good.

It was the only run in the extra frames, coming at the end of a thrilling ballgame that featured great pitching, solid defense, and a two-out ninth-inning home run from Tommy La Stella to force extras.

Gus Schlosser pitched six shutout innings, allowing just one hit and four men on base, taking the no decision. Pensacola right-hander Tim Crabbe allowed just a run on seven hits in six innings.

The Braves struck first in the fourth inning. With men on first and second, Christian Marrero singled to center. Ryan LaMarre came up firing to the plate, but Tommy La Stella slid around Tucker Barnhart's tag to give Mississippi a 1-0 lead.

In the eighth inning, the Blue Wahoos got on the board for the first and only time. With two on, left fielder Josh Fellhauer poked a double down the left field line off reliever Shae Simmons to give Pensacola a 2-1 lead.

But with two outs in the ninth, La Stella lofted one over the wall in left to tie the game 2-2. It was his third home run of the season.

Gary Moran pitched three strong relief innings in extras to pick up his second win. Ryne Harper pitched the bottom of the 14th for his ninth save of the year. Loek Van Mil was saddled with the loss, his eighth.

The two teams combined to use 38 total players in the game.

With a double in the seventh, Christian Bethancourt extended his team-record on-base streak to 40 games and his hit streak to 16 games.

The Jacksonville Suns and Birmingham Barons were suspended in the third inning scoreless, so with the win Mississippi moves to 2.0 games back in the Southern League South race with 18 games remaining.

With wins in five of their last six games, the Braves look to continue rolling on Thursday night in game three in Pensacola at 7:00 PM CT. Mississippi will send right-hander Mitch Atkins (4-1, 2.65) against right-hander Josh Smith (9-8, 3.60). Listen live to Kyle Tait on the call beginning at 6:30 PM CT with the "Countdown to First Pitch" on 103.9 WYAB and online at MississippiBraves.com.

 

Mississippi Braves (29-23; 67-55)   3 R          12 H 2 E

Pensacola Blue Wahoos (25-26; 50-70)                  2 R 8 H         1 E

W - Moran (2-2)

L - Van Mil (0-8)

S - Harper (9)

Time - 4:52

Attendance - 4,199