Errors prove costly as Smokies sweep doubleheader from M-Braves

KODAK, TN -  The Mississippi Braves saw their three-game winning streak snapped on Saturday at the hands of the Tennessee Smokies, dropping both games of a doubleheader. Tennessee (22-20) rallied for a 4-3 extra-inning win in game one and shut out Mississippi 4-0 in the nightcap.  

The game one loss spoiled a brilliant pitching performance by 20-year-old Bryse Wilson. The Atlanta Braves No. 13 prospect tossed 5.2 innings and allowed just one unearned run and struck out a season-high eight batters. 
Wilson rebounded after a two-walk, 33-pitch bottom of the first inning by retiring 14 of the next 16 batters faced. With the M-Braves leading 1-0 in the bottom of the sixth, Wilson was an out away from getting through the sixth when M-Braves first baseman Tyler Marlette misplayed a Yasiel Balaguert pop fly to allow Zack Short to score the tying run. 
The Braves went ahead 1-0 in the top of the sixth inning on a single from Tyler Neslony that scored Alay Lago. 
It took until the M-Braves' 42nd game of the season to see the new Minor League Baseball extra-inning rule in which a runner is placed at second base to start each extra frame. The Braves plated that bonus runner in the eighth as Daniel Lockhart scored on a bunt single from Luis Valenzuela to make it 2-1. 
Tennessee failed to sacrifice their runner to third base, but Jason Vosler brought in Charcer Burks with a double to tie the game at 2-2. 
In the ninth, Mississippi went ahead 3-2 quickly when Tennessee pitcher Dakota Mekkes threw wildly to third on a Travis Demeritte sacrifice attempt to allow Alex Jackson to score. The Braves would score no more and left the bases loaded. 
The Smokies took advantage of two Cleuluis Rondon errors in the ninth and tied the game at 3-3 and won on a bases-loaded walk issued by Jacob Webb (L, 1-2) to Burks.  
The nightcap belonged to Tennessee starter Thomas Hatch as the No. 8 prospect for the Chicago Cubs tossed a seven-inning complete game shutout. The Braves collected just three hits in the contest. 
Jeffrey Baez started the scoring for Tennessee with a solo homer off of M-Braves starter Touki Toussaint (L, 2-3) in the second inning. They added two more runs in the third on a two-out, two-run single by Balaguert. 
Toussaint left the game following 2.2 innings after being struck in the lower left leg by a line drive off the bat of Burks earlier in the inning. The 21-year-old starter allowed three runs, one earned on three hits with no walks and four strikeouts. Toussaint touched 99 mph in a first-inning strikeout. 
The Smokies tacked on one more run in the sixth against reliever Elian Leyva in the eighth inning to push the advantage to 4-0. 
Luis Valenzuela extended his hitting streak to 10 games in game one but saw it end in game two. Alay Lago had a double in each contest and stretched his hitting streak to six games. 
The M-Braves will continue their five-game series in East Tennessee with a 1:00 pm (CT) first pitch against the Tennessee Smokies at Smokies Stadium on Sunday. RHP Andres Santiago (1-0, 3.95) will start for the Braves against RHP Oscar De La Cruz (4-4, 6.14) for the Smokies. Fans can listen to all M-Braves games for free on 103.9 WYAB or the free TuneIn Radio App. 
The M-Braves will return home to Trustmark Park on Wednesday, May 23 for a five-game series against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. The game will feature two promotions in AMR First Responders Wednesday presented by AMR (All First Responders/Emergency Response personnel, including law enforcement and firefighters, may purchase a $7 ticket in all seating areas, excluding Suite Level, when presenting ID. Excluding July 4) and Strike Out Hunger presented by the Mississippi Food Network (Fans who bring a canned food item to the Trustmark Park Box Office will receive a voucher for one $3 Field Level ticket).