Game 1 Preview: Double-A South Championship Series Preview

**Click HERE to view a PDF copy of today’s Game Notes**

**Click HERE to view a PDF copy of the Playoff Roster**

Game 1 of the Double-A South Championship Series | Series 0-0

Mississippi Braves (ATL) (67-44, 1st, Overall AA-South) vs.

Montgomery Biscuits (TB) (62-55), 2nd, Overall AA South)

Pitching Matchup: LHP Jared Shuster (0-0, 7.36) vs. RHP Adrian De Horta (2-4, 4.36)

Radio:103.9 FM WYAB and (LISTEN LIVE LINK)

TV:MiLB.TV

TODAY’S GAME: The M-Braves and Biscuits begin their best-of-five Double-A South Championship Series Tuesday night with the 25th meeting of the season...The 2021 Championship Series marks the second postseason series between the two clubs.

• The M-Braves went 17-7 in 24 games against the Biscuits this season, going 9-3 in games played at Trustmark Park, and 8-4 at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery.

• The season-series win against the Biscuits this season was their first since going 8-7 against Montgomery in 2011...In 260 all-time meetings, the Biscuits lead the series, 144-116...The 260 all-time meetings are the most against any other opponent for the M-Braves.

• The Braves and Biscuits have met one previous time in postseason play. The Biscuits went 3-1 in the 2007 best-of-five South Division Series.

M-BRAVES IN THE POSTSEASON: This is the first postseason appearance for the M-Braves since 2016, and fifth overall. The M-Braves are 11-12 in the postseason and 3-5 in Championship Series games. The M-Braves won the Southern League Championship in 2008 by beating the Carolina Mudcats in five games, 3-2. The M-Braves were swept by the Jackson Generals, 3-0, in the 2016 Southern League Championship Series.

• Since 1985, the Greenville Braves and Mississippi Braves are 36-41 in the postseason and 9-15 in the Championship Series.

PLAYING DEEP INTO SEPTEMBER: This Championship Series marks the deepest into September that the M-Braves have ever played. The club won the 2008 Southern League Championship on September 13.

HISTORIC SEASON: The M-Braves went 67-44, a .604 winning percentage, eight games ahead of the team with the second-best record, the Biscuits...It was the best regular-season winning percentage in club history. Despite playing just 111 games, the 2021 club recorded as many or more wins as 10 of the previous 15 seasons of M-Braves baseball.

• The M-Braves led the league with 11 series wins, finishing 11-3-5 in series’ this season.

CLINCHING EARLY: The M-Braves clinched home-field advantage and the regular season Double-A South title with an 8-0 victory on September 12 against Montgomery. With home-field advantage, the M-Braves host Game 3 (Friday), Game 4 (Saturday, if necessary), and Game 5 (Sunday, if necessary) of the best-of-five series at Trustmark Park, September 24-26.

WINNING WAYS: The M-Braves went 22-8 (six shutouts) over the final 30 games of the regular season (since August 8), plus 13-4 in the last 17 road games. The M-Braves matched a club record with 8-straight wins from August 6-14. The previous eight-game winning streak was August 3-12, 2016, vs. Pensacola and Biloxi.

60 WINS SINCE MAY 24: Despite an 8-game losing streak, and no games for nine straight days, the M-Braves went 60-33 since May 24 (starting 7-11). The 60 wins are T-1st in Double-A over that time.

• The M-Braves held at least a share of first place in all by two days from June 24 to the end of the season.

20-HOME RUN CLUB: Shea Langeliers has 22 home runs, and is the third M-Braves player to reach 20 homers in a single season, joining Ernesto Mejia (26, 2011) and Ryan Casteel (21, 2019). Langeliers ranks 3rd in the league home runs ranks 3rd in slugging (.498), 6th in OPS (.836), 8th in total bases (164), T-9th in extra-base hits (35), and 7th in runs (56).

MVP CALIBER SEASON FOR LANGELIERS: Shea Langeliers led the club with 22 home runs, 51 RBI, 56 runs, and .836 OPS in 92 games. Langeliers was 30-for-72 in catching opposing base stealers, 42%. His 30 caught stealings were T-1st in MiLB, while nine double plays and 73 assists are tops among catchers in MiLB.

ALEXANDER THE GREAT: CJ Alexander turned the corner offensively for the M-Braves. Over his last 22 games, the Cape Coral, FL native hit .329, seven doubles, three triples, two home runs, eight RBI, 12 runs, seven stolen bases, and .973 OPS.

TOP HOME RUN HITTING TEAM IN M-BRAVES HISTORY: The M-Braves blew past the M-Braves record for homers in a single season (98, 2017) with 143 in 111 games. The club ranked 2nd in the Double-A South and 9th in Double-A.

• The M-Braves hit 93 home runs on the road and a record 50 at Trustmark Park. The all-time franchise record for homers is 147, set by the 1997 Greenville Braves in 140 games. The Pearl City Bombers came four shy, with nine cancellations hurting the chances.

• The M-Braves set a new M-Braves record with six players in double-digits for home runs: Shea Langeliers led the way with 22, while Greyson Jenista had 19, Drew Lugbauer had 18, Wendell Rijo had 15, Braden Shewmake had 12, and CJ Alexand6er had 10.

• Before 2021, the M-Braves didn’t have a 7-homer game. This season, the feat has been done twice, on July 27 in Pensacola and September 2 at Biloxi. The previous franchise record was five in a game (3x: 8/14/99 vs. Orlando, 7/1/92 vs. Knoxville, 9/3/04 vs. West Tenn). The four home runs in an inning on July 27 matched the franchise record, tying the four-hit on 7/7/86 vs. Memphis.

BEATING GOOD TEAMS: The M-Braves went 45-26 vs. teams over .500, and 22-18 vs. below .500 clubs.

MONTHLY SUCCESS: The M-Braves did not have a losing month in 2021. The club went 9-5 in September, 14-6 in August, 14-13 in July, 18-8 in June (best June in club history), and 12-12 in May.

• The 44 home runs in July, and nine wins in September were the mosts in club history.

TOPS IN PITCHING & DEFENSE: The M-Braves finished 3rd in Double-A baseball, and 6th in MiLB, with a 3.58 ERA.

• M-Braves hurlers served up just 74 home runs, the fewest in Double-A baseball and 3rd-fewest in all minor league baseball.

• The starting rotation held a 3.62 ERA, 2nd in Double-A baseball, and 4th in MiLB. The bullpen had a 3.56 ERA, which ranks 3rd in Double-A and 9th in MiLB.

• The M-Braves finished T-1st in Double-A and rank T-5th in MiLB with a .982 fielding percentage, 69 errors in 111 games, T-3rd-fewest in MiLB.

151 MAJOR LEAGUE DEBUTS: LHP Kyle Muller made his major league debut for the Atlanta Braves on June 16 vs. Boston. Muller became the first M-Braves alum to debut in 2021 and 151st all-time.

TOP PROSPECTS & FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICKS: The 2021 squad features three of Atlanta’s first-round selections. C Shea Langeliers (#9) and SS Braden Shewmake (#21) in 2019, and LHP Jared Shuster (25) in 2020. They represent the 2nd and 8th, and 9th-ranked prospects in the organization, according to MLB.com. Overall, the M-Braves feature 11 of the Braves’ Top 30 prospects by MLB Pipeline. After Langeliers, Shewmake, and Shuster, RHP Spencer Strider (10), RHP Freddy Tarnok (12), RHP Victor Vodnik (#20), RHP Indigo Diaz (21), OF Trey Harris (24),