M-Braves close first half with 2-1 win at Biloxi

BILOXI, MS - The Mississippi Braves closed the first half of the 2018 season with a 2-1 victory over the Biloxi Shuckers (41-29) on Sunday afternoon at MGM Park. The M-Braves won two games in the five-game series at Biloxi and finished the season's first 70 games with a 29-41 record. Four of the five games in the series were decided by one run. 

For the sixth straight game, an M-Braves starter was quality on the mound. This time it was Andres Santiago (W, 4-2), tossing six scoreless innings on just three hits, walking two and matching a season-high with eight strikeouts. 
The offense provided Santiago with run support by scoring two runs in the second inning. All-Star first baseman Tyler Marlette began the inning by reaching on an error then Travis Demeritte followed with a single to right. Biloxi starter Trey Supak (L, 0-4) retired the next two hitters, but Demeritte moved up to second base on a fly out to left by Connor Lien. Marlette and Demeritte scored on a two-out single to center from Luis Marté to make it 2-0. 
The 28-year-old Santiago needed just 23 pitches to get through three innings and retired the first 10 batters. The Shuckers finally picked up their first baserunner and hit in the fourth inning. Santiago stranded the bases loaded though with a strikeout of Clint Coulter. The Shuckers loaded the bases again against Santiago in the sixth and again Santiago struck out Coulter to end the inning. 
The Shuckers cracked the scoreboard for the first and only time in the eighth inning on an RBI single by Trent Grisham against M-Braves reliever Kelvin Vasquez. 
Corbin Clouse (S, 2) was asked to finish off his second game in the series and he did so in the ninth. The Shuckers collected back-to-back singles with two outs, but Clouse struck out Brewers top prospect Keston Hiura to strand them on base. 
The M-Braves finished 5-10 against their in-state rival during the first half with all 15 games being played at MGM Park. The clubs will meet nine times in the second half with each of them being played at Trustmark Park. 
The M-Braves return to Trustmark Park this Thursday, June 21-26, for a six-game series against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp to open the second-half of the 2018 season. Thursday will by Thirsty Thursday with canned domestic beer and 16 oz. fountain drinks will be $2 each. It's also Southern Miss Night presented by Farm Bureau. Wear your Golden Eagle attire to the game and receive a Field Level ticket for only $6! For tickets or more information fans can visit mississippibraves.com or call 888-BRAVES4.