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M-Braves Complete Wild 16-14 Comeback Win Over Smokies

Lugbauer hits 23rd homer, Malloy reaches base six times, Bunnell records four RBI
August 12, 2022

PEARL, MS - The Mississippi Braves (49-57, 20-17) scored 10 unanswered runs and collected 15 hits in a 16-14 comeback win over the Tennessee Smokies (57-49, 20-17) on Friday night at Smokies Stadium. The M-Braves broke their club record with 30 combined runs in the game. All nine players in

PEARL, MS - The Mississippi Braves (49-57, 20-17) scored 10 unanswered runs and collected 15 hits in a 16-14 comeback win over the Tennessee Smokies (57-49, 20-17) on Friday night at Smokies Stadium.

The M-Braves broke their club record with 30 combined runs in the game. All nine players in the M-Braves lineup recorded a hit, and five different players finished with multiple hits. Andrew Moritz paced the club with three hits and three runs. He is currently riding a six-game hit streak.

The M-Braves scored 10 unanswered runs from the top of the fourth to the top of the fifth to overcome a 9-run deficit.

Justyn-Henry Malloy started the scoring with an RBI single to score Riley Delgado in the opening frame to make it 1-0.

Tied 1-1 in the second, Cody Milligan punched a two-out, two-run single into right center to retake the lead 3-1. In the bottom of the inning, the Smokies put together 10 runs on five hits and three Mississippi errors to take a commanding 11-3 lead.

After falling behind 12-3 after three innings, the M-Braves went right to work on a comeback.

To lead off the fourth, Landon Stephens crushed a solo homer to left field, his second in three games. With the bases loaded, Cade Bunnell delivered a two-run single followed by an RBI single from Javier Valdes. To cap off the inning, Drew Lugbauer crushed a three-run home run to right field to make it 12-10.

Lugbauer now leads the Southern League with 23 home runs this season. He remains the M-Braves all-time leader with 41 home runs in two seasons with Mississippi.

The M-Braves took the lead with three runs in the fifth. The Smokies walked in a run, and Valdes doubled to right center to score two runs, 10 unanswered runs, and give the M-Braves their first lead since the second inning, 13-12.

Valdes finished 2-for-6 with a double and three RBI. Since his promotion from High-A Rome, Valdes is 6-for-17 with two home runs and six RBI.

After Tennessee tied the game, Bunnel’s line drive single to right scored Milligan to make it 14-13 M-Braves.

Bunnell went 2-for-4 with two walks and four RBI. In two games since returning to Mississippi, Bunnell is 5-for-7 with two doubles, three walks and four RBI.

The M-Braves added another two runs on a wild pitch and an RBI double from Malloy to lead 16-13.

Malloy posted his 10th multi hit game and reached base six times, going 2-for-2 with two doubles, four walks and two RBI. In 25 games for the M-Braves, Malloy is batting .289 with three home runs and 16 RBI.

The M-Braves took advantage of 10 walks from the Smokies pitching staff, scoring six of them.

RHP Justin Yeager pitched two critical innings down the stretch. He struck out two batters in a scoreless seventh. A high fastball took care of the eighth with a strikeout that left a runner stranded on third base. Yeager holds a 3.99 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 29 1/3 innings.

LHP Jake Higginbotham picked up his third save, allowing a run in the ninth but holding on to the 16-14 win.

The fifth game of the series is on Saturday at Smokies Stadium. RHP Nolan Kingham (0-0, --) will make the start for Mississippi against RHP Ryan Jensen (1-3, 5.00) for Tennessee. The first pitch is at 6:15 pm CT, with coverage starting at 6:00 pm CT on 103.9 WYAB, First Pitch App and MiLB.tv.