M-Braves Edge Shuckers 9-8 in Back-and-Forth Battle
Photo by Mike Krebs PEARL, MS – The Mississippi Braves (25-26) won their fourth straight game with a 9-8 win over the Biloxi Shuckers (26-26) on Tuesday night at Trustmark Park. The game featured a tie and four lead changes. Every M-Braves player recorded a hit, combining for 12 hits,
Photo by Mike Krebs
PEARL, MS – The Mississippi Braves (25-26) won their fourth straight game with a 9-8 win over the Biloxi Shuckers (26-26) on Tuesday night at Trustmark Park.
The game featured a tie and four lead changes. Every M-Braves player recorded a hit, combining for 12 hits, three homers and three walks. The two clubs racked up 17 runs on 25 hits with five home runs.
Justin Dean smacked a solo shot to left center to start the game’s scoring spree in the first inning. Coming off a series in Birmingham where Dean reached base 18 times, Dean started this series with his third homer of the season. The outfielder went 2-for-4 with a home run, a walk and two runs.
Trailing 2-1 in the third, Drew Lugbauer smashed a three-run home run to the Farm Bureau Grill in right field to put the M-Braves back in front 4-2. The first baseman went 2-for-3 with a homer, a walk, three RBI and two runs. Lugbauer is tied for the league lead with 11 home runs and has hit in 11 of the last 13 games.
Biloxi again took the lead with three runs in the top of the fifth. The M-Braves answered with five runs in the bottom of the inning. Javier Valdes doubled in two runs to pull the M-Braves within one and chase the starter out of the game. Landon Stephens cranked a three-run homer down the left-field line to put the M-Braves ahead 9-7.
Valdes has hit in 10 of the last 11 games, going 1-for-4 with a two-run double. Stephens is up to eight home runs and 28 RBI this season, finishing tonight 1-for-4.
The bullpen came together late, holding Biloxi scoreless over the final three innings. RHP Victor Vodnik navigated into and out of trouble in the seventh, striking out the side to get out of a bases loaded jam. LHP Jake McSteen and RHP Kyle Wilcox pitched shutout innings in the eighth and ninth with Wilcox picking up his first save.
The second game of the series is on Wednesday at Trustmark Park. RHP Alan Rangel (1-5, 4.22) will make the start for Mississippi while RHP Christian Mejias (2-3, 5.40) makes the start for Biloxi. The first pitch is at 6:35 pm CT, with coverage starting 15 minutes before on 102.1 The Box, First Pitch App, and Bally Live.