M-Braves rally late, but fall to Wahoos on walk-off wild pitch in the ninth

Pensacola, FL - The Mississippi Braves managed to erase a three-run deficit in the ninth inning but fell 7-6 in walk-off fashion to the Blue Wahoos on Saturday night. The winning run scored in the bottom of the ninth when pinch-runner Dalvy Rosario sprinted home on a wild pitch by Jorge Juan (L, 0-1), giving Pensacola their second-straight win over Mississippi to start the season. Despite the loss, the M-Braves' offense recorded double-digit hits for the second consecutive game, finishing with 11 on Saturday night.

2023 Southern League All-Star Luis De Avila made his season debut and struggled with his command. Over 4+ innings, the lefty gave up six runs (four earned) on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

Mississippi (0-2) once again scored first, this time in the second inning. Cody Milligan had another stellar performance in the leadoff spot, finishing 2-for-5 with a pair of RBIs. His first came on a groundout that brought home Cal Conley.

Pensacola (2-0) scored the next three runs to jump out to a 3-1 lead. Cody Morissette, Zach Zubia, and Tanner Allen hit three straight singles to tie the game. Nacho Alvarez Jr. committed a rare error at shortstop on a ground ball off the bat of Paul McIntosh, allowing two more runs to score.

The M-Braves, showing their resilience, rallied to tie the game for the first time at 3-3 in the fourth. Milligan drove home Cal Conley with a single; then Drake Baldwin brought in Milligan with one right after an Alvarez walk.

The Wahoos knocked De Avila out of the game in the fifth inning. Four straight batters reached to start the inning. Zach Logue took over and immediately gave up a two-run double from Javier Sanoja. Morissette hit a sacrifice fly to increase their lead to 6-3.

Once again, the Braves mounted a rally. In the eighth inning, new M-Braves third baseman Yolbert Sanchez started the frame with a double, then, with two outs, scored on a passed ball from Wahoos reliever Lincoln Henzman. Milligan singled again, stole second base, and scored on an Alvarez single to make it a one-run game.

Logue kept Mississippi in the game by tossing 3.2 scoreless innings. The lefty, who made his big league debut for Oakland in 2022, struck out four and walked one in his first M-Braves outing.

In the top of the ninth, Cade Bunnell worked a walk from Pensacola's Matt Pushard (W, 1-0). Geraldo Quintero pinch-ran for Bunnell. After a strikeout, Quintero stole second base and moved to third on a fly out to center. Down to the final out and strike, Sanchez singled to right, scoring Quintero to tie the game at 6-6.

The Wahoos' McIntosh opened the bottom of the inning with a walk and eventually scored the winning run on a wild pitch.

The M-Braves have been active on the bases in the first two games, swiping three more bags on Saturday night and giving them seven through two games. The M-Braves stranded 11 runners on base.

Baldwin, Milligan, Alvarez, Sanchez, and Conley each collected two hits. Baldwin was 2-for-4, picking up his fourth RBI, and Alvarez was 2-for-4, starting the year 4-for-8. Milligan was 2-for-5 and has been on base six times in the first two games.

The M-Braves and Blue Wahoos wrap up the three-game opening series on Sunday afternoon at Blue Wahoos Stadium. The first pitch is at 4:05 pm with coverage on 102.1 The Box, Bally Live, and MiLB.tv. RHP Hurston Waldrep (0-0, --) is scheduled to make the start against Wahoos RHP Paul Campbell (0-0, --). The M-Braves will return home for the opener at Trustmark Park on Tuesday night at 6:05 pm against the Biloxi Shuckers.