M-Braves Repeat 13-2 Win Over Shuckers, Lugbauer Ties Single-Season Home Run Record
PEARL, MS - Drew Lugbauer’s two homer-night tied the club’s single-season record at 26, and the Mississippi Braves (59-67, 30-27) topped the Biloxi Shuckers (58-67, 24-34) 13-2 on Wednesday night at MGM Park. Lugbauer tied Ernesto Mejia (2012) and Mike Hessman (2001). He broke the M-Braves career home run record
PEARL, MS - Drew Lugbauer’s two homer-night tied the club’s single-season record at 26, and the Mississippi Braves (59-67, 30-27) topped the Biloxi Shuckers (58-67, 24-34) 13-2 on Wednesday night at MGM Park.
Lugbauer tied Ernesto Mejia (2012) and Mike Hessman (2001). He broke the M-Braves career home run record on June 21 and has 44 home runs in two seasons with the M-Braves. 16 of those home runs came at MGM Park. The first baseman leads the Southern League with 26 home runs and 77 RBI.
The M-Braves homered four times and scored 13 runs for the second straight game. Logan Brown hit his first home run of the season, a three-run opposite-field shot to left field. Brown has nine RBI in his last seven games.
Andrew Moritz finished a triple shy of the cycle with four hits for the second straight game. He went 4-for-5 with a home run, a double and two RBI. On the series, the outfielder is 8-for-10 with two homers, three doubles, two RBI and seven runs.
After three scoreless innings, Lugbauer hit a towering drive to the picnic pavilion past right field to make it 1-0 in the fourth. The M-Braves scored four more in the fifth. Lugbauer drove an RBI single to right field, and Brown hit a three-run homer to left field to extend their lead to 5-0. Lugbauer finished 3-for-4 with two home runs, a walk and five RBI.
LHP Dylan Dodd pitched into the sixth inning, going five-plus innings and allowing two runs off eight hits. Atlanta’s No. 18 prospect earned his first Double-A win and holds a 3.27 ERA in eight starts over 41 1/3 innings.
Leading 5-2, the M-Braves poured it on in the eighth. Lugbauer lasered a three-run home run to right, his second of the night. Jordan Cowan knocked in a run. Jalen Miller walked to score a run, and Justyn-Henry Malloy hit a sacrifice fly to make it 11-2 M-Braves.
Miller reached base four times, going 2-for-4 with two walks and an RBI. He has reached base nine times and drawn six walks this series.
The third game of the series is on Thursday at MGM Park. RHP Tanner Gordon (8-5, 5.50) makes the start for Mississippi against RHP Victor Castañeda (3-6, 4.07) for Biloxi. The first pitch is at 6:35 pm CT, with coverage starting at 6:20 pm CT on 103.9 WYAB, First Pitch App, and MiLB.tv.