M-Braves sweep doubleheader from Shuckers on Thursday night

PEARL, MS — Behind Drew Parrish and Ian Mejia's excellent pitching performances on Thursday night, the Mississippi Braves swept a doubleheader from the Biloxi Shuckers, 4-1 and 1-0 at Trustmark Park. The M-Braves (3-3) have won three straight games to open the homestand. The nightcap was an extra-inning walk-off in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Parrish (W, 1-0) and Mejia combined to give up one run over 15 innings, while five combined Mississippi hurlers held Biloxi scoreless for the 14-straight innings after Biloxi (2-4) scored their lone run in the top of the first in game one.

Parrish made his second appearance and first start of 2024 in game one, tossing 5.0 innings of one-run ball, striking out three, and walking one while scattering six hits. The 26-year-old was making his first start as a member of the Atlanta Braves organization after spending the first four years of his career with Kansas City.

Cody Milligan was 2-for-3 with a double, two runs, and three stolen bases and scored Mississippi's first run in the bottom of the third. The Braves went ahead 4-1 with a three-run bottom of the fifth inning, which included four walks and was capped off by a two-run single from Geraldo Quintero. The M-Braves drew seven walks in game one.

Domingo Gonzalez loaded the bases with free passes at the top of the sixth inning but struck out three straight Shucker batters to maintain the lead. Trey Riley (S, 1) tossed a scoreless seventh to secure the save.

Mejia dazzled over 6.0 shutout innings in the nightcap, with one walk and four strikeouts, surrendering just three hits in his home debut. Jake McSteen (W, 1-0) struck out three over 2.0 innings and preserved the scoreless game with two strikeouts in the top of the eighth. The Great Falls, VA native has opened 2024 with 4.1 innings of scoreless baseball.

Justin Dean was Mississippi's bonus runner in the bottom of the frame. He moved to third base on a groundout from Milligan and then scored on the Drake Baldwin infield single.

The M-Braves finished the night with six more stolen bases, giving the squad a Double-A best of 19 through the first six games. Milligan ranks second in the league with six steals, and Dean ranks third with five. The last three starting pitchers, JJ Niekro (Tuesday), Parrish, and Mejia, have combined for 17 innings of one-run baseball over the homestand.

The M-Braves will go for a fourth-straight win on Friday night at Trustmark Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm with LHP Luis De Avila (0-0, 9.00), starting in Mississippi against Biloxi RHP Bradley Blalock (1-0, 0.00). Coverage begins at 5:50 pm on 102.1 The Box, Bally Live, and MiLB.TV.

Friday Promotions:
Post-Game Fireworks: Stay after the game for an exciting Fireworks Show presented by William Carey University!
Magnetic Schedule Giveaway: The first 1,000 fans will receive a 2024 magnetic schedule presented By ChunkiT Axe Throwing and BreakiT Smash Rooms.