KODAK, TN - Tyler Marlette and Daniel Lockhart hit solo home runs but the Mississippi Braves dropped the rubber match of the five-game series against the Tennessee Smokies on Monday 3-2 at Smokies Stadium. The Smokies won the series, 3-2, and Mississippi wraps up the ten-game road trip with a
KODAK, TN - Tyler Marlette and Daniel Lockhart hit solo home runs but the Mississippi Braves dropped the rubber match of the five-game series against the Tennessee Smokies on Monday 3-2 at Smokies Stadium. The Smokies won the series, 3-2, and Mississippi wraps up the ten-game road trip with a 5-5 record.
The Smokies jumped ahead against M-Braves starting pitcher Enderson Franco (L, 1-4) with two runs in the first inning on a double to right-center from Yasiel Balaguert. The run-scoring two-bagger was set up by a one-out single from Zach Short and walk to Jason Vosler.
Marlette launched a 410 foot home run to straightaway center field in the top of the second inning and trimmed the deficit to 2-1. The homer extended Marlette's hitting streak to six games.
Franco allowed a leadoff single in the bottom of the second inning from former Delta State star Trent Giambrone and he promptly stole second. He advanced to third on a Franco throwing error and scored to make it 3-1 on a Michael Rucker (W, 4-2) sacrifice fly.
The 25-year-old Franco settled down after the second inning and retired the next 12 straight Smokies hitters to finish his outing. In his seventh straight start, he allowed three runs, two earned on three hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
Lockhart cut the Smokies lead to 3-2 with a solo shot to center on the first pitch from Rucker in the fifth inning. It was Lockhart's second home run of the year, each coming against Rucker.
M-Braves relievers Chad Sobotka (1.0) and Corbin Clouse (2.0) combined to shutout the Smokies over the final three innings, but the offense could not complete the comeback.
Travis Demeritte collected a one-out ninth-inning single against Tennessee reliever Craig Brooks (S, 3), but he was left stranded on base.
The M-Braves will return home to Trustmark Park on Wednesday for a five-game series against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. RHP Kyle Wright (2-4, 4.53) will start for the Braves against a to be determined starter for Jacksonville. The game will feature two promotions in AMR First Responders Wednesday presented by AMR (All First Responders/Emergency Response personnel, including law enforcement and firefighters, may purchase a $7 ticket in all seating areas, excluding Suite Level, when presenting ID. Excluding July 4) and Strike Out Hunger presented by the Mississippi Food Network (Fans who bring a canned food item to the Trustmark Park Box Office will receive a voucher for one $3 Field Level ticket).
