Mejia tosses gem, Dean homers as M-Braves get first road win on Wednesday night

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Ian Mejia (W, 1-0) tossed six innings of one-run ball and struck out a career-high nine batters on Wednesday night to help the Mississippi Braves snap a four-game losing streak and earn their first road win of the year. The M-Braves toppled the Barons 5-3 at Regions Field to even up the series at 1-1.

Wednesday night's game was wild. Mejia made his third start of the season and logged his second quality start. In addition to the nine strikeouts, the 24-year-old from Tucson, AZ, allowed just two hits. Birmingham (6-5) got their lone run in the bottom of the third inning. Alsander Womack hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Duke Ellis, who walked, stole second, and reached third on an error.

The run in the bottom of the third inning tied the game because Mississippi (4-7) cracked the scoreboard first in the top of the inning. Justin Dean entered Wednesday's game fourth in the league in batting at .348 and reached in his first at-bat on a walk. Two batters later, Nacho Alvarez Jr. hit a squibber down the third base line for an infield single to score Dean.

The game remained even until the top of the sixth inning. Birmingham starter and White Sox 19th-ranked prospect Ky Bush (L, 0-1) walked Cal Conley to start the inning and then plunked Keshawn Ogans in the helmet. With one out, former Baron Yolbert Sanchez laced a double down the left-field line to score both and give the Braves a 3-1 lead.

Hayden Harris provided solid relief when Mejia left after the sixth. The 24-year-old struck out five over two scoreless innings.

The game was played through a steady drizzle, which turned into steady rain in the ninth. Brandon Parker was 1-for-3 and drew a walk to begin the inning. After a pop-out from Javier Vades, Dean extended the lead. The M-Braves right-fielder blasted a Caleb Freeman pitch over the four-story scoreboard in left to up the lead to 5-1. It was Dean's first home run of the season and second for the club.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Domingo Gonzalez relieved Harris on the mound and got to a 2-2 count on Barons first baseman Tim Elko. After back-to-back pitches slipped out of Gonzalez's hand, play was halted. After a 19-minute delay, which included field maintenance, play resumed. Elko singled to center, and Michael Turner followed with a walk. Gonzalez got Ellis to ground out and struck out Womack but gave up a walk to Terrell Tatum and an RBI double to Brooks Baldwin. Birmingham's third run scored on a wild pitch. M-Braves manager Angel Flores called on 6-9 right-hander Jorge Juan (S, 1) to get the final out. Juan struck out Wilfred Veras on a nasty slider to end the game.

Mississippi was 3-for-4 in stealing bases on Wednesday night, pushing its season total to a Double-A-best 29. Alvarez Jr. was 2-for-4, and Sanchez was 2-for-4 to pace a seven-hit night.

The M-Braves and Barons meet again on Thursday evening at Regions Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 pm with Mississippi sending LHP Luis De Avila (0-1, 7.36) to the mound against Birmingham RHP Drew Thorpe (2-0, 0.82). Coverage begins at 6:45 pm on 102.1 The Box, Bally Live, and MiLB.tv. The M-Braves return to Trustmark Park for a six-game series against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos from April 30 to May 5. For tickets and information on the latest promotions, visit mississippibraves.com.