Rocket City takes the series opener from M-Braves 4-3 on Tuesday night

MADISON, AL (May 7, 2024) — Tuesday night's series opener at Toyota Field got off to a fast start and appeared to be a slugfest between the Rocket City Trash Pandas and Mississippi Braves. All seven runs were scored in the first three innings, and Rocket City (14-13) took the opener 4-3 over the M-Braves (9-19).

Drew Parrish (L, 2-3) made his seventh appearance and sixth start and logged 6.0 innings for a third straight start. The left-hander out of Florida State gave up four runs on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

Mississippi came out of the gates firing on all cylinders. To start the game, Cody Milligan smacked a single to right field and immediately scored on a Nacho Alvarez Jr. double down the left field line. Alvarez was thrown out at third base trying to advance on the throw home. Alvarez has hit in eight of his last ten games and was 2-for-4 on Tuesday.

Rocket City answered right back in the bottom of the first inning when 18-year-old Angels top prospect Nelson Rada led off with a single and scored on a two-run Eric Wagaman home run.

The M-Braves were not deterred and tied and re-took the lead in the top of the second inning. Tyler Tolve and Brandon Parker started the frame with back-to-back singles registering 100+ mph exit velocities. Cal Conley sacrificed them up a base, and Bryson Horne lined an RBI single to right field, tying the game. The next batter, Justin Dean, hit a sacrifice fly to right, bringing in the go-ahead run in Parker.

Rocket City tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the second. The 20-year-old sixth-ranked Angels prospect Denzer Guzman homered with one out in his first Double-A at-bat. The Trash Pandas took a 4-3 lead in the fourth inning on a Gustavo Campero RBI single to shallow left field.

Once again, the M-Braves bullpen was fantastic. Parker Dunshee and Anthony Vizcaya logged scoreless innings. Vizcaya loaded the bases with one out but escaped the jam. Rocket City's bullpen covered 5.0 scoreless innings behind their starter Jack Kochanowicz.

For the third straight Wednesday, the M-Braves will start at 11:05 a.m. Game two with the Trash Pandas will feature RHP Hurston Waldrep (1-3, 4.38) on the mound for Mississippi against RHP Victor Mederos (1-2, 6.94) for the Pandas. Coverage begins at 10:50 a.m. on 102.1 The Box, Bally Live, and MiLB.tv.

The M-Braves return to Trustmark Park for a six-game homestand against the Biloxi Shuckers, May 14-19. The homestand features Thirsty Thursday Blues and Brews, featuring a Trucker Cap Giveaway to the first 333 adults on May 16, a Commemorative 20th Year of Trustmark Park T-Shirt to the first 1,000 fans on Friday, May 17, and a Post-Game Fireworks after the game on Saturday, May 18. For tickets and information on the latest promotions, visit mississippibraves.com.