Wahoos stymie M-Braves to even series in Pensacola on Friday night

Just Dean was 3-for-4 with a double, RBI, and league-best eighth stolen base

By Chris Harris

June 4, 2021

PEARL, MS - The Pensacola Blue Wahoos evened the series at 2-2 on Friday night with a 4-1 victory over the Mississippi Braves at Blue Wahoos Stadium. The M-Braves, winners of six of their last eight games, fell back to .500 at 14-14 on the season with Friday's loss. The

*PEARL, MS *- The Pensacola Blue Wahoos evened the series at 2-2 on Friday night with a 4-1 victory over the Mississippi Braves at Blue Wahoos Stadium. The M-Braves, winners of six of their last eight games, fell back to .500 at 14-14 on the season with Friday's loss.

The Blue Wahoos (17-11) jumped ahead quickly in the bottom of the first inning. The first three hitters reached against M-Braves starter AJ Puckett, and JJ Bleday singled home Peyton Burdick to make it 1-0.

Puckett battled through 3+ innings in his third Double-A start, giving up just one run on three hits with one walk and four strikeouts. The Pepperdine product exhausted 31 pitches in the first inning, but after those first three reached, he retired nine of the next ten batters to close the outing.

The M-Braves tied the game at one in the third inning. Jalen Miller and Riley Unroe opened the frame with singles against Pensacola starter Will Stewart (W, 1-2), then Justin Dean had the second of his three hits, a single that scored Miller to tie the game. Dean ended the night with a season-best three-hit night, with a double, RBI, and league-leading eighth stolen base.

Chris Nunn (L, 0-2) came on after Puckett in relief for the M-Braves and struck out the side in the fourth inning before giving up a two-run home run to Jerar Encarnacion in the fifth that put the Wahoos back ahead, 3-1.

Pensacola tacked on one more run in the sixth inning when Tristan Pompey singled home former Ole Miss catcher Nick Fortes to make it 4-1.

Josh Graham and Emmanuel Ramirez tossed scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth, but Stewart and Pensacola relievers Tyler Stevens (H, 1) and Colton Hock (S, 7) retired 10-straight M-Braves batters to finish the game.

Game five of the six-game series is Saturday night at 6:05 pm from Blue Wahoos Stadium in Pensacola. RHP Jose Rodriguez (0-0, 0.00) will start for the M-Braves against RHP Max Meyer (2-1, 1.96) for the Wahoos. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm with coverage on 103.9 WYAB and mississippibraves.com.

The M-Braves will return to Trustmark Park on June 15 to begin a 12-game homestand against the Birmingham Barons and Tennessee Smokies. The homestand will feature two great giveaways. On Friday, June 18, the first 1,000 fans will get a Mississippi Braves beach towel, showcasing a panoramic photo of Trustmark Park, presented by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi. The first 1,500 fans on Friday, June 25, will get a Freddie Freeman replica jersey presented by Morgan & Morgan!

For tickets or more information about the M-Braves, visit mississippibraves.com or call 888-BRAVES4.