Wren Steals Home, M-Braves beat Biscuits

Montgomery, AL - A four-run fifth inning helped the Mississippi Braves build up a big early lead, holding on to beat the Montgomery Biscuits 6-3 on Sunday night at Riverwalk Stadium.

Kyle Wren flashed his speed to kick off the scoring in the fifth, stealing home to extend the M-Braves' lead to 3-0. It was the second steal of home for Mississippi in a week, with Jose Peraza accomplishing the feat on June 30 against Huntsville.

Mississippi started the scoring in the third with a string of two-out hits. Wren, Matt Kennelly, Seth Loman and David Rohm knocked four straight singles. On Kennelly's base hit, centerfielder Kes Carter threw wildly past third to allow Wren to score, then Loman drove in Kennelly for a 2-0 lead.

Wren led off the fifth with a single but was stuck there until Rohm hit a two-out single to move him around to third. During the next at-bat, as catcher Luke Maile threw the ball back to reliever Jim Patterson, Wren broke for the plate and scored the third run of the day.

That set off a chain of two-out baserunners for the Braves (11-7; 50-37). Kyle Kubitza walked to put two men on and Daniel Castro clubbed a two-run double to extend the lead to 5-0. Barrett Kleinknecht then battled in a nine-pitch at-bat before doubling to left-center for a 6-0 lead, plating Castro.

The Biscuits (9-9; 44-44) threatened a big inning against Williams Perez in the bottom of the fifth. Carter led off with a double and Willie Argo walked before Perez retired the next two hitters. The third out remained elusive, as Taylor Motter and Cameron Seitzer hit back-to-back RBI singles to pull it to 6-2. Richie Shaffer walked to load the bases and chase Perez, but reliever Ryne Harper got Maile to pop out to end the inning.

Harper (6-3) earned the win in relief, throwing 2 1/3 scoreless innings on two hits. Perez allowed two earned runs on four hits over 4 2/3 innings, walking four and striking out two in the no-decision.

Grayson Garvin (0-4) took the loss for the Biscuits, allowing four runs on eight hits over 4 2/3 innings in the start.

After the wild fifth, Mississippi held the Biscuits at bay until the eighth when Andrew Robinson made his Braves debut, allowing just a solo home run to Alejandro Segovia to make it 6-3.

John Cornely pitched a perfect ninth to nail down his first save of the year.

Now the Braves will try to even the series in Monday night's game four of five, with right-hander Ryan Weber (3-2, 3.84) scheduled to get the start against right-hander Victor Mateo (8-6, 3.73) for the Biscuits. First pitch is slated for 7:05 PM CT.

Listen live to Kyle Tait on the call beginning at 6:30 PM CT on 103.9 WYAB and online at MississippiBraves.com.

 

Mississippi Braves (11-7; 50-37) 6 R        13 H       1 E
Montgomery Biscuits (9-9; 44-44)            3 R          8 H       1 E

 

W - Harper (6-3)
L - Garvin (0-4)
S - Cornely (1)

Time - 3:08

Attendance - 2,158