Generals Fall To Mississippi In Opener

Jackson, Tenn. - Facing a Major League veteran for the second time in six days, the Jackson Generals were outdone, dropping a 6-4 decision to the Mississippi Braves on Tuesday night. Jackson first baseman Kevin Cron hit his league-leading 12th home run of the year to bring the Generals within two, though their late rally came up short.
Mississippi (25-26) overcame a sloppy defensive effort in the early innings, as the Generals scored a pair of unearned runs on starter Kris Medlen in the first and fourth innings. Medlen, making his first rehab start at Double-A, finished 4.1 innings with 80 pitches, allowing six hits with two walks, four strikeouts, and one earned run. 

The Generals (27-24) put the tying run on base in the ninth inning, as Mississippi's Rex Brothers (S, 1) issued two-out walks to Colin Walsh and Cron. The lefty then got Rudy Flores to fly out to deep left field, shutting the door on Jackson.
Cron's eighth-inning home run off Luis Gohara was the only bump in an otherwise smooth road for the Mississippi relief corps. The M-Braves used Gohara, Brothers, and Danny Reynolds (1-2, 5.11 ERA) over the final 4.2 innings, striking out nine Generals batters in that span.
An abbreviated start from Brad Keller (3-3, 4.60 ERA) drew the Generals' bullpen into the fray in the third inning. Brooks Hall, working in relief for the first time since April, struggled to get going, working only through 1.2 innings before giving way to Yuhei Nakaushiro. By the time Nakaushiro entered to begin the fifth inning, the Generals had already ceded five runs to the M-Braves. Nakaushiro and Miller Diaz worked the final five innings while allowing only five hits and one earned run the rest of the way.
After a trio of hits gave Mississippi a 1-0 lead in the first, Walsh did his best to take advantage of the M-Braves' lackluster defense. A throwing error by shortstop Reed Harper allowed Walsh to reach first, and he induced another throwing error on a pickoff move from Medlen to first base. Walsh made a mad dash for second base as Mississippi first baseman Joey Meneses went to grab the errant throw, and then the throw by Meneses veered past second base, scooting into center field as Walsh hopped up and raced safely to third base. A Flores single plated Walsh shortly thereafter for the Generals' first run.
Jackson made things interesting once again in the fourth. Dawel Lugo, Oscar Hernández, and Evan Marzilli began the inning with back-to-back-to-back hits to score Lugo with the team's second run, cutting the lead to 5-2. Kevin Medrano reached on another throwing error by Harper, loading the bases with nobody out. Following a strikeout, a fielder's choice from Victor Reyes scored Hernandez from third base to make it 5-3. The two-run margin was as close as Jackson would get.
The start of the game was delayed by rain for an hour and 34 minutes. Cron, Lugo, and Marzilli each tallied two hits.  
The Generals continue their home series against the Mississippi Braves through Saturday, June 2. The series includes a Thrifty Thursday game at 6:05 pm CT on June 1st, with a variety of affordable concession items and general admission tickets available. Friday night's game will be Leaders Credit Union Food Truck Friday, featuring some of the best mobile cuisine in West Tennessee! Friday will also mark the reincarnation of the Generals' alter-ego, the Hub City Hippos! Hippos merchandise can be purchased in the team store at The Ballpark, or by phone for order to be shipped around the country! 
Saturday is Star Wars Night! Travel to a galaxy far, far away as your favorite characters from the famous movie franchise are sure to make their way to West Tennessee. Additionally, a pair of lucky fans chosen at the game will get to continue the Star Wars experience with a trip to Hollywood Studios in Florida! Saturday's Star Wars festivities and the post-game fireworks show are made possible by the support of Hardeman County Correctional Facility.
As a bonus, Generals players will wear special Admiral Ackbar-themed jerseys to pay homage to the sci-fi flicks! The jerseys will be auctioned off online following the game, with proceeds benefitting the Generals Care Foundation. The team is also giving away Generals jersey t-shirts to the first 1,000 fans through the gates on Saturday night, a gift courtesy of Reinhausen Manufacturing!
Make sure to get your tickets now to see the 20^th season of professional baseball in Jackson, and the first for the team as an affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks! Call the team at (731) 988.5299, stop by The Ballpark or go online to jacksongeneralsbaseball.com to secure your seats now!