Vines Shines Again, Four-Run Seventh Powers M-Braves to 6-3 Win Over Blue Wahoos

Vines perfect through first five innings, Waddell hits two-run homer

By Jack Sadighian

May 8, 2022

Photo by Mike Krebs PEARL, MS - RHP Darius Vines was perfect through the first five innings, and the Mississippi Braves exploded for four runs in the seventh to beat the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Sunday afternoon at Trustmark Park. The M-Braves (11-16) split the series 3-3 with Pensacola (12-15).

Photo by Mike Krebs

PEARL, MS - RHP Darius Vines was perfect through the first five innings, and the Mississippi Braves exploded for four runs in the seventh to beat the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Sunday afternoon at Trustmark Park.

The M-Braves (11-16) split the series 3-3 with Pensacola (12-15).

Luke Waddell started the scoring with a 2-run homer to the right field bullpen in the fourth inning to make it 2-0. Waddell finished 1-for-2, reaching three times.

Waddell recorded 14 RBI in the last 14 games and is currently on a seven-game hitting streak. Atlanta’s 2021 fifth round pick is hitting .295 with two home runs and 18 RBI.

Vines tossed five perfect innings to start the game and gave up his first baserunner in the sixth inning. The right-hander struck out a career-high 11 batters and went 6.1 innings before giving up a home run and exiting the game in the seventh.

Pensacola took its first lead of the game 3-2 with three runs in the seventh.

In the bottom of the inning, the M-Braves scored four runs off three hits and a Pensacola error. With two runners in scoring position, Andrew Moritz scored Drew Lugbauer with a sacrifice fly to right field to tie the game at 3-3. Then, Riley Delgado reached on an infield single that scored Yariel Gonzalez to retake the lead at 4-3. Michael Harris II doubled to put two runners in scoring position, and Justin Dean brought them home with a two-run triple to left center to make it 6-3.

Harris II extended his on-base streak to 27 games and hit streak to 14 games. Atlanta’s top prospect went 2-for-4 with a double and is hitting .319 with four home runs and 20 RBI.

Atlanta transferred Dean from Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday. Dean finished the series with two hits, a triple, a stolen base and 3 RBI in four games.

RHP Indigo Diaz picked up his second save with a scoreless ninth inning that included two strikeouts.

The M-Braves return to action on Tuesday for a six-game road series against the Chattanooga Lookouts. RHP Tanner Gordon (0-1, 43.20) makes the start for Mississippi to start the series. The first pitch is at 7:15 pm, with coverage starting at 6:50 pm on 103.9 WYAB, TuneIn Radio, First Pitch App, and MiLB.tv.