M-Braves Use Strong Pitching, Timely Hitting to Defeat Blue Wahoos 2-1

PEARL, MS - In a game that totaled one hour and 48 minutes of delays, the Mississippi Braves edged the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 2-1 on Thursday night at Trustmark Park. The M-Braves (10-14) won five of the last six games and took a 2-1 series lead over the Blue Wahoos (10-14).

Four M-Braves pitchers combined to give up just one run over nine innings. LHP Hayden Deal got his first win with 1.2 scoreless innings, and RHP Justin Maese picked up his fourth save.

LHP Jared Shuster tossed 5.1 innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts before exiting the game due to a rain delay. Shuster commanded his fastball well while mixing in a heavy dose of his sharp changeup.

After 44 minutes of delay leading up to the first pitch, the M-Braves wasted no time scoring. Yariel Gonzalez hit a looping line drive double into the corner of right field that scored Riley Delgado from first base to make it 1-0.

Michael Harris II pounded a double into the left field corner to extend his on-base streak to 24 games. Atlanta’s top prospect is currently on an 11-game hit streak, his longest of the season after opening with a 10-game hitting streak.

Shuster retired the first 13 batters in a row before surrendering a hit in the fifth inning.

One out into the sixth inning, 30 mile per hour winds rattled Trustmark Park. Rain poured onto the field. The umpires called a weather delay, and the game entered its second delay, lasting one hour and four minutes.

After the delay, Pensacola broke through in the sixth with an RBI single from Troy Johnston to tie the game at 1-1.

Andrew Moritz singled with one out in the seventh and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Trey Harris scorched a line drive into center field to bring in Moritz and retake the lead 2-1.

RHP Indigo Diaz tossed a scoreless eighth, and Maese shut the door with a strikeout of JD Osborne in the ninth.

The fourth game of the six-game series is on Friday at Trustmark Park. RHP Alan Rangel (1-1, 7.11) makes the start for Mississippi against RHP Eury Pérez (1-1, 5.29) for Pensacola. The first pitch is at 6:35 pm, with coverage starting at 6:20 pm on 103.9 WYAB, TuneIn Radio, First Pitch App, and MiLB.tv.

The World Series trophy tour stops at Trustmark Park tomorrow and will be on hand for the game. Fans can stop by the Farm Bureau Grill to take pictures with the trophy!

Fans can purchase tickets by visiting mississippibraves.com or by calling 888-BRAVES4.