Three-run first inning proves enough for Blue Wahoos in 3-1 win over Mississippi on Friday night

PEARL, MS (May 3, 2024) — The Pensacola Blue Wahoos scored three runs in the top of the first inning, and it was enough to give them a 3-1 victory over the Mississippi Braves on Friday night at Trustmark Park. Mississippi pitchers sat down 24 of the final 26 batters to close the game, including four no-hit innings by the bullpen.

After the three-run first inning, M-Braves starter JJ Niekro (L, 1-3) went on to cruise through the next four innings and retire 12 of the final 13 batters faced. In the first, though, Tanner Allen hit the game's first pitch off the left-field wall for a double. Niekro sat down the next two Wahoos batters but gave up three straight RBI knocks from Joe Mack, Bennett Hostetler, and Sean Roby. Niekro gave up the three runs on five hits, no walks, and four strikeouts.

The night belonged to Pensacola starter Evan Fitterer (W, 2-1). The right-hander completed 7.0 innings for the first time in his Double-A career and allowed only three hits, scattering two singles and a double in a scoreless start. Fitterer took a no-hitter into the fifth inning for the second start in a row and got 13 of his 21 outs on the ground.

Tyler Tolve broke up Fitterer's no-hit outing with a fifth-inning double. Nacho Alvarez Jr. reached in his first two at-bats on walks but was erased each time on a double play. Drake Baldwin and Yolbert Sanchez hit back-to-back singles in the seventh inning, but they were stranded on base.

The M-Braves bullpen was fabulous. Anthony Vizcaya, Rolddy Munoz, Patrick Halligan, and Hayden Harris combined to toss 4.0 innings of no-hit baseball, walking one and striking out seven. Munoz, the twin brother of former M-Braves right-hander Roddey Munoz, made his Double-A debut, striking out two.

Mississippi avoided the shutout in the bottom of the ninth inning when Cody Milligan opened the frame by getting hit by an Austin Roberts (S, 5) pitch. After a passed ball and defensive interference placed Milligan at third, Baldwin brought him in on a sacrifice fly.

Sanchez upped his hitting streak to seven games on Friday night and is 7-for-13 over his last three games.

The M-Braves and Blue Wahoos meet again at Trustmark Park on Saturday night for game five of the six-game set. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 pm with RHP Ian Mejia (1-0. 3.09) starting for Mississippi against RHP MD Johnson (0-2, 5.12) for Pensacola. Coverage begins at 5:50 pm on 102.1 The Box, Bally Live, and MiLB.tv.

Fans are invited to stay after Saturday night's game for another exciting Post-Game Fireworks Show presented by the Mississippi State Department of Health, Office of Tobacco Control!

For tickets and information on the latest promotions, visit mississippibraves.com.