M-Braves drop third-straight one-run game to Wahoos despite homers by Milligan and Parker

PENSACOLA, FL (June 8, 2024) — The Mississippi Braves jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning on Saturday night, but the Pensacola Blue Wahoos rallied for a 7-6 victory to take a 3-2 series lead. Cody Milligan and Brandon Parker homered in the loss at Blue Wahoos Stadium. It was the third-straight one-run loss to the Wahoos.

Milligan stepped to the plate in the top of the first inning as Pensacola starter Paul Campbell finished his warm-up pitches and promptly smashed the game's first pitch 408 feet to straightaway center for a home run. The next three batters followed Milligan by reaching base safely. Nacho Alvarez Jr. drew a walk and Drake Baldwin and Yolbert Sanchez hit back-to-back singles, scoring Alvarez to make it 2-0. Bryson Horne hit an RBI groundout to make it 3-0, and Sanchez scored on a wild pitch to cap off Mississippi's third four-run inning of the series.

Jake McSteen made his third-straight start on Saturday and took the mound with a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. The 28-year-old lefty tossed a pair of shutout innings but surrendered a run in the third on a Nathan Marterella RBI single. McSteen threw a season-most 71 pitches and exited after back-to-back strikeouts in the fourth inning. He allowed one run on three hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

The Blue Wahoos pulled within a run when the league's hottest hitter, Joe Mack, hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning to make it a 4-3 game. Mack has homered in four straight games for the Wahoos and has eight on the year. Patrick Halligan pitched 2.1 innings behind McSteen, striking out three and walking none, scattering three hits and two runs.

The M-Braves extended the lead to 5-3 in the top of the seventh inning on a Parker solo home run down the left-field line. The homer was initially called a foul ball, but when the umpires got together, the call was overturned. Parker has three home runs over the last week and is 5-for-9 in the series with four runs. The Saucier, MS native has four home runs on the year.

Pensacola took control of the game in the seventh inning. Jorge Juan (L, 0-4) took over on the mound and walked the first two batters. Paul McIntosh brought both home with a double to tie the game at 5-5. Jacob Berry doubled off the right field wall two batters later, handing the Wahoos a 7-5 lead.

The M-Braves tacked on a run in the top of the eighth inning on an RBI ground out by Sanchez. Domingo Gonzalez provided quality relief by striking out four over 1.1 innings.

Alvarez Jr. walked three times on Saturday and leads the club, ranking fourth in the league with 28. Baldwin was 2-for-3, and Parker was 2-for-3 in the 7-6 loss. Cal Conley ended the night 0-for-4, which stopped the longest active on-base streak in the league at 15.

The M-Braves and Blue Wahoos will wrap up their six-game series on Sunday afternoon at Blue Wahoos Stadium. First pitch is set for 4:05 pm with RHP David Fletcher (0-0, 1.50) starting for Mississippi against LHP Jonathan Bermudez (2-3, 1.88) for Pensacola. Coverage begins at 1:50 on 102.1 The Box, Bally Live, and MiLB.tv.

The M-Braves will return to Trustmark Park for a six-game homestand against the Rocket City Trash Pandas, June 11-16. The homestand features a Welcome to Summer Weekend with a Mississippi Braves Beach Towel Giveaway on Friday, June 14, and an Island-Themed Post-Game Fireworks on Saturday, June 15. For tickets and more information, visit mississippibraves.com.