M-Braves Fall Late in Tight Game Against Pensacola

PEARL, MS – The Mississippi Braves (41-49, 8-14) battled to tie the game in the seventh, but a ninth-inning sacrifice fly lifted the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (55-36, 14-9) to a second straight one-run win on Wednesday night at Trustmark Park.

The M-Braves dropped their seventh straight one-run game and have lost seven of their last eight games. Cody Milligan went 3-for-4 with two doubles and sparked the tying run in the seventh, but Pensacola’s late run proved to be the difference.

Trailing 1-0 in the second, Tyler Tolve led off the inning with a double down the right-field line. Two batters later, Jesse Franklin V knocked him in with a line drive to center to tie the game. Landon Stephens laced an RBI base hit to left field to give the M-Braves a 2-1 lead after two innings.

Tyler Owens delivered four innings of one-run ball in his Trustmark Park debut. After allowing a run in the first inning, Owens gave up just one hit and retired nine of 10 in the final three innings of his start. The right-hander was promoted from High-A Rome on July 14.

The M-Braves loaded the bases in the fifth, but a tremendous double play by Jose Devers ended the threat. Devers took a high chopper off the dirt and stepped on third base before throwing to first to complete the 5-3 double play. Pensacola scored two runs on three hits in the sixth to retake the lead at 3-2.

In the seventh, Cade Bunnell led off with a single to right field. With two outs, Milligan punched a line drive into right center. Milligan tried to stretch the play into a double, and the throw to second base got away. In the commotion, Bunnell scored from third base to tie the game at 3-3.

Milligan went 3-for-4 with two doubles. Since returning from the injured list, Milligan is batting .300 (12-for-40) with four doubles, four RBI, seven walks and eight runs.

Alec Barger retired six straight hitters in the seventh and eighth innings. The right-hander has allowed two runs in his last eight innings.

Pensacola brought in a run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Dalvy Rosario to take a 4-3 lead. For the second straight night, Jefry Yan earned the save, his 10th of the season, with a pair of strikeouts in a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

The third game of the series is on Thursday night at Trustmark Park. RHP Alan Rangel (1-10, 5.97) will make the start Mississippi while LHP Luis Palacios (6-5, 3.64) will start for Pensacola. The first pitch is at 6:35 pm CT, with coverage starting 15 minutes before on 102.1 The Box, MiLB First Pitch App, and Bally Live.