M-Braves score two runs in the ninth for a walk-off win over Trash Pandas in Madison

The M-Braves bullpen allowed no hits over the final 6.2 innings

By Chris Harris

June 16, 2024

MADISON, ALA (June 16, 2024) — The Mississippi Braves scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to walk off the Rocket City Trash Pandas with a 3-2 victory at Toyota Field. Mississippi won the series, taking four of five in the home-away-from-home series in Madison. The M-Braves

MADISON, ALA (June 16, 2024) — The Mississippi Braves scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to walk off the Rocket City Trash Pandas with a 3-2 victory at Toyota Field. Mississippi won the series, taking four of five in the home-away-from-home series in Madison. The M-Braves bullpen didn't give up a hit from Rocket City over the final 6.2 innings, allowing for the comeback.

Down 2-1 heading to the bottom of the ninth inning, Tyler Tolve led off with a walk against Rocket City (32-20) reliever Nick Jones. The Pandas called on their closer, Michael Darrell-Hicks (L, 5-3), with the tying run on base. Javier Valdes bounced into a fielder's choice for the first out, but Brandon Parker followed with a single, moving pinch-runner Keshawn Ogans to third base. David Fletcher sent a single into left field, scoring Ogans to tie the game. Cal Conley worked a long at-bat but eventually struck out for the second out of the inning. Yolbert Sanchez delivered the winning swing with a bloop single to center, bringing home Parker, and the M-Braves (29-33) celebrated on Rocket City's field with a 3-2 victory.

Jake McSteen made his third-straight start and worked the first 2.1 innings, scattering five hits and two runs, walking one and striking out two. Jorge Juan, Anthony Vizcaya, Jonathan Hughes, Hayden Harris, and Domingo Gonzalez (W, 1-1) worked 6.2 innings of no-hit baseball to close the game. The five relievers combined to strike out seven and walked three. Gonzalez pitched the final 2.0 innings with no walks and two strikeouts.

Mississippi tied the game at 1-1 in the second inning on a bases-loaded walk from Valdes. Bryson Horne singled to start the inning and finished 2-for-4. Rocket City grabbed the lead back 2-1 in the third inning and remained that way until the ninth.

Parker was 1-for-4 on Sunday, running his team-best on-base streak to 12 games. Cody Milligan was on base three times, going 1-for-2 with two walks.

The M-Braves will take Monday to travel to Kodak, TN, before opening a six-game series against the Tennessee Smokies on Tuesday at Smokies Stadium. The first pitch on Tuesday is scheduled for 6:00 pm CT with coverage on 102.1 The Box, Bally Live, and MiLB.tv.