M-Braves strike early and hang on for a 7-5 win on Saturday night in Pensacola 

PENSACOLA, FL (August 31, 2024) — The Mississippi Braves scored five runs in the first inning on Saturday, jumped out to a 6-0 lead, and held on for a 7-5 victory over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos at Blue Wahoos Stadium. The second-straight win gives Mississippi a 3-2 series edge and pulls the club within 3.0 games of first-place Montgomery and 1.5 games of Biloxi for the wildcard spot.

Cal Conley had another excellent night. The M-Braves' leadoff hitter hit the go-ahead home run in Friday's game and reached base safely three times on Saturday, collecting two hits, two steals, and scoring a run. Conley opened the five-run first inning by getting hit by a Robby Snelling (L, 1-1) pitch. David Fletcher followed Conley with a single. The two succeeded with a double steal, which gave Conley his career-best 40th stolen base of the year. David McCabe put Mississippi (29-27, 60-64) on the board with an RBI groundout. Ethan Workinger made it 2-0 with a single to left. After a Yolbert Sanchez hit, Cody Milligan smacked a two-run triple off the glove of Pensacola centerfielder Andrew Pintar, and it was 4-0. The M-Braves tacked on the fifth run with an RBI groundout by Adam Zebrowski.

Lucas Braun (W, 4-1) continued his strikeout bonanza with eight more on Saturday night but gave up a pair of two-run home runs. Paul McIntosh hit the first of his two long balls in the second inning to trim the lead to 6-2, and Nathan Martorella added a two-run shot in the sixth to make it 6-4.

Braun exited after 6.0 innings, four runs, four hits, one walk, and eight strikeouts. Over his last three starts, the 23-year-old right-hander has 28 strikeouts in 19.2 innings.

McIntosh struck again to make it a one-run game at 6-5 in the seventh inning with a solo home run off of M-Braves' reliever Ryan Bourassa.

Workinger opened the eighth inning with a double and scored an insurance run on a groundout from Milligan.

Roddery Munoz walked one and struck out one in a scoreless eighth inning, and Jorge Juan (S, 4) came on to pitch the bottom of the ninth. Juan created some drama by giving up a single, walk, and hit batsman to load the bases with one out, but the 6-9 right-hander got Pintar to line into a double play on a 110 mph laser to short-stop Conley.

Sanchez was 1-for-4 and extended his hitting streak to six games - plus, he's reached base safely in 15 of his last 18 games. Conley added his 41st stolen bases in the second inning and is just the second M-Braves player to steal 40 bases in a single season, joining Justin Dean.

Sunday afternoon will be the final meeting between the Mississippi Braves and Pensacola Blue Wahoos (26-29, 64-59). The first pitch from Blue Wahoos Stadium is set for 4:05 pm with RHP Jhancarlos Lara (0-1, 3.18) starting for Mississippi against LHP Patrick Monteverde (3-3, 5.06) for Pensacola. Coverage begins at 3:50 pm on 102.1 The Box, Bally Live, and MiLB.tv.

The final homestand is September 3-8 against the Tennessee Smokies at Trustmark Park. The historic final homestand will include a Mystery Giveaway on Friday, September 6, featuring bobbleheads and other collector's items. Saturday, September 7, is the final Post-Game Fireworks Show, and on Sunday, September 8, the first 1,000 fans will get Mississippi Braves Collectors Coin, commemorating the Farewell Season of Mississippi Braves baseball. Before the final home game, fans can come onto the field and take photos with M-Braves players and coaches. Fans can purchase tickets by visiting mississippibraves.com or calling the box office at 888-BRAVES4 to book their group.

PHOTO BY NINO MENDEZ