M-Braves use a six-run eighth to beat Pensacola 6-3 in Tuesday's series opener 

PENSACOLA, FL (June 4, 2024) — Tuesday night was fun. In the series opener at Blue Wahoos Stadium, the Mississippi Braves used a six-run eighth inning to roll past the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, 6-3. Bryson Horne reached base safely four times, and David Fletcher, using a knuckleball, tossed 6.0 innings of one-run baseball. The series opening win stopped Mississippi's four-game losing streak.

The M-Braves added Fletcher to the roster on Saturday, and the seven-year major league veteran led off on Sunday and played shortstop, finishing 1-for-4 in the series finale against Montgomery. On Tuesday, Fletcher made his second-ever start as a pitcher and was terrific. The 30-year-old threw 77 pitches, mostly knuckleballs in the mid-60s, to strike out two and walk two, allowing two hits and one run in 6.0 innings.

It seemed the Blue Wahoos (27-24) had Fletcher figured out in the first inning. Joe Mack hit a one-out double, and Nathan Martorella followed with an RBI single to put Pensacola up 1-0. Fletcher didn't allow another hit in the outing. Fletcher made his first-ever start last Wednesday for Gwinnett, in a 5-2 in Norfolk, and had made four previous appearances in relief. Fletcher appeared in five games for Atlanta this season and has a career .276 batting average in 539 major league games, mostly with the Angels. He is scheduled to play the infield three days this week, then start again in Sunday's series finale.

Pensacola starter Jonathan Bermudez didn't allow a hit over his first five innings until Horne singled with one out in the sixth. Bermudez tossed 6.0 shutout innings, giving up one hit.

The M-Braves bats came alive in the eighth inning against reliever Patrick Murphy. Sending ten batters to the plate, Mississippi matched a season-high with six runs in an inning. Geraldo Quintero started the scoring with a two-strike, two-run double down the left field line to put the M-Braves up 2-1. The next batter, Drake Baldwin, hit a two-run single to make it 4-1. Keshawn Ogans capped off the inning with two outs with a two-run single.

Pensacola tacked on two runs in the bottom of the eighth but got no closer than 6-3. Patrick Halligan (W, 2-0) earned the win with a scoreless seventh inning, and Domingo Gonzalez struck out two in the ninth to log his fifth save.

The win on Tuesday night ended Mississippi's four-game losing streak. Cal Conley was 1-for-4 with a run and extended his on-base streak to 13 games, matching a club-high this season. Mississippi was 4-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

The M-Braves and Blue Wahoos meet again on Wednesday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium. First pitch is set for 6:05 pm with RHP Ian Mejia (5-0, 1.45) starting for Mississippi against LHP Luis Palacios (2-3, 4.97) for Pensacola. Coverage begins at 5:50 pm 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.