Extra-base hits spur Shuckers to victory over M-Braves

PEARL, MS -- After two dominant pitching performances by M-Braves starters in the first two games of the series, Biloxi exploded for seven runs on 13 hits to get their first win of the year at Trustmark Park. The Mississippi Braves (29-29) fell 7-1 to the Biloxi Shuckers (31-27) in game three Tuesday night, as Biloxi starter Angel Ventura held the Braves offense at bay over seven strong innings.
Mississippi starter Kolby Allard went just three innings before being pulled from the game. Allard struggled with command, walking three of the first four batters he faced to start the game. Biloxi jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to three walks, two errors and a single in the first.

After a perfect second, Allard ran into trouble again in the third. Blake Allemand hit his first of three doubles on the night with one out. Jacob Nottingham then singled to put runners at the corners before Allard gave up an RBI-single to Dustin DeMuth, giving the Shuckers a 3-1 lead.
The M-Braves got their lone run in the second on Connor Lien's sixth homer of the year, a solo shot onto the grass berm underneath the scoreboard in left field. Lien added a double later in the ballgame and was the only M-Braves' batter with multiple hits.
In relief, Mississippi used four different pitchers to patch together the final six innings. Chad Sobotka threw the fourth and fifth innings, allowing two runs on two hits in the fourth. Danny Reynolds and Rex Brothers combined for three scoreless innings before giving way to Michael Mader in the ninth.
Mader was tapped for three straight doubles to start the inning, plating the final two runs of the game.
Offensively, the M-Braves were befuddled by the right arm of Angel Ventura. Ventura allowed one run on three hits over seven innings with just one walk and six strikeouts. From the second to seventh innings, Ventura retired 15 straight Mississippi batters without allowing a runner.
Lien did the most damage at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a homer and double. Ronald Acuña Jr., Travis Demeritte, Joey Meneses and Jared James each added a single, but Mississippi never pieced hits together in the same inning.
Game four is set for 7:00 PM Wednesday at Trustmark Park. The M-Braves lead the series 2-games-to-1.
Biloxi: 7 - 13 - 0
Mississippi: 1 - 6 - 2
WP: Ventura (3-4)
LP: Allard (4-3)
Attn: 2,052
Time: 2:50