M-Braves flex muscles, power past Smokies 7-2 to stop skid

KODAK, TN (June 20, 2024) — The Mississippi Braves flexed their muscles on Friday night behind homers from Geraldo Quintero, Javier Valdes, and Bryson Worrell, beating the Tennessee Smokies 7-2 at Smokies Stadium. The win, which stopped a three-game skid, was led by Quintero's 3-for-4 night at the plate, which included a homer, two doubles, and three runs.

Justin Dean set the tone early by smashing the game's first pitch from Smokies starter Alex Troop for a triple to the right-center gap. Cal Conley gave Mississippi (30-36) a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly to score Dean.

Luis De Avila has been saddled with poor run support in 2024, but the M-Braves offense has pounded out 16 runs over his last two starts. The southpaw didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning and eventually worked 5.0 innings of two-run baseball on three hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

After Tennessee (39-27) tied the game in the fourth inning, the M-Braves answered right back with back-to-back doubles from Quintero and Sebastian Rivero in the top of the fifth. Christian Franklin brought the Smokies back even with a solo home run in the fifth inning, tying the game at 2-2.

The M-Braves bullpen was brilliant behind De Avila, with Jorge Juan (W, 1-4), Austin Smith (H, 1), Jake McSteen (H, 5), and Domingo Gonzalez combined to give up just one hit over the final four innings of the game.

The Braves went ahead for good on Quintero's third home run of the season in the top of the seventh inning. Leading 3-2 in the ninth, Mississippi added four insurance runs on a solo home run by Valdes and a three-run shot from Worrell. Valdes has homered in back-to-back games, and Worrell homered in his first game with Mississippi this season. The East Carolina product joined the M-Braves roster on Thursday and has played at each full-season minor league affiliate this season.

Mississippi had seven of their nine hits being extra-base hits, holding Tennessee to just four hits in the win. The M-Braves continue to try and play spoiler as Tennessee remains a half-game back of Birmingham in the Southern League North Division standings with two left in the first half of the season.

Game five of the six-game road series in Tennessee is on Saturday night at Smokies Stadium. The first pitch is set for 6:00 pm CT with RHP David Fletcher (0-1, 4.67) starting for Mississippi against RHP Matthew Thompson (1-3, 4.66) for Tennessee. Coverage begins at 5:45 pm CT on 102.1 The Box, Bally Live, and MiLB.tv.

The M-Braves return to Trustmark Park to begin the second half, June 25-30, against the Montgomery Biscuits. The series features a Blues & Brews Replica Jersey Giveaway on Friday, June 28, Disability Awareness Night, Special Jersey Auction on Saturday, June 29, and Post-Game Fireworks presented by the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services.