M-Braves take series over Barons with second straight walk-off win on Sunday

PEARL, MS (July 14, 2024) — For the second straight day, the Mississippi Braves walked off with a win over the Birmingham Barons at Trustmark Park. Sunday's 5-4 victory, thanks to Justin Dean's ninth-inning RBI single, gave the M-Braves a 4-2 series win heading into the All-Star Break.

The M-Braves trailed 4-3 entering the bottom of the ninth inning. Yolbert Sanchez and Cody Milligan started the frame with back-to-back singles. Sebastian Rivero bunted the runners into scoring position for the first out. The Barons chose to walk Bryson Horne to load the bases intentionally. Andrew Dalquist (L, 1-3) picked up a strikeout for the second out but walked Brandon Parker to bring home Sanchez and tie the game at 4-4. Dean followed with a single off Dalquist's leg, and Milligan crossed the plate, scoring the game-winning run before Birmingham shortstop Jacob Gonzalez could make a play.

Drew Parrish started the game and tossed 5.0 innings of two-run baseball, striking out seven and walking none is his return from Triple-A Gwinnett. The M-Braves handed Parrish a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning. Keshawn Ogans extended his on-base streak to 17 games with a walk, and Sanchez tripled him home for the first run. Rivero laid down a successful squeeze bunt to score Sanchez, and it was 2-0.

The Barons tied the game with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning and went ahead with two more in the top of the sixth. Once again, Sanchez helped Mississippi get their third run across in the bottom of the sixth. Cal Conley logged his second hit of the game to start the inning, a double, and he scored on a Sanchez single. On Sunday, Sanchez finished 3-for-4 with a triple, two runs, and two RBI.

Elison Joseph (W, 1-0) won in his second Double-A appearance. The San Pedro, Dominican Republic native worked 2.0 scoreless innings with two strikeouts and one walk. Austin Smith added a scoreless inning in the seventh.

The M-Braves (9-9, 40-46) tallied two more stolen bases on Sunday and are now one away from matching the club's single-season record of 159. Dean, Conley, and Rivero collected multi-hit games in Mississippi's fifth walk-off win.

The M-Braves will enjoy the All-Star Break, be off Monday, July 15 through Thursday, July 18, and resume play on Friday, July 19, in Pensacola, FL. The first game of the three-game set at Blue Wahoos Stadium is set for 6:05 pm with coverage on 102.1 The Box, Bally Live, and MiLB.tv.

The M-Braves' next homestand will be Tuesday, July 30, through Sunday, August 11, against the Tennessee Smokies and Pensacola Blue Wahoos at Trustmark Park. For tickets and more information on promotions, fans can visit mississippibraves.com.

PHOTO BY WYATT MASON