M-Braves thrash Shuckers 11-1 on Sunday to end five-win road trip

BILOXI, MS (August 17, 2024) — On August 18, the Mississippi Braves are just 2.0 games out of first place. The M-Braves wrapped up their series on Sunday with an 11-1 thrashing of the Biloxi Shuckers at Keesler Federal Park to cap off a 5-1 series win. The M-Braves have won six of their last seven games since August 11, out-scoring the opposition 23-12.

The offense was outstanding, but Darius Vines (W, 2-0) set the tone with his second win on the mound and a quality start. Vines worked 6.0 innings, allowing one run on two hits with two walks and six strikeouts. The 26-year-old right-hander makes a great case for Southern League Pitcher of the Week after going 2-0 and giving up just one run over 11.0 innings, four walks, and 17 strikeouts.

The M-Braves (23-22, 54-59) handed Vines a 3-0 lead in the second inning. Ethan Workinger and Yolbert Sanchez started the frame with singles, but Biloxi starter Shane Smith (L, 5-3) struck out the next two ahead of Keshawn Ogans. The Mississippi third baseman blasted a 431-foot three-run homer over the left-field wall to put the M-Braves up 3-0. The homer was Ogans' first on the season.

Biloxi grabbed their lone run in the bottom of the fourth inning on an Ernesto Martinez Jr. solo home run.

Facing eight different Biloxi (25-19, 55-56) pitchers on Sunday, the M-Braves feasted on most of them. Workinger added his second single of the game to bring home Cal Conley in the fifth inning to stretch the lead to 4-1. In the seventh, Conley hit a one-out double and scored on a two-run single by David McCabe to push the advantage to 6-1. The newest M-Brave, Adam Zebrowski, had three hits, and his seventh-inning single capped off a three-run inning, and it was 7-1.

The offense capped their day by scoring four runs against former M-Brave pitcher Justin Yeager in the ninth. Zebrowski delivered his second RBI with a single after back-to-back walks loaded the bases, and then Bryson Horne made it 11-1 with a three-run triple to the right-center gap.

On Sunday, the Mississippi bullpen of Jorge Juan, Patrick Halligan, and Trey Riley combined for 3.0 shutout innings behind Vines. Riley hasn't allowed a run over his last five appearances and 6.0 innings. Riley struck out two on Sunday.

Conley capped off a big week at the plate by reaching bases three times in the finale, going 2-for-4 with three runs, a double, and a stolen base. Workinger was 2-for-4 and scored twice, and Sanchez was 1-for-4, having hit in eight of his last 10 games. The three newest additions to the roster, Workinger, McCabe, and Zebrowski, combined to reach base nine times and go 6-for-12 with five RBI, five runs, and three walks.

The road warriors are 14-4 away from Trustmark Park since the All-Star break and 27-15 away from home over their last 42 games.

The M-Braves return to Trustmark Park to begin their penultimate homestand on Tuesday night against the Chattanooga Lookouts. The first game of the series starts at 6:35 pm with coverage starting at 6:20 pm on 102.1 The Box, Bally Live, and MiLB.tv.

Tuesday is Dog Days, with all well-behaved dogs welcome and $2 hot dogs.

The M-Braves have two homestands remaining. The club returns for a six-game homestand against the Chattanooga Lookouts on August 20-25. The homestand features a Spencer Schwellenbach Schwersey Giveaway on Friday, August 23, and Alzheimer's Awareness Night, plus a Jersey Auction and Post-Game Fireworks on Saturday, August 24. Fans can purchase tickets by visiting mississippibraves.com or call the box office to book your group at 888-BRAVES4.

PHOTO BY MIKE KREBS