PEARL, MS -- The Mississippi Braves (14-37, 48-73) fell to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (26-27, 66-57) at Trustmark Park for the third consecutive game to start the series, as the visiting Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds capitalized on extra-base hits to chase the Braves out of the park with
PEARL, MS -- The Mississippi Braves (14-37, 48-73) fell to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (26-27, 66-57) at Trustmark Park for the third consecutive game to start the series, as the visiting Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds capitalized on extra-base hits to chase the Braves out of the park with an 8-3 victory.
Lefty Tyler Pike got the start for Mississippi. He gave up three runs on four hits and three walks while striking out nine over five innings. Pike was dominant early, striking out five of the first seven batters he faced. But Pensacola opened things up in the third, scoring two runs on a double and triple to take a 2-1 lead. In the fourth, the Blue Wahoos tacked on one more run off Pike, again with a double. He pitched a flawless fifth but left with a 3-1 deficit.
In relief, Danny Reynolds struggled across two innings of work. The righty was touched for two runs on four hits in the sixth inning as Pensacola kept the pressure on the M-Braves. Reynolds pitched a perfect seventh before giving way to Devan Watts. Watts was perfect in the eighth, but could not register an out in the ninth before giving up three more runs to the Blue Wahoos. Corbin Clouse finished the game for Mississippi.
Offensively, Mississippi was led by the long-ball again. Jared James hit a solo shot in the second, his fifth of the year, to give Mississippi it's only lead of the game. In the ninth, Austin Riley hit his second homer in as many games, giving him a two-hit game for the second time this series. Mississippi mounted a comeback in the ninth, sending eight men to the plate. But the M-Braves scored just two runs and fell to Pensacola 8-3.
Pensacola: 8-9-0
Mississippi: 3-8-2
WP: Tapia
LP: Pike
SV: Gonzalez
Time: 3:16
Att: 2712
