Strong Start for Rangel, M-Braves Fall to Smokies 1-0

PEARL, MS - RHP Alan Rangel tossed five one-run innings, but the Mississippi Braves (48-57, 19-17) fell 1-0 to the Tennessee Smokies (57-48) on Thursday night at Smokies Stadium.

Rangel pitched a solid five innings of one-run ball, taking a tough luck loss. He gave up three hits and a walk with five strikeouts over 89 pitches. In 21 starts, Rangel is 4-6 with a 5.18 ERA. He has 111 strikeouts in 88 2/3 innings.

The M-Braves put a runner on in each of the first seven innings but came up empty, leaving eight runners stranded.

Cody Milligan doubled twice and walked twice, reaching in four of five plate appearances. He stole his 10th base of the season in the fifth.

In his third return to the M-Braves, Cade Bunnell doubled twice. He was active at shortstop, with five putouts. Atlanta first promoted Bunnell to Mississippi on May 17, then again on June 28, and most recently on Wednesday.

Milligan and Bunnell accounted for four of five M-Braves hits.

Tennessee scored the lone run of the game on an RBI double from Nelson Maldonado in the fifth. Both clubs combined to go 0-for-21 with runners in scoring position.

LHP Lisandro Santos, RHP Jason Creasy, and RHP Justin Maese each tossed shutout innings. Maese ran into trouble in the eighth but struck out back-to-back hitters to complete the scoreless frame.

Santos has given up just two runs in nine innings over eight appearances since his promotion from High-A Rome on July 12.

The fourth game of the series is on Friday at Smokies Stadium. RHP Roddery Muñoz will make his Double-A debut for Mississippi against RHP Ben Brown (0-0, 1.80) for Tennessee. The first pitch is at 6:15 pm CT, with coverage starting at 6:00 pm CT on 103.9 WYAB, First Pitch App and MiLB.tv.