M-Braves Sweep Blue Wahoos Behind Hackenberg’s Signature Pitching Performance

Pensacola, Fla. - The weather broke favorably all weekend for the Blue Wahoos.

That became the best fortune of a rough return home.

The Mississippi Braves completed a three-game sweep Sunday, erupting with four runs in the 11th inning for a 5-1 win that included a pair of unwelcome records in Pensacola’s first homestand in 16 days at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

They struck out 22 times, surpassing the Blue Wahoos franchise record of 20 whiffs, which occurred twice – the last time in 2021.

A crowd of 4,737, just shy of a third consecutive capacity crowd at Blue Wahoos Stadium, watched the M-Braves righthander Drue Hackenberg – the Atlanta Braves' second round draft pick in 2023 -- produce his best professional outing. He struck out 16 of the 25 batters he faced, allowing just three hits and no walks in seven innings.

It was two strikeouts shy of the Southern League record set in 1979 by former long-time major league veteran Mike Boddicker. Hackenberg’s 16 Ks marked the most strikeouts against the Blue Wahoos by an opposing starter in franchise history.

Hackenberg, whose brother, Christian, was a former Penn State star quarterback who played in the NFL, and another older brother, Adam, is now in Triple-A with the Chicago Cubs organization, threw 67 strikes in 90 pitches.

Sunday’s game became a pitching-defense duel. Blue Wahoos starter Adam Laskey had a quality outing with five hits allowed in five innings with six strikeouts and no walks. The next four relievers who followed all put up zeroes.

But a familiar malady was the Blue Wahoos' inability to get run production.

After the M-Braves scored a first-inning on a double by Cal Conley and Justin Dean’s single, Laskey got out of the inning with a double play and then did not allow two base runners in any inning the rest of his day.

The Blue Wahoos' best inning at the plate occurred in the third. Sean Roby led off with a single. Dalvy Rosario followed with a single and Jacob Berry drove home Roby with his single. Berry had two of the Blue Wahoos' five hits in the game.

Austin Roberts gave the Blue Wahoos a chance to win in walkoff style after recording two strong scoreless innings. When that didn’t work out in the ninth, the Blue Wahoos failed to deliver in the 10th with placement runner Zach Zubia stranded on third base with two outs.

In the 11th, the M-Braves scored their go-ahead run on a stolen base and wild pitch from reliever Matt Pushard. And then, M-Braves designated hitter Tyler Tolve followed with a three-run blast off Pushard to provide the insurance runs.

The Blue Wahoos (49-40) will now turn attention to their next home series, a six-game set against the Biloxi Shuckers who have the best second-half record in the Southern League.

Despite the sweep, however, the Blue Wahoos had the weather break in their favor each of three days after morning and early afternoon thunderstorms gave way to sunshine and calm conditions.

Sunday’s game featured “Dino Day” with costume and dinosaur figures throughout the ballpark. It also including a large group outing by Florida Power and Light.

The game was followed by the first “Shark in the Park" Night where nearly 100 people got in the water near the boat slips on the first base side and enjoyed a movie in a one-of-kind ballpark promotion.

GAME NOTABLES

--- Florida Power and Light Company treated more than 1,000 of its employees and families to an outing Sunday that included a pregame reception under a giant tent behind the right field line on the waterfront that included popcorn, beverages and a deejay spinning music.

The mass group then enjoyed food and beverages on the Winn Dixie party deck. The outing included executives from the FPL headquarters in Juno Beach, located north of West Palm Beach. The company has held this joint event for its Northwest Florida employees and company executives at Blue Wahoos Stadium for the past three seasons.

--- The dinosaur costumed entertainers and the dinosaur figures stationed along the concourse Sunday on Dino Day were provided by Ed’s Live Dinosaurs, a company based in Concord, North Carolina, which travels throughout the country entertaining fans at Minor League Baseball ballparks as well as other event locations throughout the year. The company was founded in 2011 with one dinosaur costume and balloons and it grew rapidly from that point.

--- The Blue Wahoos honored long-time minor league broadcaster Chris Harris, who has been the Mississippi Braves' radio voice for the past six seasons. He is nearing his 2,000th broadcast in a 15-year career in MiLB that has included Southern League stops in Biloxi and the former Jackson Generals in Tennessee.

Harris was saluted in the bottom of the second inning, receiving applause from the fans as cameras showed him waving and acknowledging the crowd from the visitors’ broadcast booth.

WHAT’S NEXT?

WHO: Biloxi Shuckers vs. Blue Wahoos

WHEN: Tuesday through Sunday (July 28).

WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium

TV: Available each game on live stream broadcast on Bally Live and MLB.TV (subscription required).

RADIO: Available each game on www.bluewahoos.com/radio with Blue Wahoos broadcasters Erik Bremer and Carter Bainbridge on play-by-play or on the MiLB App.

PROMOTIONS: Tuesday is Doggone Tuesday where fans are able to bring their beloved dogs. It’s also One Price Tuesday where each ticket purchase includes a hot dog, chips and soda.

Wednesday will be the final, mid-week summer fireworks display before schools reopen in August.

Thursday is Mullet Thursday with the Blue Wahoos wearing the specialty mullet jerseys and alcoholic drink specials throughout the game.

Friday is Giveaway Friday. The mega-popular Hawaiian Shirt, provided by game sponsor Kia Autosport of Pensacola, will be provided to the first 1,000 fans through the game.

Saturday is Fireworks Night with a post-game display following the game.

Sunday is Military and Family Sunday with kids able to run the bases following the game and families able to toss soft baseballs for 30 minutes after the game.

TICKETS: Tickets are available for all games next week through www.bluewahoos.com/tickets and at the stadium box office which will reopen on Tuesday (July 23) and operate during extended hours each of the game days next week.