Bryce Elder improved to 6-1 over his last 7 starts in the 5-2 win on Sunday
Published 1:01 pm Monday, August 9, 2021
BIRMINGHAM, AL – Behind another Bryce Elder (W, 6-1) pitching gem, the Mississippi Braves won their third straight game over the Birmingham Barons on Sunday, 5-2, taking the series 4-2. The M-Braves (48-36) end the 12-game road trip with an 8-4 record and come home in first place in the Double-A South at 48-36 on the year.
The former Texas Longhorn and 2020 fifth-round pick of the Braves won his sixth start in his last seven tries with 6.0 innings of two-run baseball, five hits, one walk, and seven strikeouts. Elder failed to go 7.0 innings for a sixth-straight outing but settled for a 90-pitch quality start to improve to 6-1 on the year.
Shea Langeliers opened the top of the second inning with an infield single to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. A couple of batters later, Wendell Rijo homered to straightaway center to give the M-Braves a two-run lead, his 12th on the season. Rijo started a stretch of five consecutive M-Braves hitters reaching base safely. Greyson Jenista followed with a single, and Hendrik Clementina came up next and delivered his own two-run home run to left field to extend the lead to 4-0. Clementina’s home run had a 110 mph exit velocity and went 456 feet on just a 29-degree launch angle.
The Barons (44-39) responded quickly in the bottom of the second inning as Xavier Fernandez homered to straightaway centerfield to cut the lead to 4-1. The run marked the end of 21 consecutive scoreless innings pitched since Thursday.
Drew Lugbauer got the run back quickly as he plated Langeliers on an RBI single in the top of the third inning to push the lead to 5-1.
Ian Dawkins began the bottom of the fifth inning with a double to right field and later stole third. He came across to score on an RBI groundout by Mitch Roman cutting the lead to 5-2.
That would be all the production against Elder, who turned the game over to former starter Odalvi Javier in the seventh inning. Javier and Brooks Wilson combined for 2.0 no-hit innings, with Wilson pitching for the first time on back-to-back days.
Daysbel Hernandez (S, 2) needed 31 pitches but eventually struck out the side, walking one and surrendering a hit to earn the save. Hernandez hit 100 mph nine times in the inning.
Over the three-game winning streak, M-Braves hurlers gave up just two runs for a 0.67 ERA. With two more homers on Sunday, the M-Braves hit 24 long balls in 12 games, and have 104 for the season.
The M-Braves return to Trustmark Park to begin a six-game homestand against the Biloxi Shuckers on Tuesday. RHP Freddy Tarnok (1-0, 1.65) will start for the Braves in the opener. The first pitch for game one is 4:00 pm, with coverage on 103.9 WYAB, mississippibraves.com, and MiLB.tv.
The series will be highlighted by Clunker Car Night, Cristian Pache bobblehead giveaway, and Princess Night with Fireworks. Tickets may be purchased HERE, or by calling 888-BRAVES4.
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