Victor Vodnik, Hayden Deal, Brandon White, and Brooks Wilson combine for shutout
Published 11:34 am Sunday, August 8, 2021
BIRMINGHAM, AL – Victor Vodnik, Hayden Deal (W, 3-2), Brandon White, and Brooks Wilson (S, 3) combined for a three-hit shutout on Saturday night, 1-0 over the Birmingham Barons at Regions Field. The second-straight shutout win gives the Braves a 3-2 series advantage and 20 consecutive scoreless innings on the mound.
The M-Braves (47-36) are 7-4 on the road trip and have guaranteed themselves a winning road trip with the series finale in Birmingham on Sunday at 4:00 pm.
Shea Langeliers opened the top of the second inning with a 108 mph rocket to right-centerfield for a double, extending his hitting streak to nine games. He came across to score a couple of batters later on an RBI single by Jalen Miller to give the M-Braves the 1-0 lead.
Deal entered the game for Vodnik in the bottom of the fifth inning after one of his best starts of the season. Vodnik worked 4.0+ innings with two hits, four walks, three strikeouts, and zero earned runs. Deal inherited two runners from Vodnik and stranded both. He struck out the first two batters and got the third batter to fly out to right field.
Zach Muckenhirn relieved Taylor Varnell after six great innings of work. Varnell finished with 6.0 innings, two hits, six strikeouts, and one earned run, retiring the final 14 Braves batters he faced.
White replaced Deal with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and struck out the one batter he faced. Deal was excellent in his first relief appearance of 2021, going 2.2 innings, zero hits, two walks, three strikeouts, and zero earned runs.
Wilson picked up the game in the bottom of the ninth and surrendered a leadoff double to former Brave Tyler Neslony. After a sacrifice bunt moved pinch-runner Joel Booker to third base, the Lakeland, FL native struck out the next two batters to secure the save.
The two teams combined for six hits, and Birmingham went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. The shutout is the eighth of the season for the M-Braves, who lead the league in pitching.
The road trip finale in Birmingham is on Sunday afternoon at Regions Field. RHP Bryce Elder (5-1, 3.68) starts against Birmingham’s RHP Davis Martin (AA Debut) for the M-Braves. The first pitch for game one is 4:00 pm, with coverage on 103.9 WYAB, mississippibraves.com, and MiLB.tv.
The M-Braves will return to Trustmark Park and host the Biloxi Shuckers again, August 10-15. 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.
