M-Braves Walk-Off Over Wahoos 3-2 In 10 Innings

July 14, 2018

The Mississippi Braves broke a 2-2 tie on a safety squeeze to best the Blue Wahoos, 3-2, Friday night in 10 innings at Trustmark Park.

The Blue Wahoos got off to a quick start with a pair of first inning runs against M-Braves starter Bryse Wilson. TJ Friedl led the game off with a walk and advanced to third on Shed Long’s one-out double. Both scored when Brian O’Grady doubled into the right-center gap. Those would prove to be the only Pensacola runs on the night.

Wilson dominated from then on. He retired 15 of the final 17 Blue Wahoos he faced before he was lifted after seven innings. The Braves starter matched a season high with nine strikeouts.

Tony Santillan was solid on the mound for the Wahoos in his second double-a start. He held the Braves scoreless through the first four innings until Daniel Lockhart tripled home Carlos Martinez to cut the lead to 2-1. Lockhart scored a batter later on Alejandro Salazar’s sac fly to tie the game. Santillan worked six innings and was charged with two runs on six hits. He struck out seven against just one walk.

That’s how it stayed until Mississippi capitalized on its automatic runner in the bottom of the 10th inning. Connor Lien pinch ran at second base and moved to third on a bunt single by Ray-Patrick Didder. Lockhart rolled a perfect bunt up the first base line on a safety squeeze allowing Lien to dash home ahead of O’Grady’s scoop to catcher Chris Okey for the game winner.

Although the run isn’t charged to Joel Bender (L, 0-1), he is saddled with the loss. He pitched an inning-plus and the game-winning run was the only one he allowed. Corbin Clouse (W, 3-1) got the win for the Braves after pitching three scoreless innings behind Wilson.

Pensacola will look to rebound Saturday night in the middle game of the five-game set. RHP Daniel Wright (4-6, 4.42) will start for the Blue Wahoos against LHP Ricardo Sanchez (1-3, 7.53).

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