Baseball for Brunch

The Braves got the bats going in the fourth inning to pick up a win in the first morning game of the year on Wednesday.  Young fans came out in droves, packing Trustmark Park with 5,038 fans to see Mississippi win 8-2 over the Montgomery Biscuits.

Ian Gac provided the first of what I’m sure will be many great days at the plate this season, going 4-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI, and a run scored.  Every Braves starter got in on the scoring in some way, either driving in a run or scoring one.  Meanwhile, Zeke Spruill had yet another strong start, allowing just a run on three hits in six innings to pick up his first win of the year.

With the game tied at 1-1, Gac doubled to left and came into score a batter later on a throwing error by Alex Colome.  Colome departed the ballgame and the Braves rattled off seven of eight men on base against reliever Merrill Kelly.  The only hitter that Kelly retired was Barrett Kleinknecht, who smoked a sacrifice fly to left-center with the bases loaded to score Christian Bethancourt.

For three innings, the pitching matchup was as advertised between Spruill and Colome, but Colome left in the fourth inning with an apparent arm injury and the flood gates opened.

Six runs is the largest offensive output for the Braves in an inning this season, and is more runs than Mississippi scored in their first four games combined.  Manager Aaron Holbert said it would take just one hit or one inning to spark the offense, so perhaps today’s fourth inning will light the fire and get the M-Braves back on the winning track.

The team now gets more than 24 hours to rest.  The Braves try to get the advantage in the five-game series with Thursday night’s game three at 7:00 PM at Trustmark Park.  Last year’s first round pick LHP Sean Gilmartin (0-0, 0.00 ERA) takes on LHP Kyle Lobstein (0-0, 1.50 ERA).  Should be another good showing of pitching, and it’s another Thirsty Thursday, so come to the ballpark for some dollar beer and some good minor league baseball!

Kyle

Here’s the official write-up from today’s game:

Six-run inning lifts Braves over Biscuits

Gac leads the Braves offense with four hits and two RBIs

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, April 11, 2012

PEARL, MS—The Mississippi Braves plated six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to defeat the Biscuits 8-1 in front of 5,038 fans at Trustmark Park. Ian Gac led the Braves offense with a 4-for-5 day at the plate, including two doubles and two RBIs.

The M-Braves (2-5) plated eight runs on 11 hits while the Biscuits (2-5) managed two runs on five hits. Both teams committed one error.

Phil Gosselin walked and came in to score on an Gac double to right field, giving the M-Braves an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.

The Biscuits tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the third. Isaias Velasquez lead off with a double to left field. Emeel Salem followed with an infield single, but an errant throw by Gosselin allowed Velasquez to come in to score from second.

Gac doubled and scored when Joe Leonard attempted to lay down a sacrifice bunt. Leonard reached on an error by the pitcher, thus allowing Gac to score and make it a 2-1 game. Leonard then stole second base and came in to score on a Christian Bethancourt single.

Brahiam Maldonado singled and Matt Kennelly walked to load the bases. A sac fly by Barrett Kleinknecht allowed Bethancourt to score and extend the Braves lead to 4-1. After a walk to Mycal Jones, consecutive singles off the bats of Harrilchak, Gosselin, and Gac drove in a run apiece to make it 7-1.

The Braves added another run in the eighth when Jones walked and scored on a double to right by Harrilchak. Montgomery responded with a solo run in the ninth when Kyeong Kang drew a bases-loaded walk to make it an 8-2 game.

Zeke Spruill (1-0) started and went six innings for the M-Braves. He limited the Biscuits to one earned run on three hits, a walk, and three strikeouts. Biscuits’ starter Alex Colome (1-1) lasted just three frames. He allowed three runs, two earned runs, on three hits and two walks while fanning five.

M-Braves lefty Sean Gilmartin (0-0, 0.00) toes the rubber in game three of this five-game series at Trustmark Park. He’ll take on fellow left-hander Kyle Lobstein (0-0, 1.50). First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 PM. Gates open at 6:00 PM.

Montgomery Biscuits (2-5):            2 R        5 H    1 E

Mississippi Braves (2-5):                 8 R      11 H    1 E

W:       Zeke Spruill (1-0)

L:         Alex Colome (1-1)

Time: 3:08

Attendance: 5,038