New-Look M-Braves Outlast Suns

On Independence Day at Trustmark Park, 7,036 fans watched the M-Braves defeat the Jacksonville Suns, 8-6.  The largest crowd of 2009 and the largest since July 4th, 2008 saw Jason Heyward, Freddie Freeman and a new-look M-Braves offense outlast the Suns.  Heyward and Freeman were a hit in their AA debut as the two combined to go 3-6 with a triple, two RBI and two runs scored.

Jacksonville posted a run on three hard-hit balls in the top of the first, but the M-Braves answered with two runs on no hits in the bottom of the inning.  Ryan Klosterman doubled and scored on a Logan Morrison single in the top of the first.  Consecutive walks to Matt Young, Brandon Hicks and Jason Heyward loaded the bases with no outs in the home-half of the frame.  Freddie Freeman and Concepcion Rodriguez delivered ground balls to the right side of the infield that plated Young and Hicks, respectively, and gave the M-Braves a 2-1 lead.

The Suns tied the score on a Graham Taylor sac-fly in the top of the second, but the Braves came back with three runs in the home-half of the inning.  Eric Campbell singled and scored on a Kyle Cofield fielder’s choice and Cofield scored on a Hicks sac-fly.  Young singled and scored on Heyward’s first AA triple.  Heyward’s line drive shot banged off the right field wall and ricocheted into right-centerfield allowing the big man to cruise to a standup triple.

Jacksonville’s offense went back to work in the third, but they were helped by a bonehead Braves’ defensive mistake.  Mike Stanton led off with a double and scored on a throwing error by Brandon Hicks to cut the lead to 5-3.  With the bases loaded and two outs in the inning, Lorenzo Scott popped up to the pitcher’s mound.  Cofield, Campbell, Freeman and Kody Kirkland all surrounded the pop up, but no one made a play as the ball fell to the ground between them.  Two runs scored on the ‘single’ and the game was tied at five.

The M-Braves made up for the mishap with three runs in the fourth.  With two outs in the inning, Heyward was hit by a pitch and he moved to third on a single by Freeman.  Rodriguez then singled home Heyward and, after a JC Boscan walk, Campbell drove in Freeman and Rodriguez with a single of his own.  After four, the Braves led 8-5.

Logan Morrison blasted his eighth homer of the year over the batter’s eye in centerfield to cut the lead to 8-6 in the ninth.

Cofield gave up five runs on eight hits through three innings and did not factor into the decision.  Tim Gustafson threw three shutout innings to earn his first win of 2009.  Jerome Gamble gave up a run in two innings to earn his second save of the year.

Jacksonville’s Graham Taylor gave up eight runs over 3.2 frames and fell to 4-6 on the year.  AJ Battisto threw 2.1 scoreless innings and Garrett Parcell tossed one scoreless inning.  Brad Stone tossed one shutout inning.

The Braves and Suns will face off in the second of four games at Trustmark Park Sunday afternoon at 1:05 pm.  Mississippi’s Deunte Heath will take on Jacksonville’s Aaron Thompson in game two.