Braves Head to Break with a Win: W, 6-1

The Braves came out with their pant legs hiked up for the first time this season as they tried to stop a mild two-game losing streak to Chattanooga. Apparently it was just what the doctor ordered as the Braves scored in each of their first 3 innings en route to a 6-1 win over the Lookouts in front of an announced crowd of 3,030 fans at Trustmark Park. The Braves (8-12) squared their 4-game set with Chattanooga and improved to 50-39 overall on the season. It took the Braves until the first week of August in '05 and '06 to get to 50 wins. The Lookouts (12-8) held onto their 2 game lead over Tennessee for 1st place in the North Division and dropped to 41-49 overall. The Braves finished just 2-for-5 (5-for-27 in the series) with runners in scoring position in the game while the Lookouts finished 0-for-2 (8-for-29 in the series) in that same category.

Kelvin Villa (6-6, 5.09 ERA) was the Braves player of the game and he had some of his best stuff of the season allowing just 5 hits over six innings. He didn't allow a runner past first base until the 6th inning when he gave up his only run of the game. He struck out 7 of the first 14 batters he faced. Wes Wilkerson tossed two scoreless innings of relief and Brad Nelson worked a scoreless 9th to close out the game.

The top 5 of the order (the All Star South Division Starting 5) combined to go 9-for-18 at the plate with 5 runs scored and 4 RBIs along with two doubles and a homerun (Jones-13). Brandon Jones had 2 RBIs tonight and increased his Southern League leading total to 64. Matt Esquivel is right behind him with 62.

Some of the Braves will enjoy a 3 day vacation for the All Star Break and then on Wednesday the Braves will start up a five game set in Montgomery, Alabama at Riverwalk Stadium as they take on the Montgomery Biscuits, the AA Affiliate of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, in the first game of their Southern League 5-Game Series. The Braves On Deck Circle presented by Wendy's will air starting at 6:05pm (CT). The First Pitch will follow at 7:05pm (CT). The starters for these two games are not yet known. Make sure you take your radio to the game and tune to the exclusive Riverwalk Stadium frequency - 104.9-FM.

Check out the Braves Minute here. To catch an archived version of tonight's game or any previous MS Braves game head to Minor League Baseball.com and select the day you want to hear.

GAME TIME: 2:30

ATTENDANCE: 3,030 (169,097 Home Total - 3,757 Home Average)

BRAVES BITES:
* The Braves improve to 27-18 at home.
* The Braves improve to 38-17 when scoring first.
* The Braves improve to 23-13 in errorless games.
* The Braves improve to 26-15 when hitting a homerun.
* The Braves improve to 8-10 in the last game of a series.
* The Braves improve to 39-0 when leading after 8 innings.
* The Braves improve to 5-2 in the last game of a homestand.
* The Braves improve to 38-15 when scoring four or more runs.
* The Braves registered 10 more strikeouts on the mound.(Performance Sports Academy K's for Kids Total: $662 to the Blair E. Batson Children's Hospital)

ACTIVE HIT STREAKS (2 games or more):
* Greg Creek - 2 games (2-3, .667)
* Ray Serrano - 5 games (9-23, .391)
* Carl Loadenthal - 6 games (10-24, .417)
* Diory Hernandez - 7 games (11-28, .393)
* Brandon Jones - 9 games (14-37, .378) - ties season high

HIT STREAKS ENDED:
* J.C. Holt - 4 games (5-18, .278)

HITLESS STREAKS ENDED:
* J.C. Holt - (0-6) - 5th inning double
* Matt Esquivel - (0-7) - 3rd inning double

ACTIVE HITLESS STREAKS:
* Mike Rozema - (0-4)
* Clint Sammons - (0-5)
* Mark Jurich - (0-6)
* Josh Burrus - (0-7)

TRANSACTIONS:
* NONE

by
Bryan Eubank