desperate times

Well, the Atlanta Braves may not be desperate just yet, but they did need a pick-me-up after Black Monday. And they got it, bouncing Florida 4-0 on Tuesday night. Randall Delgado, a 2011 Mississippi Braves starter, threw five shutout innings to earn his first major league win. Two other former M-Braves stars chipped in: Freddie Freeman hit his 20th home run, and Jason Heyward was on base twice, scored a run and made eight catches in right field, several of the highlight variety. St. Louis kept pace with the Braves in the National League wild card race, whipping the New York Mets 11-6 as former Jackson Generals standout Lance Berkman went 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Meanwhile, in Boston, where they may actually be feeling desperate, the Red Sox called on closer Jonathan Papelbon in the eighth inning Tuesday against Baltimore. The former Mississippi State star, who had not given up a run since July 16, gave up a three-run double to Robert Andino that put the O’s ahead to stay 7-5. It was just the second blown save of the year for Papelbon. The Red Sox didn’t lose any ground to Tampa Bay in American League wild card race. The Rays, 2 games back, fell to New York 5-0. However, the Los Angeles Angels — keep an eye on them — beat Toronto 10-6 and crept within 3 1/2 games of the BoSox.
P.S. McComb native and former 50th-round draft pick Jarrod Dyson was recalled to the big leagues by Kansas City late Tuesday night after participating in the Triple-A Championship Game. (Dyson’s Omaha club lost to Columbus.) Dyson, a speedy outfielder from Southwest Mississippi Community College, made his major league debut last summer and began this season on the Royals’ 25-man roster.