in a good place

It’s too soon to start calculating magic numbers out at Trustmark Park, but there is some magic in the air. The Mississippi Braves (28-16) have won six straight games, the last four at home against Mobile. They entered the current series tied with the BayBears for first place in the Southern League South. Suddenly, it’s a 4-game spread. (Third-place Jacksonville is 7 back.) Dominant pitching and just enough hitting has been the M-Braves’ formula against Mobile, which has scored only six runs in the four games, three of them decided by one run. In Friday’s opener, it was Max Povse with the quality start and Dustin Peterson with the game-turning eighth-inning homer. On Saturday, Jed Bradley had a stellar start and Carlos Franco a key two-run double. On Sunday, Wes Parsons and a passel of relievers (Caleb Dirks, Evan Phillips, David Peterson) owned the bump and Franco again provided the big hit. Lucas Sims took the ball on Monday and worked seven strong. A.J. Minter and Steve Kent closed. Franco – reigning SL player of the week — and Dustin Peterson drove in the runs in the 2-1 win. Sean Newcomb, Atlanta’s No. 3 prospect, starts tonight’s series finale. Ready the brooms. The M-Braves last made the playoffs in 2013, as a wild card. They’ve won two half-season division titles in their 12 seasons at the TeePee, the last in 2008, when they won the SL pennant, as well. Yes, with almost a month left in the season, it’s too soon to start rambling on about playoffs. But Luis Salazar’s club certainly is in a good place. P.S. While Biloxi is 18-26 and well off the M-Braves’ pace in the SL South, former Mississippi State star Brandon Woodruff has been one of the best pitchers in the league of late. He is 5-1 with an 0.41 ERA in his last seven starts for the Shuckers, 7-6 with a 2.87 ERA overall.