Mississippi Braves Archives - Page 3 of 91

29 Sep

on the eve …

Few things in baseball beat a Red Sox-Yankees game, especially when it’s a postseason game. At Yankee Stadium. With a Mississippi native starting for Boston and a former Mississippi Braves standout on the bump for New York. That’s what Tuesday’s American League wild card round will give us. Garrett Crochet, an 18-game winner, the pride of Ocean Springs, gets the call for Boston against Max Fried, a 19-game winner who pitched in Pearl in 2017-18. Game time is 5:08 CDT. Crochet went 3-0 with a 3.29 ERA in four starts against the Yankees; he struck out Aaron Judge 10 times in 13 at-bats, yielding two home runs. Fried was 1-1 with a 1.97 in three starts vs. the Red Sox. This best-of-3 series will be the sixth postseason meeting between the rivals. Boston has prevailed in the last three — and won the World Series in two of those years (2004 and 2018). … Boston’s lineup figures to include Mississippi State alum Nathaniel Lowe, a lefty hitter who hasn’t faced the lefty Fried. The Yankees’ roster includes two ex-Biloxi Shuckers standouts in outfielder Trent Grisham and reliever Devin Williams and former Jackson Prep star Will Warren, expected to work out of the bullpen in this series. … In Tuesday’s first game, Detroit is at Cleveland in a matchup of AL Central rivals. There is a familiar name in the Guardians’ bullpen: Kolby Allard, a former first-round pick by Atlanta who pitched for the M-Braves in 2017. The lefty has a 2.63 ERA over 33 games. Biloxi High alum Colt Keith remains on the injured list with Detroit. Former M-Braves outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy was on the Tigers’ roster at season’s end but may not make their postseason list. … Drew Pomeranz, the ex-Ole Miss star, is a mainstay in the bullpen for the Chicago Cubs, who play host to San Diego in the NL wild card round. M-Braves alum Dansby Swanson has had a productive year as the Cubs’ shortstop. Of note: The Cubs signed Taylorsville’s Billy Hamilton — he of the 326 career stolen bases — to a minor league deal in early September, and he played a handful of games at Triple-A Iowa, swiping three bases in five tries. He’s 35 but can still run; he could be a weapon on the bases should the Cubs add him to the roster at some point. … The defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers, who’ll host Cincinnati in the nightcap on Tuesday, got another a big year from Freddie Freeman, the former M-Braves standout who hit .295 with 24 homers and 90 RBIs for the NL West champs. He is a .277 career postseason hitter with 14 homers, including the Game 1 grand slam that essentially powered the Dodgers to the 2024 World Series title. There is a familiar name on the Reds’ roster also: Ke’Bryan Hayes, son of Charlie Hayes, the Hattiesburg native who won a World Series with the Yankees 29 years ago. P.S. Since there are no major league games today, ripping open a couple packs of Topps cards from, say, 20 years ago can help fill the void until the postseason starts on Tuesday. You never know what treasures might be found inside. To wit: Unfortunately, there were no cards of Mississippians, but there were some interesting ones. Derek Jeter, Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon (of the curse-busting Red Sox), Vinny Castilla, Eric Chavez/Gold Glove, Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds/Sporting News All-Stars, Tony Batista (in the uniform of the defunct Montreal Expos) and a Felix Hernandez/Prospects (but not an actual rookie). The best pull, if not the most valuable, from these two 2005 foil packs: a commemorative action shot of Ken Griffey Jr.’s 500th home run, hit on Father’s Day 2004, when he was with Cincinnati.

28 Sep

wait ’til next year

Bad day for Houston, which was eliminated from playoff contention before it took the field, but there was some consolation for Astros pitcher J.P. France. The Mississippi State alum, on the mend from shoulder surgery, got his first win since 2023, working three innings Saturday in the Astros’ 6-1 victory against the Los Angeles Angels at Anaheim. France, 30, won 11 games for the Astros in 2023 but went on the injured list after five starts last season. After nine rehab appearances this summer, he was recalled to the majors on Sept. 9 and made his first appearance in 509 days on Sept. 14, throwing a scoreless inning against Atlanta. That outing, France said, “was huge for me, mainly mentally.” He backed that up with his strong showing Saturday, yielding one run on two hits with five strikeouts. His next outing will come next year, presumably with Houston, which endured an injury-plagued season and missed the postseason for the first time since 2016. Wins by Detroit and Cleveland on Saturday KO’d the Astros. Heading into the final day of the regular season, the American League Central and East Division titles have not been settled, nor has the final National League wild card berth. … Charlie Morton, 41, who pitched for the 2007 Mississippi Braves, will get the start for Atlanta today in what is expected to be his final MLB appearance. The Braves, Morton’s original club, recently claimed him on waivers from Detroit.
A total of 32 players with Mississippi ties (natives or school alums) appeared in MLB games this season:
Hitters
Tim Anderson (East Central CC), Los Angeles Angels; Blaine Crim (Mississippi College), Texas/Colorado; Tim Elko (Ole Miss), Chicago White Sox; Nick Fortes (UM), Miami/Tampa Bay; Justin Foscue (Mississippi State), Texas; Adam Frazier (MSU), Pittsburgh/Kansas City; Colt Keith (Biloxi HS), Detroit; Nathaniel Lowe (MSU), Washington/Boston; Jake Mangum (MSU), Tampa Bay; Hunter Renfroe (MSU), Kansas City; Austin Riley (DeSoto Central HS), Atlanta; Chuckie Robinson (Southern Miss), L.A. Dodgers; Brent Rooker (MSU), A’s; Matt Wallner (USM), Minnesota; Jordan Westburg (MSU), Baltimore
Pitchers
Garrett Crochet (Ocean Springs), Boston; J.P. France (MSU), Houston; J.T. Ginn (MSU), A’s; Kendall Graveman (MSU), Arizona; Gunnar Hoglund (UM), A’s; Trevor McDonald (George County HS), San Francisco; Doug Nikhazy (UM), Cleveland; Konnor Pilkington (MSU), Washington; Drew Pomeranz (UM), Chicago Cubs; Ryan Rolison (UM), Colorado; Nick Sandlin (USM), Toronto; Justin Steele (Lucedale/George County HS), Cubs; Chris Stratton (MSU), Kansas City/L.A. Dodgers; Spencer Turnbull (Madison Central HS), Toronto; Hurston Waldrep (USM), Atlanta; Will Warren (Jackson Prep), New York Yankees; Brandon Woodruff (MSU), Milwaukee.
Note: Houston Roth (UM), Baltimore, was recalled but did not appear; James McArthur (UM), Kansas City, has been on the injured list all season.

25 Sep

playing pepper

Concerns about Garrett Crochet’s durability seem kinda silly now. The ex-Ocean Springs High star delivered one of his best performances of the season Wednesday night: eight innings, three hits, no walks, no runs, six strikeouts in Boston’s impactful 7-1 win at Toronto. The left-hander’s last pitch — No. 100 — hit 97 mph, a called third strike. “At this point of the year, it’s unbelievable,” Red Sox catcher Carlos Narvaez said in an mlb.com story. “He’s still throwing gas, everything has shape.” Crochet (18-5) reached 205 1/3 innings for the season, just his second since converting from reliever. He threw 146 innings for the Chicago White Sox last year, working very conservatively down the stretch of that team’s woeful season. Wednesday’s win reduced the Red Sox’s magic number to one for clinching an American League playoff berth. The proud franchise hasn’t been to the postseason since 2021. The bold off-season trade for Crochet has gotten them over that hump. … Following Toronto’s loss, the New York Yankees beat the White Sox 8-1 and moved into a tie with the Blue Jays atop the AL East. Former Mississippi Braves star Max Fried, in his first year in pinstripes, won his 19th game, boosted by Aaron Judge’s 50th and 51st home runs. … Former Mississippi College standout Blaine Crim hit his fifth homer in 11 games with Colorado — but who noticed? Seattle, powered by Cal Raleigh’s 59th and 60th homers, beat the visiting Rockies 9-2 to clinch the AL West crown. … Mississippi State product Brent Rooker drove in two runs — he has 89 RBIs on the year — and M-Braves alum Shea Langeliers homered in a four-hit game to power the A’s past Houston 6-0. Stumbling toward the finish line with five straight losses, the Astros are a game behind Detroit for the final AL wild card spot. Houston will face ex-MSU standout J.T. Ginn (4-6, 4.57 ERA) today in West Sacramento, Calif. … The fading Tigers, meanwhile, lost their eighth straight, 5-1 to Cleveland, which moved into first place alone in the AL Central. (Colt Keith, the ex-Biloxi High star, has been on the injured list since Sept. 19; he is typically Detroit’s leadoff batter.) … On a night when Cincinnati honored the late Dave Parker — the recently inducted Hall of Famer from Mississippi — the Reds fell to Pittsburgh 4-3 in 11 innings. The Reds remain tied with Arizona, a game back of the Mets for the final National League wild card berth. All three lost on a wild Wednesday. P.S. In the minors, both ex-Ole Miss star Kemp Alderman and ex-Southern Miss standout Matthew Etzel hit home runs to help Jacksonville beat Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 6-4 in Game 2 of the Triple-A International League Championship Series. The deciding game is tonight.

23 Sep

faded glory

Perusing the box score from Atlanta’s game Monday against Washington evokes many thoughts, some positive, some sad. The Braves won their ninth straight, 11-5 at Truist Park. The familiar names of Ronald Acuna Jr., Ozzie Albies, Michael Harris II, Drake Baldwin and Nacho Alvarez Jr. combined for eight hits, five walks, an HBP, six runs and eight RBIs. Quite a game. And yet, here the Braves are, stuck in fourth place in the National League East, nine games under .500 and out of the playoff picture for the first time in eight years. End of an era. Those five familiar names once played at Trustmark Park in Pearl for the Mississippi Braves, Atlanta’s highly productive Double-A team that now resides in Columbus, Ga., another era having ended. The Braves’ current win streak makes one wonder what might have been had this team stayed healthy and performed to expectations. (As fate would have it, Albies, having a tough year, broke a bone in his hand Monday.) It’s easy to forget that Baseball America ranked Atlanta as the majors’ second-best team entering the 2025 season, and Lindy’s magazine picked the Braves as NL champs, as did many others. On Monday, the Braves banged out 14 hits all told and went 7-for-16 with runners in scoring position. Stranding baserunners was a huge issue this season. There was production up-and-down the lineup; every starter save for Matt Olson — the most dependable hitter — got at least one knock. Yes, the pitching staff needs some attention this off-season, but the current lineup, if it clicks like it has recently (72 runs during the win streak), should be fine for 2026. … Meanwhile, Milwaukee lost its second straight — a 5-4 defeat in 11 innings at San Diego, a playoff-clinching win for the Padres. The Brewers have clinched the NL Central title but their lead over Philadelphia for the top seed in the NL postseason is down to 2.5 games with a week to play. Former Biloxi Shuckers star Freddy Peralta was good for Milwaukee on Monday, leaving after five innings with a 3-2 lead. However, ex-Shuckers Jackson Chourio, Sal Frelick and Brice Turang went 1-for-15 with five strikeouts and a GIDP. P.S. Ex-Jackson Prep star Konnor Griffin was named the Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America. The top-rated prospect had a remarkable first pro year: .333 with 21 home runs, 65 RBIs, 117 runs and 94 steals over three levels in Pittsburgh’s system. The 19-year-old shortstop is among three finalists for MLB Pipeline’s player of the year honor. … In the minors tonight, Jacksonville — with Ole Miss alum Kemp Alderman and Southern Miss’ Matthew Etzel on the roster — plays Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the opener of the Triple-A International League Championship Series. In the Double-A Southern League, Montgomery — with ex-Mississippi State standout Colton Ledbetter — takes on Birmingham — featuring former UM catcher Calvin Harris — in Game 2 of the title series. The Biscuits won the opener on Sunday.

22 Sep

big league chew

There was good news for Milwaukee on Sunday. A 1-0 loss by the Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati handed the Brewers the National League Central title, their third straight. But there was also bad news, a double dose: The team lost to St. Louis 5-1 and announced the loss of Brandon Woodruff, the Mississippi State product, to the injured list. Right-hander Woodruff has what has been described as a moderate lat strain that reportedly could keep him out into the postseason. Returning from shoulder surgery that cost him all of the 2024 season, Woodruff went 7-2 with a 3.32 ERA in 12 starts. “The longer you keep going, things like this can happen,” he told The Associated Press. Woodruff joins a crowd of Mississippians with season-ending injuries that includes Justin Steele, Gunnar Hoglund, Nick Sandlin, Austin Riley, Colt Keith and Matt Wallner. … The surging Reds completed a four-game sweep of the Cubs and have tied the floundering New York Mets for third place in the NL wild card standings, both at 80-76. The Reds own the tiebreaker. … Toronto also clinched a playoff berth on Sunday with an 8-5 win against Kansas City. The Blue Jays, at 90-66, lead the AL East by 2 games over the New York Yankees. Of note: A key move by Toronto at the trade deadline was acquiring Shane Bieber from Cleveland straight up for minor league prospect Khal Stephen, the former Mississippi State star who pitched in Double-A this season. Bieber is 3-2 with a 3.57 in six starts for the Jays. … Ex-Mississippi College star Blaine Crim homered Sunday for the fourth time in 31 at-bats for Colorado since he was recalled from the minors. … Atlanta, which seems to make a waiver claim every day, picked up Chuckie Robinson, the ex-Southern Miss catcher, from the Los Angeles Dodgers. Robinson, a .131 hitter in his brief MLB time, was batting .254 with four homers and 30 RBIs in Triple-A for the Dodgers, who claimed him from the Angels earlier this season. The Braves optioned Robinson to Triple-A Gwinnett. … Charlie Morton, the all-time winningest pitcher among former Mississippi Braves in MLB, was designated for assignment by scuffling Detroit. He had two wins and a 7.09 ERA in nine starts for the Tigers. He is 147-134, 4.13, lifetime. P.S. Schaumburg, with three Ole Miss alums on its roster, came up short in Sunday’s decisive Game 5 of the Frontier League Championship Series. Quebec City won the title 6-5. Former Rebels star Anthony Calarco — the independent league’s MVP — drove in 16 runs in the postseason for Schaumburg, and Banks Tolley, a St. Andrew’s and UM alum who homered on Sunday, knocked in 12. Calarco hit .347 with 24 homers and 116 RBIs on the season as the Boomers won the Midwest West Division that included the expansion Mississippi Mud Monsters. Tolley hit .313 with 12 homers, and Dallas Woolfolk, another UM product, posted a 6.00 ERA over 15 relief appearances.

21 Sep

signature game

Rookie Nacho Alvarez Jr. had big shoes to fill as Atlanta’s replacement at third base for two-time All-Star Austin Riley, the DeSoto Central alum who was lost for the season on Aug. 4. On Saturday, former Mississippi Braves star Alvarez had his signature game, helping the red-hot Braves deal Detroit a devastating defeat. Alvarez hit the first two homers of his brief MLB career and added a game-tying, two-out, two-strike single in the top of the ninth as Atlanta rallied for a 6-5 win at Comerica Park. Jurickson Profar added the go-ahead knock. The Braves have won seven straight. Detroit has lost five straight and seen its lead in the American League Central dwindle to 1 game over Cleveland, which has won 10 in a row. A top prospect, Alvarez hit .265 — with no homers — in 48 games as the M-Braves’ shortstop in 2024 before being promoted to Triple-A Gwinnett. He got a brief look in Atlanta last season (at second base) but did not play well. Injured at the outset of the 2025 season, Alvarez was recalled to Atlanta briefly when Riley was injured in mid-July and then again when Riley went down for good on Aug. 4. In 52 games all told, the California native has batted .249 with 14 RBIs and played solid defense. “He’s done something with his opportunities,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said in an mlb.com piece. … The scuffling Tigers have watched as Cleveland, which was 15.5 games behind them two months ago, has surged into contention for a division title that once appeared wrapped up. “Difficult to accept, difficult to explain,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told mlb.com. “It’s hard trying to put into words what is going on.” Detroit has lost infielder Colt Keith, the ex-Biloxi High star, to a rib cage injury, likely for the rest of the regular season. He was hitting .256 with 13 homers, 45 RBIs and 65 runs as the primary leadoff batter vs. right-handers. P.S. Matt Wallner, former Southern Miss slugger, is out for season with Minnesota because of an oblique injury. It was a very uneven campaign for the fourth-year big leaguer. He hit 22 homers but batted just .202 with 40 RBIs and struck out 114 times with 46 walks over 336 at-bats.

11 Sep

touching the bases

Blaine Crim, the former Mississippi College slugger, had a hand in a very rare feat on Wednesday night, hitting his 21st homer and driving in three runs as Triple-A Albuquerque scored in every inning in a 21-10 romp over El Paso in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. (Only 20 times in major league history has a team scored in every inning.) Crim now has 21 Triple-A homers in 2025, split between Albuquerque (Colorado system) and Round Rock (Texas). He got up briefly with the Rangers. … Former Mississippi State ace Dakota Hudson notched his seventh win for Triple-A Salt Lake in the PCL, yielding three earned runs in 6 2/3 innings for the Los Angeles Angels affiliate. Hudson is 7-7 with a 6.98 ERA. The former first-round draftee (2016) has 80 career wins, 40 in both the minors and the majors. He pitched for Colorado in 2024. … Konnor Griffin, the phenom from Jackson Prep, smacked his fifth homer for Double-A Altoona just as dad Kevin — the Belhaven University softball coach — was stepping into the broadcast booth in the fifth inning at Erie, Pa., per an milb.com story. “I might stay up here the whole game,” Kevin Griffin said. Konnor, No. 1 prospect in the minors, has 21 homers at three levels in the Pittsburgh chain this season. … Ex-MSU star Brent Rooker, having another big year for the A’s, crushed his 39th and 40th doubles of 2025 — ranking third in MLB — and now has 70 extra-base hits, 27 of them homers. The resurgent A’s beat Boston — and Aroldis Chapman — 5-4 on Wednesday in West Sacramento, Calif. … In the Frontier League playoffs, Ole Miss alums Anthony Calarco (3-for-5, three RBIs) and Banks Tolley (2-for-5, run) sparked Schaumburg to a 9-0 win over Gateway and a 2-0 lead in the best-of-5 conference series. Calarco, the indy league’s MVP for 2025, has eight RBIs in the postseason after plating 116 runs in the regular season. Former St. Andrew’s star Tolley hit a three-run bomb in the Boomers’ 11-6 win on Tuesday. Dallas Woolfolk, former UM pitcher, also plays for the Boomers. … The Arizona Fall League rosters for 2025 include several Mississippi connections: Former Madison Central High star Braden Montgomery, the Chicago White Sox’s No. 1 prospect, with Glendale; MSU alums Cade Smith (New York Yankees) with Mesa and David Mershon (Angels) with Salt River; Ole Miss product Derek Diamond (Pirates) with Salt River; and ex-Southern Miss pitcher Michael Fowler (Milwaukee) with Surprise. Luke Adams, current Biloxi Shuckers infielder and a top Brewers prospect, is also on the Surprise roster. Former Mississippi Braves star Nacho Alvarez, currently filling in for Austin Riley as Atlanta’s third baseman, is on the Glendale roster; he missed much of the minor league season with injury. The AFL season runs Oct. 6-Nov. 15.

09 Sep

cheers for snit

Brian Snitker, manager of the first Mississippi Braves team 20 years ago, picked up his 800th victory Monday night as manager of the Atlanta Braves, a celebratory moment in what has been a tough season. “I never thought I’d get one (win),” the ever-humble Snitker said in a TV interview following the 4-1 win against the Chicago Cubs at Truist Park. Expected to retire after this season, “Snit” has spent virtually all of his baseball life — back to his pro playing debut in 1977 — in the Braves’ system. “I find him to be the torchbearer of the tradition of the Atlanta Braves,” team GM Alex Anthopoulos told USA Today back in the spring. Snitker’s MLB resume includes a World Series title, three manager of the year honors, six division championships and seven playoff appearances in 10 seasons. He is second only to Hall of Famer Bobby Cox on the list of career victories by Braves managers in the modern era. Snitker’s ’05 M-Braves team was loaded with prospects — McCann, Francoeur, Boyer, Blanco, et al. — at the start, but most of them were promoted during the season and the Double-A team finished 64-68 overall, missing out on the Southern League postseason. P.S. Ocean Springs’ Garrett Crochet had that Cy Young Award look on Monday night, blanking the A’s over seven innings (three hits, no walks) with 10 strikeouts. The Boston ace is 15-5, 2.57 ERA, and leads the majors in K’s with 228. Former Mississippi State star Brent Rooker went 0-for-3 with a punchout vs. Crochet. … Former Southern Miss standout Chuckie Robinson was optioned back to Triple-A by the Los Angeles Dodgers without getting into a game. He has made 51 MLB appearances (in 2022 and ’24) in his long pro career. … Braden Montgomery, the ex-Madison Central star and current Chicago White Sox prospect, was placed on the seven-day injured list at Double-A Montgomery. … On this date in 2000, the Houston Astros set a franchise record with seven homers in a 14-4 win over Chicago at Wrigley Field. Here’s the part that old Smith-Wills Stadium cranks will find more interesting: Houston’s entire starting lineup consisted of players who wore a Jackson uniform during the city’s Texas League era. Seven were former Generals, one was a former Met and the other was Jeff Bagwell, who did a rehab assignment in Jackson in 1995. Ex-Gens Lance Berkman and Richard Hidalgo and former JaxMet Tim Bogar belted two home runs each in that Sept. 9 game and Daryle Ward hit one out. Julio Lugo had three hits that day, and Chris Holt got the win.

04 Sep

around the horn

Four games. Four hits. Four home runs. That about sums it up for Kemp Alderman’s time with Triple-A Jacksonville. Promoted from Double-A by Miami on Sunday, the Ole Miss product has gone deep in each game with the Jumbo Shrimp. He homered in both ends of a doubleheader on Wednesday. The 6-foot-2, 235-pound outfielder now has 19 homers on the season and 28 in his three-year pro career. He is hitting .282 overall. … Jurrangelo Cijntje, the switch-pitcher drafted out of Mississippi State in 2024, picked up his first Double-A win on Tuesday, throwing six innings for Arkansas against Amarillo. Cijntje allowed one run on five hits and four walks, punching out seven. The 15th overall pick by Seattle last summer and now the team’s No. 8 prospect, Cijntje has a 3.80 ERA in five starts for Arkansas and is 4-7 with a 4.38 at two levels. He has 110 strikeouts over 98 1/3 innings. … Konnor Griffin, the phenom from Jackson Prep, has shown no ill effects from being beaned (by former MSU pitcher Will Bednar) on Tuesday night. Griffin, playing at Double-A Altoona in Pittsburgh’s system, stayed in the Tuesday game and started at shortstop Wednesday, going 1-for-3 with two runs and a steal. He is batting .320 in 13 Double-A games. … MSU product Jackson Fristoe retired all eight batters he faced Wednesday and notched a win for Low-Class A Tampa (New York Yankees). The third-year pro is 7-2 with two saves, four holds and a 4.37 ERA for the Tarpons. … Billy Hamilton, former big leaguer from Taylorsville, has signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs and reportedly would be eligible for the postseason. The 34-year-old outfielder played briefly this season in Mexico before getting hurt. Over 11 MLB seasons with eight teams (including the Cubs), Hamilton batted .239 with 326 steals. He last played in the majors in 2023. … Former Mississippi Braves star Shea Langeliers, who hit 11 homers for the A’s in August, was named the American League player of the month. Ex-Biloxi Shuckers standouts Brice Turang and Freddy Peralta, now with Milwaukee, were the National League’s player and pitcher of the month. Turang batted .343 with 10 bombs, Peralta went 4-0 with an 0.32.

03 Sep

random numbers

11 — Holds for Drew Pomeranz, the veteran lefty out of Ole Miss who threw a scoreless seventh inning Tuesday night for the Chicago Cubs in a 4-3 win against Atlanta. Pomeranz has a 2.04 ERA in 46 appearances for the Cubs, who won their 80th game and pulled within 5 games of first-place Milwaukee in the National League Central.
3 — Batters faced and retired by Hayden Harris, former Mississippi Braves reliever who made his MLB debut for Atlanta against the Cubs. Harris, a lefty, had an 0.56 ERA in the minors this season and a 1.74 in 19 games with the M-Braves in 2024.
3 — Grand slams this season, two in the last five days, by former Biloxi Shuckers star Trent Grisham, whose bases-loaded bomb off Framber Valdez helped the surging New York Yankees rout Houston 7-1. Grisham has 29 homers on the season, 12 more than his previous career-best.
4 — Home runs allowed by Garrett Crochet, the Ocean Springs High product who suffered a rare clunker for Boston against Cleveland at Fenway Park. The left-hander (14-5, 2.67 ERA) yielded three homers and six runs in the sixth inning alone, blowing a four-run lead, but the Red Sox rallied to win 11-7.
12 — Hits in 36 at-bats for Nathaniel Lowe since the ex-Mississippi State slugger signed with the Red Sox on Aug. 18. Lowe hit his 18th homer of the season and drove in three runs in Tuesday’s victory.
101 — Strikeouts this season by Matt Wallner, the former Southern Miss star who fanned three times in Minnesota’s loss to the White Sox. Wallner has 61 hits — 20 homers — in 295 at-bats.
1 — Scoreless inning thrown in his 2025 debut by Ethan Small, the former first-round pick out of Mississippi State now with Triple-A Sacramento in San Francisco’s system. Small, in his sixth pro season, had not pitched since August 2024 because of injury. The 28-year-old lefty made four MLB appearances with Milwaukee in 2022-23.
80 — RBIs on the year for Blaine Crim, the ex-Mississippi College standout now with Triple-A Albuquerque in the Colorado organization. He is batting .281 with 20 homers at two stops in the minors in 2025 and got 11 MLB at-bats with Texas.
2 — Home runs in as many Triple-A games for Ole Miss alum Kemp Alderman, who went deep for Jacksonville in a win against Charlotte. For the season, the Decatur native has 17 bombs and is batting .281 between Double-A and Triple-A in the Miami chain.
5 — Shutout innings tossed by Dalton Rogers, the former Southern Miss star now with Double-A Portland in the Boston system. The left-hander from Brandon is 4-4 with a 3.63 ERA for Portland and 6-5, 3.15, overall in his fourth pro season.
16 — Hits in 42 at-bats for Luke Hill, a 2025 draftee out of Ole Miss by Cleveland. Hill had three hits and three RBIs for Low-Class A Lynchburg in a 14-2 win over Delmarva and is batting .381 with a homer, seven RBIs and seven steals in 13 pro games.