SOUTHERN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS: Biscuits force a deciding Game 5, pound Braves
Ford Proctor had two hits, scored four times helping Montgomery forced a deciding Game 5 against Mississippi. (File Photo)
By TIM GAYLE
PEARL, Miss. – The Biscuits pounded out 13 hits and 14 runs in defeating the Mississippi Braves 14-2 on Saturday night, forcing a fifth game to decide the Double-A South Championship Series.
Mississippi (69-46), setting a franchise record with its league-best record this season, made its first postseason appearance since 2016 and is seeking its first league title since 2008. Montgomery (64-57), sporting the league’s second-best record, is making its sixth consecutive postseason appearance but hasn’t won a league title since back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007.
fter losing the last two games in the best-of-five series, Montgomery faced a do-or-die situation in Saturday’s contest at Trustmark Park and the Biscuits responded with a standout pitching performance from Miller Hogan and a four-RBI night from Ford Proctor and Nico Hulsizer.
It was Hulsizer who drove in the game’s first runs in the fourth off of Braves’ starter William Woods. Proctor had walked and both Ruben Cardenas and Cal Stevenson singled, setting the stage for a two-run double down the left field line by Hulsizer for a 2-0 lead.
The Biscuits made it 6-0 in the fifth as Xavier Edwards scored on a wild pitch, Stevenson singled in Proctor and Jim Haley singled to center to drive in Cardenas and Stevenson.
In the sixth, Montgomery added four more runs as Proctor doubled in Michael Smith and Edwards and Hulsizer doubled in Proctor and Stevenson.
Hogan, meanwhile, pitched six innings of shutout ball, allowing just four hits while striking out seven and walking none as his offense staked him to a 10-0 lead.
After Mississippi struck for a run in the eighth off reliever Tanner Dodson, the Biscuits countered with four more runs, loading the bases for Edwards’ RBI single and Proctor’s two-run single.
Mississippi got a pinch-hit home run by Jefrey Ramos off Ivan Pelaez in the ninth.
Edwards went 3 for 5 with an RBI and scored three times, Proctor went 2 for 4 with four RBIs and scored three times, Stevenson went 2 for 5 with an RBI and scored twice and Hulsizer went 2 for 3 with four RBIs and a pair of doubles to lead the Biscuits.
Adrian De Horta, whose standout pitching performance helped the Biscuits win the first game in the series, will take the mound for Montgomery in Sunday’s game at Trustmark Park at 5:05 p.m. Mississippi will start Alan Rangel, who pitched the final two innings of Tuesday’s opener.
The Braves have won 19 of the 28 games against the Biscuits this season, but Montgomery has won three of the last four at Trustmark Park.