By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
DEAL
Pitching with a new uniform number – No. 66 — former Bandys High star Hayden Deal collected his first win of the season on Thursday as the Mississippi Braves nipped Pensacola (Fla.)., 2-1.
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Deal a hard-throwing left-hander who has moved into a bullpen role this season as a returnee for Mississippi, blew a save on Thursday’s game but ended up with his 21st career pro victory.
He came on in the sixth inning and worked 1 2/3 innings, giving up three hits, no runs, walking one and striking out one. His next strikeout with be No. 300 as a pro (he has pitched 335 2/3 innings).
The series continued Friday against Pensacola and Deal did not pitch. The teams play games on Saturday and Sunday to complete the series.
The Braves start a six-games series at Chattanooga (Tenn.) on Tuesday night.
Deal threw strikes on 22 of 33 pitches on Thursday, facing eight batters before a crowd of 1,856. He is 1-0 this year with an ERA of 0.96 with 19 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings.
THURSDAY’S BOXSCORE: https://www.milb.com/gameday/blue-wahoos-vs-braves/2022/05/05/674424#game_state=final,game_tab=box,game=674424
CURRENT DOUBLE-A SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTH STANDINGS: https://www.milb.com/standings/southern/
HAYDEN DEAL’S PRO CAREER STATS: https://www.milb.com/player/hayden-deal-677421
OPENING DAY ROSTER: https://www.milb.com/mississippi/roster
MISSISSIPPI BRAVES SCHEDULE: https://www.milb.com/mississippi/schedule/2022-04