Mud Monsters Edge Slammers 3–2 to Open Road Trip
Travis Holt, Karell Paz go deep as Mississippi wins its third in last four games

JOLIET, Ill. (June 10, 2025) — The Mississippi Mud Monsters opened their 12-game road trip with a narrow 3–2 win over the Joliet Slammers on Tuesday night at Slammers Stadium, riding early offense and late defense to a hard-fought victory.

Travis Holt opened the scoring with a two-run home run in the top of the first — his team-leading fifth of the year — and Karell Paz added a solo shot in the fourth to push the lead to 3–1. That proved to be just enough as the Mud Monsters bullpen held firm in the final innings.

Mississippi starter James Boeree (1–2) earned his first win of the season, working around six walks over five innings while allowing just two runs on two hits. Michael Reed followed with three scoreless frames, striking out six, before Chris Barraza locked it down with a 1-2-3 ninth to secure his second save.

Barraza now owns a team-best 0.63 ERA, while Reed’s season ERA dropped to 1.98.

Game Highlights

• Holt (2-for-4) and Paz (2-for-3) each homered and combined for all three RBI
• Brayland Skinner went 2-for-4 and stole his 21st base of the season
• Mississippi outhit Joliet 8–4.
• Kyle Booker’s diving catch in the ninth preserved the one-run lead

Standings Snapshot
With the win, the Mud Monsters move to 14–14 on the season and leapfrog Joliet (13–14) in the Frontier League’s Midwest West Division:

• Schaumburg Boomers — 19–8
• Gateway Grizzlies — 16–10
• Mississippi Mud Monsters — 14–14
• Joliet Slammers — 13–14
• Windy City ThunderBolts — 7–20

Mississippi has now won 7 of its last 11 games as the club continues to gain momentum heading into a critical stretch of divisional play.

Team Leaders (Through June 10)

Batting

• AVG: Kyle Booker (.314), Brayland Skinner (.299), Travis Holt (.286)
• HR: Holt (5), Booker (3), Forbes (2)
• RBI: Booker (18), Holt (17), Paz (14), Gonzalez (12)

Pitching

• Wins: Tyree Thompson (4), Joshua Paulina (2), Luis Devers (2), Rodney Theophile (2)
• Strikeouts: Devers (23), Williams (23), Mitchell (21), Theophile (21)
• ERA: Barraza (0.63), Reed (1.98), Thompson (3.38), Sanchez (3.38)

Up Next: Road Trip Continues in Joliet
The Mud Monsters and Slammers continue their three-game set on Wednesday night. First pitch is at 6:35 PM at Slammers Stadium.

Then, Monsters Baseball Returns to Pearl
After the road trip, the Mud Monsters return home on Tuesday, June 24 for a six-game series against the Down East Bird Dawgs — and Trustmark Park is turning up the summer heat with a full week of theme nights:

• Tuesday, June 24 – Master Mudders (55+) & Bingo Night
• Wednesday, June 25 – Monster Matinee – Youth & Senior Day, plus What’s on the Stick? Wednesday
• Thursday, June 26 – Golf Night and Thirsty Thursday with $2 draft beers
• Friday, June 27 – Fireworks Friday
• Saturday, June 28 – Red, White & Tanked! – 21+ Tank Top Giveaway + Game-Worn Tank Jersey Auction presented by Budweiser, and Kids Run the Bases presented by Mississippi Children’s Museum
• Sunday, June 29 – Howl in the Park – bring your dog to the game, Family Feature Sunday, BadgePass Lil’ Creatures Kids Club Day and Kids Run the Bases presented by Mississippi Children’s Museum

Tickets are available now at mudmonstersbaseball.com — don’t miss your chance to catch the swamp’s wildest week of the season.

About the Mississippi Mud Monsters
The Mississippi Mud Monsters bring high-energy baseball, swampy fun, and fierce competition to Central Mississippi. Playing their inaugural season at Trustmark Park, the Mud Monsters are redefining summertime in Pearl with a blend of cinematic flair, community connection, and all-out entertainment. Inspired by classic monster movies and fueled by grit, hustle, and heart, the team offers fans of all ages a uniquely Southern ballpark experience — one where the fun is loud, the vibes are weird, and the monsters are always ready to rise.

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