Late Lead Slips Away as Mud Monsters Fall to Boomers, 4-2
PEARL, Miss. (July 30, 2026) - After a first-inning lead held up for 7.1 innings, three late runs allowed the Schaumburg Boomers (37-32) to steal a 4-2 victory over the Mississippi Mud Monsters (28-41) Thursday evening.
Monster Notes
Sanchez settled in after the first, Fritz went deep, but Schaumburg rallied in the ninth.
- Sergio Sanchez allowed one run on three hits over six innings while striking out seven.
- AJ Fritz hit a two-run home run in the first inning to give Mississippi a 2-1 lead.
- Karell Paz finished with two hits and two stolen bases.
- Victor Diaz doubled to lead off the seventh inning.
- Schaumburg scored three runs in the ninth to take the lead.
Sanchez Takes the Ball
The right-hander worked through first-inning trouble.
After earning their first win of the series with a walk-off victory in Game 2, Mississippi turned to right-hander Sergio Sanchez on the mound.
Making his fifth start since being activated earlier this month, the right-hander out of San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic, threw his first pitch of the evening, and Alec Craig drove it over Brayland Skinner’s head in center field.
The ball caromed off the wall, allowing Craig to reach third with a stand-up triple. The Boomers followed with back-to-back walks to load the bases.
Banks Tolley lifted a fly ball to center field deep enough to score Craig and give Schaumburg a 1-0 lead.
With runners on first and second and one out, Sanchez struck out the next two batters, getting Kellum Clark swinging and Kyle Fitzgerald looking to end the inning.
Fritter Bomb
Fritz flipped the game with one swing in the first.
With two outs in the bottom of the first, the Mud Monsters answered.
After Tevis Payne II singled for Mississippi’s first hit, AJ Fritz followed with a two-run home run on a full-count offering from Schaumburg starter Buddie Pindel, giving the Mud Monsters a 2-1 lead.
Lead Holds
Both starters settled in after the first inning.
Both right-handers held the opposition scoreless over the next four innings, with Mississippi coming closest to adding another run in the bottom of the fifth.
Another two-out rally began with Slater Schield singling before moving to third on a Brayland Skinner base hit, putting runners on the corners. However, the Mud Monsters were unable to bring either runner home, and the 2-1 lead held.
Sanchez tossed a 1-2-3 sixth inning, recording his seventh strikeout of the night for the second out of the frame.
Bullpen Takes Over
Sanchez exited after six strong innings.
Mississippi called on Brayden Sanders out of the bullpen to begin the seventh.
After allowing the lone first-inning run, Sanchez rebounded to pitch five consecutive scoreless innings, finishing with six innings pitched while allowing one run on three hits, walking four and striking out seven.
Sanders took the mound and, despite allowing a two-out single, kept Schaumburg scoreless to send the game to the bottom of the seventh with Mississippi still leading.
Seventh-Inning Chance
Mississippi put two runners in scoring position but could not add on.
Leading off the bottom of the seventh, Victor Diaz doubled off Schaumburg reliever Kyle Moore, who entered in place of Pindel.
Karell Paz followed with a single to move Diaz to third before stealing second to put both runners in scoring position.
Moore escaped the inning without allowing a run.
Still in Front
Langrell kept the one-run lead intact in the eighth.
Connor Langrell took over in the eighth and tossed a scoreless inning, highlighted by a tumbling catch from Skinner in center field to end the frame.
Moore responded with a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth, preserving Schaumburg’s one-run deficit heading into the ninth.
Ninth-Inning Swing
Schaumburg rallied after the rain delay.
Chris Barraza took the mound in the ninth looking to record the save and secure the one-run victory for Mississippi with a light rain falling over Trustmark Park.
Barraza struck out leadoff hitter Kyle Fitzgerald looking before issuing back-to-back walks to put two Boomers aboard. As the rain intensified, the umpires called for a rain delay.
Following the 30-minute delay, Barraza issued another walk to load the bases.
A second consecutive bases-loaded walk forced home the tying run.
Now tied 2-2, Cole Smith followed with a two-run single to put Schaumburg back in front, 4-2. Barraza retired the final two batters of the inning, but the damage had already been done.
Final Push
Paz and Shelly reached in the ninth, but Schaumburg held on.
Down to their final three outs, the Boomers turned to Aaron Glickstein for the save opportunity.
Glickstein retired the first two Mud Monsters before Paz singled for his second hit of the night and stole second to move into scoring position.
Joshua Shelly then drew a full-count walk after fouling off four consecutive pitches.
With the tying run aboard, Glickstein recorded the final out to secure the 4-2 victory for Schaumburg.
Full Box Score
Schaumburg 4, Mississippi 2 - July 30, 2026 at Trustmark Park
Line Score
Schaumburg Batting
Mississippi Batting
Schaumburg Pitching
Mississippi Pitching
Box Score Notes
Schaumburg extra-base hit: Craig tripled in the first inning.
Mississippi extra-base hits: Diaz doubled in the seventh. Fritz homered in the first.
RBIs: Schaumburg - Craig, Smith 2, Tolley. Mississippi - Fritz 2.
Defense: Mississippi was charged with a passed ball. Neither team committed an error.
Base running: Craig stole his 18th base and Fitzgerald stole his 17th for Schaumburg. Paz stole two bases for Mississippi and Fritz was caught stealing.
Pitching: Pindel 82 pitches, 60 strikes. Moore 33 pitches, 21 strikes. Glickstein 22 pitches, 17 strikes. Sanchez 103 pitches, 58 strikes. Sanders 14 pitches, 9 strikes. Langrell 12 pitches, 7 strikes. Barraza 32 pitches, 10 strikes.
Game information: Trustmark Park. Thursday, July 30, 2026. First pitch: 6:31 p.m. Final out: 10:22 p.m. Time of game: 3:21. Weather: 91 degrees. Wind: 9 mph WNW.
Up Next
The Mud Monsters continue their six-game series against the Schaumburg Boomers on Friday evening.
It will be Fireworks Friday with a Willy Wonka theme, including Golden Ticket Night. Celebrating 55 years of Willy Wonka, gates open at 5:30 p.m. CT, with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT.
Right-hander Jackson Smith (4-2, 4.66) gets the start for Mississippi, while Schaumburg counters with fellow right-hander Derek Salata (4-4, 4.58).
Golden Tickets and Teal Jerseys
Two big nights remain in the Schaumburg series at Trustmark Park.
The Mud Monsters continue the homestand with Golden Ticket Night and Fireworks Friday before Saturday’s Teal Jersey Giveaway presented by Atmos Energy.
Golden Ticket Night
Fireworks Friday gets a little sweeter with Golden Ticket Night - 55 Years of Willy Wonka.
Stick around after the game for a Fireworks Friday show at Trustmark Park.
Gates: 5:30 PM
First Pitch: 6:30 PM
Teal Jersey Giveaway
The first 1,000 fans through the gates receive a teal Mud Monsters jersey presented by Atmos Energy.
It is also the Teal Takeover Monster Drop.
Five Days of Giveaways
Fans who secure tickets for Golden Ticket Night are eligible for the week’s Golden Ticket drawings.
Read MorePick Your Night
Fireworks, Golden Tickets, teal jerseys and one more Monster Drop are still waiting in the swamp.
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Baseball Lives Here. It Just Got a Little Weirder.
The Mississippi Mud Monsters are a professional baseball team based in Pearl, Mississippi, competing in the Frontier League. Built in the mud and rooted in Mississippi, the Mud Monsters believe baseball should be unapologetically fun, a little weird, wildly welcoming, and deeply tied to the place it calls home. Real baseball. Real people. This is swamp-built, Mississippi-made baseball, where the vibes matter just as much as the final score.