Houser flirts with perfection in complete game shutout of Wahoos

BILOXI, MS - Adrian Houser was perfect through six innings and faced one over the minimum Pensacola Blue Wahoos hitters he faced Friday night in the Biloxi Shuckers 6-0 victory over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos at MGM Park. The 22-year-old tossed a complete-game, three-hit shutout which provides a commanding 2-0 series lead in the best-of-five divisional round. The series is now headed to Pensacola Bayfront Stadium for the final three games, with the Shuckers needing just one more win to secure a spot in the Southern League Championship Series.

Offensively Orlando Arcia belted his first postseason home run in a four-run fifth inning, and was one of three Shuckers with multi-hit performances. The Shuckers have out-hit the Wahoos 22-6 over the first two games in the series.

Houser (1-0) started out quickly on the mound, striking out Phillip Ervin to start the game and needed just eight pitches to work through the first and another 10 in the second, before striking out the side in the third to complete the first round against the Blue Wahoos' lineup.

Two more strikeouts for the Oklahoma native highlighted the next three innings, as the 6'4" hurler induced five more groundouts to stay perfect through six. The perfection would come to an end in the seventh, as leadoff man Phillip Ervin singled on a line drive to center. A double play off the bat of Alex Blandino brought Houser back to facing the minimum, but a single by Jesse Winker ended those plans before Marquez Smith grounded out to second to end the inning.

Houser, who was acquired by Milwaukee on July 31 from Houston, went into the ninth with 91 pitches under his belt and struck out Yovan Gonzalez to start the final frame. A single by Eric Wright put a man on for Ervin, who hit into a game-ending 4-6-3 double play to give the Shuckers a 2-0 series edge.

Houser finished the night allowing just the three hits in his first ever complete game at the professional level with a career-high 10 strikeouts on 99 pitches. Houser's career-high in innings during a start is seven.

Biloxi (2-0) started the scoring in the first for the second-consecutive night. Yadiel Rivera and Orlando Arcia started the inning before Michael Reed walked to load the bases with nobody out. Garret Cooper grounded out to first, allowing Rivera to score.

The Shuckers loaded the bases again in the second, but failed to push a man across, stranding five and starting 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

Pensacola (0-2) starter Cody Reed (0-1) settled in after the second, retiring eight straight batters entering the fifth.

Rivera started the halfway point with his third single of the game, setting up Arcia's two-run blast over the auxiliary scoreboard in left to give Biloxi a three-run cushion.

Michael Reed followed the homer with a double and Tyrone Taylor drove the runner in an out later with a single to left.

Pensacola turned to Jacob Johnson to relieve Reed. Brandon Macias greeted the new righty out of the bullpen with a single and Victor Roache followed with a run-scoring single to left to plate Taylor and gave the Shuckers a five-run lead.

Biloxi tallied another run in the seventh with a RBI double from Cooper to score Reed.

The Shuckers head to Pensacola to potentially wrap up the series and clinch a spot in the Southern League Championship on Saturday night. Southern League ERA champion RHP Tyler Wagner (11-5, 2.25) takes the wheel for Biloxi, while Pensacola will counter with RHP Tim Adleman (9-10, 2.64). Wagner finished with a perfect 3-0 record against the Blue Wahoos in 2015, with just five runs - four earned - allowed in 25 innings. Adleman dropped three of four contests against the Shuckers during the regular season, allowing eight runs - four earned - over 24.1 innings of work. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., with coverage beginning at 6:20 p.m. on 1240-AM WGCM, 1580-AM WPMO and the Biloxi Shuckers Radio Network. Fans can also listen to the game using the TuneIn Radio app or by going to www.biloxishuckers.com.

If the Shuckers do advance to the Championship Series they would host games one and two and MGM Park. Tickets are currently on sale for those potential contests.

Fans can purchase Biloxi Shuckers playoff tickets directly by CLICKING HERE

In addition to purchasing tickets at the MGM Park Box Office, fans may also use the options listed below from Ticketmaster. In order to purchase tickets over the phone, please call Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000. The MGM Park Box Office does not process any phone sales. All phone sales must be made through Ticketmaster with the number provided.In order to purchase tickets online, please visit www.ticketmaster.com or www.BiloxiShuckers.com. Tickets may also be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets. Please visit www.ticketmaster.com for additional locations in your area.