Nip and Tuck: Shuckers Edge Wahoos 4-3

Ortiz Hurls Six, Erceg Records Three Hits In Third Straight Win

By Garrett Greene

July 29, 2018

PENSACOLA, FL - A game ending, unassisted double play by Blake Allemand preserved a 4-3 win for the Biloxi Shuckers (63-43, 22-14) over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (54-50, 24-12) on Saturday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium. The Shuckers have now won three in a row. Leading 4-2 in the bottom of the

PENSACOLA, FL - A game ending, unassisted double play by Blake Allemand preserved a 4-3 win for the Biloxi Shuckers (63-43, 22-14) over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (54-50, 24-12) on Saturday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium. The Shuckers have now won three in a row.
Leading 4-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Biloxi started the frame with a walk to Aristides Aquino. RHP Jon Olczak (H, 7) issued another walk to Luis Gonzalez before striking out Gavin LaValley. Chris Okey delivered a single to right, scoring a run to bring the Blue Wahoos within one at 4-3. RHP Daniel Reynolds (S, 2) entered the game along with Allemand, who replaced Keston Hiura as part of a double switch. On the first pitch of his at bat, Narciso Crook cracked a line drive towards centerfield that Allemand leapt to snare for the second out of the inning. Allemand then raced to second base to double up Gonzalez, securing the victory for the Shuckers.
For the fourth consecutive night, the Shuckers scored in the first frame. Troy Stokes Jr. worked a walk, stole second base and moved to third on a wild pitch by RHP Vladimir Gutierrez (L, 8-9). Stokes scored on an opposite-field single by Erceg, putting the Shuckers up 1-0.
Pensacola responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the first inning. Jose Siri was hit by a pitch and raced in to score on a double by Taylor Featherston, knotting the game at one all. RHP Luis Ortiz (W, 3-4) put the clamps on the Blue Wahoos offense after that, retiring 16 of the next 18 batters he faced, including nine in a row at one point. The righty picked up his third win after allowing just one run on two hits over six innings, not issuing a free pass and striking out four.
Hiura plated a run in the third with a single, extending his hitting streak to a Double-A season-high nine games. Erceg came through with his second hit of the night in the fifth, driving in Ortiz from second to make it 3-1 Biloxi. Erceg finished the evening 3-for-4 with two RBI, his third consecutive three-hit night.
In the bottom of the seventh, LHP Brad Kuntz walked the bases loaded and departed with one out, bringing in Olczak. The 24-year-old induced an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play, preserving the Shuckers lead. Olczak has now inherited 22 base runners this season without allowing one to score.
Biloxi returns to action against the Blue Wahoos on Monday night at 6:35 PM. The Shuckers are scheduled to send RHP Jon Perrin (0-1, 3.32) to the mound against Blue Wahoos RHP Tony Santillan (3-0, 2.28). The game can be heard locally on Cruisin' WGCM AM 1240/FM 100.9, TuneIn Radio or the MiLB First Pitch App.
Single game tickets for the Biloxi Shuckers 2018 season can be purchased at the MGM Park box office or over the phone through Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Playoff tickets, half-season tickets, flex plans and group outings are also available and can be reserved by calling 228-233-3465 or visiting www.biloxishuckers.com.

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