Shuckers Claim Rubber Match Against Biscuits for Third Straight Win

RHP Thomas Jankins (W, 4-0) recorded 16 straight outs during his outing on Wednesday morning in a rubber match that saw the Biloxi Shuckers (13-7) pick up a 5-2 win over the Montgomery Biscuits (6-14). Jake Gatewood blasted his team-leading fourth home run of the season, while Dylan Moore went deep as well.
The Biscuits scored in the first inning for the fourth time in five games with three straight singles to start the contest against Jankins. After that point, Jankins proceeded to retire the next 15 batters, including a helpful double play ball off the bat of Dalton Kelly to get out of the first inning jam. The righty struck out six over his six-plus innings.
Biloxi answered in the bottom of the first with hits of their own against Montgomery starter RHP Benton Moss (L, 1-2), but caught a tough break when Nick Franklin's double bounced over the right-centerfield wall. Jake Hager was primed to score from first but had to head back to third, as the Shuckers stranded a pair on the basepaths.
In the third, Franklin simply needed a sacrifice fly, and produced to bring in Troy Stokes Jr. to tie the game. Moss stayed in through the fifth where the top of the Shuckers order manufactured the lead. Corey Ray singled to start the frame and went first to third on a Hager base hit. After Franklin was intentionally walked to load the bases, Blake Allemand nearly missed a grand slam to right field. The fly ball was deep enough to bring in Ray as the Shuckers took a 2-1 lead.
Biloxi and Montgomery traded solo shots in the sixth and seventh. Dylan Moore boomed his second of the year out to left which was promptly followed by Brandon Lowe taking Jankins deep to right to bring the Biscuits within a run again. Jankins then allowed a pair of singles and departed with runners at first and second and nobody out. RHP Jon Olczak (H, 1) needed just two pitches to get out of the jam. He induced a foul pop-up on a bunt attempt by Jermaine Palacios, and got Danny De La Calle to ground out into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.
Gatewood added extra insurance in the bottom of the eighth by crushing a fastball off the left field scoreboard to pad the lead to 5-2. After allowing a leadoff double in the ninth, RHP Nate Griep (S, 7) retired the next three batters to earn his league-leading seventh save of the year.
The Shuckers begin a five-game series in Birmingham on Thursday at 7:05 PM CT. RHP Cody Ponce (1-1, 4.41) will start for Biloxi while the Barons' starter is TBA. The game can be heard in the Biloxi area on Cruisin' AM 1240/ 100.9 FM, online at biloxishuckers.com or on the MiLB First Pitch App.
The Biloxi Shuckers are the Double-A Affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Shuckers play at MGM Park in Biloxi, Mississippi. For more information please visit biloxishuckers.com and follow us on Twitter @biloxishuckers and at facebook.com/biloxishuckers.com. Single game tickets for the Biloxi Shuckers 2018 season are on sale now and can be purchased at the MGM Park box office or over the phone through Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Season tickets, flex plans and group outings are also available and can be reserved by calling 228-233-3465 or visiting www.biloxishuckers.com.