McDowell, Shuckers walk off in opener

The last position player at Biloxi's disposal strode to the plate with one out, the bases loaded in the 12th inning and Game 1 of the Southern League semifinals tied at 3-3. 
"Just do the job," backup catcher Max McDowell said to himself. 
Mission accomplished. 
McDowell drove a ground-rule double to left field to give the Shuckers a 4-3 victory over Pensacola in the opener of the best-of-5 series on Wednesday at MGM Park.  

"It's a moment you dream about being in," he said. "I just wanted to take advantage of it. It was a lot of fun."
The 24-year-old was hitless in six of his previous eight games, but that didn't matter when he stepped into the batter's box left-hander Joel Bender. Pensacola made the tactical decision to bring Reds No. 17 prospectJose Siri in from center field to occupy an extra spot in the infield against McDowell, who had 14 extra-base hits in 255 at-bats between Class A Advanced Carolina and Biloxi during the regular season. 
"It was my job to get the ball in the outfield," the Pittsburgh native said. "I was able to get it done." 
Gameday box score
When top Brewers prospectKeston Hiura crossed the plate as the winning run, the Shuckers immediately swarmed the 2015 13th-round Draft pick. 
"It was just a lot of fun, no other way to describe it," McDowell said. "It was a great game. Fun to be a part of it." 
The University of Connecticut product posted comparable numbers between the two levels, finishing with a .224/.306/.628 slash line and three homers. 
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Brewers No. 8 prospect Zack Brown held Pensacola to two runs on three hits over six innings, striking out five. Reds No. 15 prospect TJ Friedl was responsible for the damage, drilling a two-run homer in the third. Taylor Featherston smacked a solo shot in the seventh off Jeff Ames. 

The Shuckers were down, 3-2, with two outs in the eighth when Brewers No. 4 prospect Lucas Erceg drilled a solo homer to right. Cody Ponce (1-0), ranked 17th in the Milwaukee system, picked up the win after striking out three in two innings of scoreless relief. Again, McDowell said, the Shuckers' deep lineup refused to go down without a fight. 

"It's expected. We've been doing it all year," he said. "These guys get up and they grind. It's fun to be a part of. They keep it rolling. It makes playing a lot easier when the guy in front of you or the guy behind you [can do it]. It can be a different guy every night." 
Game 2 is Thursday in Biloxi.

In other Southern League playoff action

Generals 4, Biscuits 3
Montgomery led until the ninth, when Jackson scored twice to capture the Game 1 victory. Biscuits closer Yoel Espinal hit pinch-hitter Dominic Miroglio to begin the inning and walked Ben DeLuzio and Kevin Medrano to load the bases with nobody out. Marty Herum tied it with an infield single and, with two outs and the bases still loaded, Josh Prince worked a walk to force in the winning run. D-backs No. 3 prospectTaylor Widener did not figure in the decision for the Generals after allowing three runs on six hits over 4 1/3 innings, while Rays No. 11 prospectNick Solak reached base four times, driving in one run and scoring another for Montgomery. Gameday box score