Vegas Showdown Ends in Second-Straight Extra-Inning Loss
HUNTSVILLE, AL - It was billed as a Vegas heavyweight battle as Las Vegas natives Tyler Wagner and Aaron Blair met as starting pitchers on Saturday night in Huntsville. The top prospects settled for no decisions as Wagner, who had won each of his first four starts lost a no-hit bid in the sixth inning. The Shuckers went on to fall in a second-straight extra-inning contest, 3-1, in 11 innings at Joe Davis Stadium. The loss ensured the second series lost by the Shuckers, and set them 1½ games behind the BayBears, for first place in the Southern League South standings. Mobile remains the only team Biloxi has dropped a series to through five total to start the 2015 season.
Reliever Eric Marzec (L, 0-1, IP, 2 R, 2 H, 3 SO) took the mound for just the second time this season to begin the 11th for the Shuckers, and allowed back-to-back home runs to Tom Belza and Brandon Drury to give Mobile their eighth straight victory.
Starting pitcher Tyler Wagner, the Brewers' No. 9 prospect (7 IP, R, 4 H, 2 BB, 7 SO) had a no-hitter going through 5.1 innings before Belza singled with one out in the sixth. The graduate of Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas dropped his ERA down to 1.86 and set season-highs in innings pitched and strikeouts. Blair, who attended Spring Valley High School in Vegas delivered seven scoreless for the BayBears on two hits while walking two and striking out five. Blair is ranked as the No. 3 prospect for the Diamonbacks and No. 40 in all of baseball, according Baseball America.
Mobile (15-7) opened the scoring in the seventh, against Wagner when an RBI single by Sean Jameison brought in Socrates Brito.
Biloxi (14-9) tied it in the eighth when Nathan Orf (0x3, R, BB) led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Tyrone Taylor (1x4) advanced Orf and reached first safely to put runners on the corners for Adam Weisenburger (0x2, RBI, BB). The Shuckers' catcher lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to bring in Orf and make knot the score at one apiece.
Jaye Chapman allowed one hit and struck out one BayBear in his inning of relief, while Wirfin Obispo rebounded from the Friday's loss with a perfect, two-inning effort with three punch outs.
Edgar Garcia (W, 1-0) blew the save for Mobile, but ended up with the win. Adam Miller picked up his third save of the season after walking one and striking out two in the 11th.
Biloxi will send out LHP Hobbs Johnson (2-0, 1.65) in game four of the five-game set, trying to avoid a first four-game losing streak. Mobile will counter with RHP Braden Shipley (2-1, 1.08), Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 2:10 p.m., with coverage beginning at 1:55 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.