Comeback win over BayBears places Shuckers back in first place
HUNTSVILLE, AL - The Shuckers jumped back into first place in the South Division after a dramatic come-from-behind, 4-3 victory over the Mobile BayBears on Monday afternoon at Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville. It was the second straight one-run win and Biloxi becomes the first Southern League team to 16 wins this season. The Shuckers dropped three of five in the set, but won back-to-back one-run contests, upping the record to 5-2 in one-run affairs.
The Shuckers rallied from down 2-0 and then 3-2 in the eighth inning to pull ahead for good. Kyle Wren (1x4, R, SB) singled to lead off the eighth and advanced to second on a gorgeous sacrifice bunt by Yadiel Rivera (2x3, R, SB). The speedster swiped third to put the tying run 90-feet away, and Orlando Arcia (2x4, RBI, R, 2B, SB) ripped a double to bring in the tying run.
Nick Ramirez (0x3, R, BB) struck out and then Michael Reed (1x2, RBI, 2 BB, SB) walked to load the bases for Nathan Orf (2x3, 2 RBI, 2B, BB). Orf flared a broken-bat single to right to bring in Arcia and give Biloxi a one-run lead at 4-3.
The pressure mounted in the ninth with Wifrin Obispo (SV, 5) seeking his fifth save in five chances.
A leadoff single to Mitch Haniger was followed by two wild pitches to put the tying run on third with nobody out. Obispo settled down, getting Tom Belza to pop out to catcher Parker Berberet - who had come on for an injured Adam Weisenburger (0x3) Obispo then struck out Brandon Drury on three pitches. Reed made the defensive play of the day with a diving catch in right-centerfield to rob Sean Jamieson of a game-tying hit, ending the game.
Mobile (15-9) broke Jorge Lopez's (5 IP, 2 R, 7 H, BB, 6 SO) scoreless-inning streak at 12.1 before it recorded an out; Belza doubled to start the game and Drury followed with a RBI single.
The Brewers' 15th-ranked prospect settled down after the opening frame, retiring 10 in-a-row from the second to the fifth inning before a two-out double by Jamieson ended the streak. Rudy Flores gave the BayBears a two-run cushion with an RBI single to bring home Jamieson.
Biloxi (16-9) tied the game off of reliever RJ Hively in the sixth. Back-to-back one-out singles by Rivera and Arcia put two on for Ramirez, who grounded into a fielder's choice from first base to second to put runners on the corners. Reed and Orf singled to bring in both runners, with Reed being thrown out trying to score on Orf's base hit to end the Shuckers' inning.
The BayBears responded with a run in the seventh when Drury tripled with two outs on a misplayed ball by Tyrone Taylor (0x3) in left-centerfield and Jamieson brought him in on an error by Arcia, giving Mobile a 3-2 advantage.
The combination of Martin Viramontes (1.2 IP, R - 0 ER - 2 H, SO), Mike Strong (0.1 IP), Jaye Chapman (W, 2-1, IP, BB, 2 SO) and Obispo locked down the BayBears' offense and kept the game alive for Biloxi's offense.
The Shuckers swiped a season-high four bags during Monday's contest, eclipsing the mark set on April 26 against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. Arcia recorded his 11th multi-hit game with a 2-for-4 day at the plate and Orf picked up two hits for second -straight day going 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs, including the game-winner.
The win concluded a stretch of 21 games in 20 days, as Biloxi will take Tuesday off before hosting the Mississippi Braves for a five-game series in Pearl, Miss. Shuckers fans wearing club apparel will receive free admission to each of the five games at Trustmark Park. The Shuckers will send out RHP Brooks Hall (3-0, 0.96), while the Braves will have RHP Jason Hursh (0-1, 8.50) on the bump. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., with coverage beginning at 6:45 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.