Lookouts survive ninth inning rally by Shuckers

BILOXI, MS - The Shuckers and Lookouts waited out a 1 hour 41 minute rain delay on Friday night, and at 11:56 p.m. With the MGM Park crowd on their feet, Michael Reed, who saved two runs with outfield assists, grounded out to short with the bases loaded, leaving the tying run at third in a 6-5 loss to the Lookouts at MGM Park. The Shuckers dropped their second one-run game in the series and fall behind 2-1 in the five-game set.

Friday's game went to the bottom of the ninth with Biloxi down 6-3. Taylor Green (2x3, R, BB) started the ninth with a walk against closer J.T. Chargois (SV, 7) and made it to second as Brandon Macias (0x4, R) reached on an error by the third baseman Niko Goodrum. Josh Fellhauer (1x4, RBI, R) struck out for the first out of the inning, but Adam Weisenburger (1x2, RBI, 2B, 2 BB) drew the second walk of the inning for the Shuckers to load the bases. Nick Shaw (1x5, R) pounded a grounder to first, but Kennys Vargas' throw home got away from catcher Stuart Turner allowing Green to score, trimming the Shuckers' deficit to two.

A fly out by Tyrone Taylor (1x5) gave Biloxi two outs, but Orlando Arcia (1x3, 2 RBI, 2 BB) drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch to force home Macias from third and bring the Shuckers within a run at 6-5 for Michael Reed (1x5). The centerfielder would ground out on a 3-2 pitch to short, ending the game.

Chattanooga (6-14) started the scoring in the second, taking a 1-0 lead. Steve Wickens was hit by a pitch to start the frame and came around to score two batters later on a RBI single by Shannon Wilkerson.

The Shuckers tied the game in the third with a two-out, RBI single by Arcia to bring home Shaw. The 20-year-old extended his hitting streak to five games with the single in the third. It's his seventh hitting streak of seven games or longer.

The Lookouts opened up a two-run advantage in the fourth. Three straight, one-out singles by Wickens, Stuart Turner and Heiker Meneses brought in the first run of the inning for Chattanooga, with Reed picking up his first assist of the game on a throw from center that gunned down Turner at the plate for the second out. Shannon Wilkerson followed by reaching on an error on a low throw by third baseman Macias to score Meneses for the second run on the inning.

Johnny Hellweg had his best outing as a Shucker, though the box score may not be indicative of his third start with Biloxi. The St. Charles, MO native worked 3.2 innings, allowing three runs - two earned - on six hit, two walks and five strikeouts.

Biloxi (10-11) tied it once again in the bottom-half of the fourth with Nick Ramirez (1x4, R, 2B) starting things out with a double to put a runner in scoring position with nobody out. Fellhauer drove the runner in two batters later with a single to right to pull the Shuckers within a run. Weisenburger roped a double to center to bring in Fellhauer from first to tie the game at three apiece.

Chattanooga pulled ahead for good in the sixth, using an RBI groundout by Wilkerson and a RBI single from Kennys Vargas to give the Lookouts a 5-3 advantage. Adam Brett Walker added an insurance run in the ninth on a RBI single to bring in Max Kepler, putting the Shuckers in a three-run hole.

Reed prevented another run from crossing the plate for Chattanooga by throwing a dart to Weisenburger at home after Marcus Knecht tried to tag from third on a fly out to center by Turner to keep the Shuckers within two. The 22-year-old has tied a career high with 10 outfield assists this season, a record he set in 2014 while with the Brevard County Manatees.

Jed Bradley (0-1) suffered his first loss in a Shuckers' uniform, allowing two runs on three hits and two strikeouts in 1.2 innings.

The Shuckers look to force a rubber match with a win on Saturday night. RHP Tyler Wager (6-4, 2.50) will take on LHP Jason Wheeler (0-1, 3.24). First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m., with coverage beginning at 6:55 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.

In addition to purchasing tickets at the MGM Park Box Office or CLICKING HERE, fans may also use the options listed below from Ticketmaster. In order to purchase tickets over the phone, please call Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000. The MGM Park Box Office does not process any phone sales. All phone sales must be made through Ticketmaster with the number provided.

In order to purchase tickets online, please visit www.ticketmaster.com or www.BiloxiShuckers.com. Tickets may also be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets. Please visit www.ticketmaster.com for additional locations in your area. ** There are no refunds or exchanges for individual game tickets**