Brown Spins Another Gem In Shuckers Win

For the second straight start, RHP Zack Brown (W, 5-0) notched a career high in strikeouts, keeping the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (22-34) tied down for most of the night, as the Biloxi Shuckers (35-23) picked up a 6-3 victory on Tuesday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Brown was locked in out of the gate and needed to be to get through the first frame. The #23 prospect in the Brewers system got the first two outs easily on a groundout on strikeout, and appeared to be heading for a 1-2-3 inning before a fielding error extended the frame. Brown struck out Gavin LaValley, but the Pensacola first baseman reached on a passed ball. Both runners moved into scoring position on another passed ball, but Brown escaped the jam with a strikeout of Luis Gonzalez.
Biloxi gave their starter the lead in the second. Jake Gatewood led off with a walk from RHP Keury Mella (L, 4-3) and moved to second on a single by Lucas Erceg. Mella uncorked a wild pitch that advanced the runners into scoring position for Jake Hager, who singled up the middle, plating two to give Biloxi a 2-0 lead.
Troy Stokes Jr. started the third with a bang, crushing a home run to left centerfield, his eighth of the season, to push Biloxi to a 3-0 advantage. Keston Hiura then singled and stole second, his first steal with the Shuckers. Hiura would score on a hard hit ball to short by Hager that deflected off the glove of Gonzalez, stretching the Shuckers lead to 4-0.
In the fourth, Brown contributed on the bases. Ghelfi singled the opposite way to start the inning, setting up a sacrifice situation for Brown. He bunted a pitch over the head of a charging Shed Long from second and reached on a throwing error, putting two men on for Corey Ray. The Shuckers centerfielder sliced a double down the left field line, scoring Ghelfi from second and Brown from first to put Biloxi up 6-0.
The lone time Pensacola got to Brown came in the bottom of the fourth. The Blue Wahoos used four hits and a fielding error by the Shuckers to score three runs, only one earned. With men on the corners, Brown struck out CJ McElroy, his ninth of the night. The 23-year-old sat the side down in order in the fifth and capped his night with back-to-back strikeouts to end the sixth. He finished the night with 11 strikeouts, surpassing his previous career high that he set in his last start, when he struck out ten against the Mississippi Braves on May 31.
RHP Daniel Reynolds allowed just two baserunners in his two innings of work, striking out four. RHP Nate Griep (S, 20) faced four batters in the ninth with a strikeout en route to his league leading 20th save of the year.
The Shuckers can win their series against the Blue Wahoos on Wednesday night at 6:35 PM. The Shuckers are scheduled to send LHP Kodi Medeiros (4-2, 3.99) to the hill, while the Blue Wahoos have not named a starter. The game can be heard locally on Cruisin' WGCM AM 1240/100.9 FM, TuneIn Radio or the MiLB First Pitch App.
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.
ABOUT THE BILOXI SHUCKERS:
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.