Ryan Casteel homered twice to help the Mississippi Braves (35-38, 2-2 2nd Half) top the Biloxi Shuckers (43-31, 2-2) 5-3 on Sunday afternoon at MGM Park. The win by Mississippi forces a rubber match to decide the five-game series on Monday night.Casteel connected for his first longball in the first.
Ryan Casteel homered twice to help the Mississippi Braves (35-38, 2-2 2nd Half) top the Biloxi Shuckers (43-31, 2-2) 5-3 on Sunday afternoon at MGM Park. The win by Mississippi forces a rubber match to decide the five-game series on Monday night.
Casteel connected for his first longball in the first. Drew Waters doubled with one out in the frame before Casteel stepped to the plate with two outs. Facing Shuckers RHP Trey Supak (L, 8-3), Casteel lifted a fly ball over the left centerfield wall for his ninth home run of the season, putting the M-Braves up 2-0. RHP Kyle Muller (W, 5-4) added another run for Mississippi in the top of the second with an RBI single, plating William Contreras to make it 3-0 M-Braves.
Biloxi tagged Muller for his lone run of the day in the bottom of the second. Dillon Thomas drew a leadoff walk and swiped second to get in scoring position. Alexander Alvarez laced a ball into left field with two outs, scoring Thomas to put the Shuckers on the board at 3-1. The Shuckers threatened in the bottom of the fifth when Supak and Michael O'Neill both singled to start the inning, but C.J. Hinojosa flied to center and Weston Wilson grounded into a double play, ending the Biloxi threat.
In the top of the sixth, Tyler Neslony singled with one out, bringing up Casteel, who launched his second home run of the afternoon out to left. Supak worked around two more baserunners to complete six innings, the tenth time in 15 starts this year that Supak has tossed at least six innings.
Thomas led the charge for the Shuckers to get back in the game in the eighth. Hinojosa started the frame with a leadoff walk and Wilson followed with a single to center, putting two men on with no outs. After both runners advanced on a wild pitch, Thomas scorched a line drive to deep centerfield that one hopped the wall for an automatic double, scoring two to bring the Shuckers within a pair at 5-3. Thomas was left stranded at second though as Jake Gatewood struck out and Joantgel Segovia lined out to center.
In the ninth, Alvarez drew a walk against RHP Jeremy Walker (S, 5) and was replaced by Luis Aviles Jr. as a pinch runner. Pinch hitter Bruce Caldwell singled to right in the ensuing at bat, bringing the tying run to the plate. After O'Neill struck out, Hinojosa roped a ball up the middle, but Walker knocked it down with his glove and collected the ball barehanded to record an out at second. Wilson came to the plate with men on the corners but struck out to end the game.
With a rubber match set for Monday night, the Shuckers will send RHP Bowden Francis (4-4, 4.58) to the mound against M-Braves LHP Tucker Davidson (2-4, 1.61) for a 6:35 pm first pitch. It's Barks & Brews Monday presented by Raising Cane's and F.E.B. Distributing, with $3 craft beer refills at the Buena Vista Beer Garden. Fans can also bring their dogs when they purchase a $7 Berm ticket and can participate in a pregame dog parade on the warning track at 6:05 pm. The game can be heard locally in Biloxi on Cruisin' WGCM AM 1240/100.9 FM, TuneIn Radio or the MiLB First Pitch App and can be seen on MiLB.TV. Fans can save $10 off their subscription when they use the promo code 'Shuckers' at checkout.
Half-Season Shuck Nation Memberships, Flex Plans and Group Outings for the 2019 Biloxi Shuckers season are on sale now and are available for purchase by calling 228-233-3465, online at biloxishuckers.com or by visiting the MGM Park front office.
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.
