MOBILE, AL - Three doubles, a triple and one timely home run helped the Biloxi Shuckers (29-19) pick up a 6-4 victory over the Mobile BayBears (25-22) on Friday night at Hank Aaron Stadium. Centerfielder Troy Stokes Jr. finished a home run shy of the cycle in the Shuckers' win. After falling
MOBILE, AL - Three doubles, a triple and one timely home run helped the Biloxi Shuckers (29-19) pick up a 6-4 victory over the Mobile BayBears (25-22) on Friday night at Hank Aaron Stadium. Centerfielder Troy Stokes Jr. finished a home run shy of the cycle in the Shuckers' win.
After falling behind in the bottom of the second on a sacrifice fly, the Shuckers were able to get to BayBears starter RHP Joe Gatto (L, 0-1) in the top of the third. With two outs and the bases empty, Stokes lined a ball to the left field gap and legged out a double, his 15th of the season. Jake Hager then drew a walk in front of Jake Gatewood, who lofted a 3-1 pitch over the left field wall for his seventh home run of the season, giving Biloxi a 3-1 lead.
The Shuckers tagged on two more runs in the top of the third inning, again putting together a two-out rally. Corey Ray walked before Stokes Jr. tripled to left, sending Ray home to make it 4-1 Biloxi. Hager sliced a ball to right field in the ensuing at bat, scoring Stokes easily, pushing the Shuckers to a 5-1 advantage.
RHP Zack Brown (W, 3-0) didn't allow a hit through the first three frames, but ran into trouble in the fourth. After back-to-back singles by Luis Rengifo and Zach Gibbons, Jared Walsh doubled to left, scoring both runners to pull Mobile within a pair at 5-3. Walsh was cancelled out on a fielder's choice by Brandon Sandoval, and Brown limited the damage by striking out a batter and inducing a groundball to end the frame. Mobile would add another run in the bottom of the fifth on a sacrifice fly, drawing within a run at 5-4. All told, Brown hurled five innings and allowed four runs on five hits while walking four and striking out three.
Once again, the Shuckers bullpen delivered in the late innings. LHP Quintin Torres-Costa hurled 1.1 innings before exiting with a runner at second in the seventh. RHP Jon Olczak escaped the jam without allowing a runner to score and tossed a perfect eighth. With his outing, Olczak has now inherited 14 runners and not allowed a runner to score in 17 appearances.
Biloxi added an insurance run in the eighth inning on a single by Lucas Erceg, his second of the night, regaining a two-run cushion at 6-4. RHP Nate Griep (S, 16) pitched a 1-2-3 ninth, recording his Minor-League leading 16th save of the season.
Game Four of a five-game series in Mobile is on Saturday night at 7:05 PM. Biloxi has not named a starter after projected starter RHP Adrian Houser was recalled by Milwaukee. Mobile is slated to send RHP Griffin Canning (1-0, 1.95) to the mound. The game can be heard locally on Cruisin' WGCM AM 1240/ FM 100.9, 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.
