Gatewood Provides a Pair of Go-Ahead Hits in Win

Jake Gatewood provided a pair of go-ahead hits in back-to-back innings on Monday night in the Biloxi Shuckers (11-7) 5-4 win over the Montgomery Biscuits (6-12) at MGM Park. The first baseman clocked a seventh-inning two-run home run followed by a two-out RBI-single in the eighth to take the lead.
The Shuckers climbed to an early lead in the second inning against knuckleballer RHP J.D. Martin. Nick Franklin crushed his first long ball of the season to right field to lead off the inning, giving Biloxi a 1-0 lead. Clint Coulter added an RBI single to centerfield in the frame to make it 2-0, but Martin stranded runners on second and third.
RHP Zack Brown was locked during his second home start of the season. The righty allowed a singular hit through his first four innings before Nathan Lukes put Montgomery on the board with a solo home run to right-center field. Brown carried a 2-1 lead to the sixth, but Michael Russell reached on a Franklin error to start the inning. After back-to-back singles loaded the bases, Brown departed as LHP Quentin Torres-Costa entered the game.
Torres-Costa's first batter, Dalton Kelly, roped a double to right-center to score two runs, giving the Biscuits a 3-2 lead. The Shuckers lefty worked his way around a pair of runners in scoring position. With the infield drawn in, Brandon Lowe grounded to third, keeping the runners at bay. Torres-Costa then struck out Lukes and Mac James looking to limit the damage.
The bottom of the seventh saw baseballs, and sparks, fly. After a leadoff double from Blake Allemand, Gatewood rifled the first pitch he saw from Martin off the light stanchion in left-center to give Biloxi a 4-3 lead. Dylan Moore promptly tripled, setting the Shuckers up for a key insurance run.
Coulter was retired without an RBI, and Tyler Heineman stepped in with one out. The Shuckers' catcher disagreed with a strike-two call, and stuck out swinging. He smashed his bat to the dirt twice and was ejected from the game.
In the top of the eighth, the Biscuits answered with an unearned run. Kelly reached on a throwing error from Moore to the covering LHP Nick Ramirez (W, 4-0). Kelly tagged to second on a deep fly ball by Lowe, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Lukes' RBI-single to tie the game. The pressure heightened as Lukes stole second and progressed to third on Dustin Houle's throwing error. Mike Brosseau flied to shallow center, and Ramirez wriggled out of the jam as James grounded out softly to short. The Shuckers did commit a season-high four errors in the contest.
In the bottom of the inning, Lucas Erceg came to bat first and was hit in the head by a pitch from LHP Matt Krook (L, 0-1). Erceg was slow to get up and left the game. He will be re-evaluated on Tuesday and is considered day-to-day. Krook induced a pair of groundouts, but pinch runner Jake Hager advanced a base on each, moving to third as RHP Mike Franco came in to face Gatewood. The former 41st-overall pick shot a ball right back up the middle to plate Hager and give the Shuckers a 5-4 lead.
RHP Nate Griep (S, 6) slammed the door in the ninth with a 1-2-3 inning highlighted by a Corey Ray diving catch to rob Russell of an extra-base hit.
The Shuckers look to even the series at two games apiece on Tuesday night at 6:35 PM CT. It is the first Brew Crew Tuesday of the year at MGM Park presented by Miller Lite. RHP Adrian Houser (0-0, 4.15) duels Montgomery's RHP Eduar Lopez (1-1, 4.85).
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. 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.