Harber Hurls Scoreless Debut in 5-0 Win

KODAK, TN - Bolstered by a four-run top of the first inning from his offense, RHP Conor Harber (W, 1-0) tossed 6.2 scoreless innings in his Double-A debut to help the Biloxi Shuckers (65-50, 25-21) shutout the Tennessee Smokies (57-58, 21-24) 5-0 on Thursday night at Smokies Stadium. 
Corey Ray kick-started the Shuckers first inning with an infield single in the first at bat of the game. Ray moved from first to third on a failed pickoff attempt, and scored on an RBI triple from Trent Grisham. Keston Hiura followed with a groundout to short, plating Grisham to make it 2-0 Shuckers. Lucas Erceg then singled to right against RHP Thomas Hatch (L, 6-5) before Richie Shaffer launched a home run to left, his fourth home run with the Shuckers, to increase Biloxi's lead to four runs. 
Harber worked around jams in the first, second, fourth and sixth, stranding a man at third base in all four frames. After coming back out to pitch in the seventh, Harber struck out Wynton Bernard and induced a groundout from Erick Castillo, but a Connor Myers' infield single ended Harber's night after 97 pitches, 66 of them for strikes. The 24-year-old righty scattered six hits across his 6.2 innings of work, coming an out away from tying his longest career outing. He did not issue a walk and struck out six en route his first Double-A win. 
In the eighth, Biloxi tagged on another run thanks to the top two batters in the lineup. Ray tripled to begin the inning and scored on an opposite-field single by Grisham, putting Biloxi in front 5-0. Ray finished a home run shy of the cycle, going 3-for-4 with a double, a triple and two runs scored, while Grisham recorded his third consecutive multi-hit game for the Shuckers.
RHP Jeff Ames tossed 1.1 innings of scoreless, hitless relief for Biloxi, and RHP Nattino Diplan finished it off in the ninth, striking out Jeffrey Baez to secure the Shuckers ninth shutout of the year.
With the series even at a game apiece, the Shuckers and Smokies square off again on Friday night at 6:00 PM CT. LHP Cameron Roegner (0-0, 1.50) takes the mound for the Shuckers against Smokies RHP Michael Rucker (8-5, 3.71). 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 can be purchased at the MGM Park box office or over the phone through Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Playoff tickets, half-season tickets, flex plans and group outings are also available and can be reserved by calling 228-233-3465 or visiting www.biloxishuckers.com.