Corey Ray registered the first walk-off of the season for the Biloxi Shuckers (17-10), a two-run home run in the ninth to provide a 3-2 win over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (12-14) on Thursday night at MGM Park. RHP Corey Knebel added a perfect rehab inning, and Stephen Vogt went
Corey Ray registered the first walk-off of the season for the Biloxi Shuckers (17-10), a two-run home run in the ninth to provide a 3-2 win over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (12-14) on Thursday night at MGM Park. RHP Corey Knebel added a perfect rehab inning, and Stephen Vogt went 1-for-4 in his second rehab start at catcher.
Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Clint Coulter reached to begin the inning on a Chris Diaz throwing error. Two batters later, Ray, the Brewers sixth-ranked prospect, stepped in as the winning run. On a 2-1 pitch, Ray pulled a no-doubt line drive out to right field, sending MGM Park into a frenzy. The walk-off home run was the first for Biloxi since Michael Choice downed the M-Braves on June 23 of last year.
Jacksonville took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning with an unearned run against starter RHP Angel Ventura. In his first start of the season, Ventura struck out six over 4.2 innings. LHP Nick Ramirez added an inning and a third without a run, before Knebel came in for a 1-2-3 seventh. Knebel tossed just seven pitches and also recorded a strikeout.
RHP Pablo López left the game in line for the win after firing five scoreless innings for Jacksonville. The righty has now gone 14 frames to start the season without allowing a run. The Jumbo Shrimp offense stranded seven runners over innings three through six however, and Biloxi took advantage.
The 1-0 score line would stand through to the seventh when Coulter tied the game with a solo home run, his first of the season. The Shuckers then loaded the bases with one out, and the Jumbo Shrimp turned to LHP Jeff Kinley out of the pen. Vogt's final at-bat resulted in a flyout to left field. Wendell Rijo tried to tag and score the go-ahead run, but Cade Gotta cut him down at home with a perfect throw to end the inning.
Jacksonville took the lead in the top of the ninth off LHP Brad Kuntz (W, 1-2). Kuntz, who looked very good in his two innings of work, allowed a two-out single to Isan Díaz scoring Chris Diaz to put the Jumbo Shrimp up 2-1.
The Shuckers can win their five-game series with the Jumbo Shrimp on Friday night at 6:35 PM CT. Biloxi's RHP Zack Brown (1-0, 4.44) takes on ML rehabber RHP Elieser Hernandez (0-0, 1.80). It's another Fireworks Friday on Star Wars Night presented by Alpha Media, where fans are encouraged to dress up as their favorite character from a galaxy far, far away and enjoy postgame fireworks set to music from the saga.
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.
