Reetz' Two Homers Not Enough As Wahoos Edge Shuckers 3-2

Jakson Reetz homered twice but the Biloxi Shuckers (22-23) fell to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (22-20) 3-2 on Wednesday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

Facing RHP Eury Pérez, Reetz came to bat with two outs in the first and launched a solo homer over the left-field wall, his 11th of the season, to give Biloxi a 1-0 lead.

RHP Justin Bullock (L, 0-1) got out of a bases-loaded jam in the first but ran into trouble in the second inning. After retiring the first batter, Luis Aviles Jr., J.D. Orr and Jose Devers strung together three consecutive singles to tie the game at 1-1. A sacrifice fly by Troy Johnston pushed the Wahoos to a 2-1 lead.

In the third, Ray-Patrick Didder started the bottom of the stanza with a double and came in to score on a sacrifice fly from Cobie Fletcher-Vance, extending the Pensacola lead to 3-1. Reetz brought the Shuckers’ back within a run when he ambushed a first-pitch fastball from Perez to start the fourth, connecting for his second homer of the day and 12th of the year, pulling Biloxi back within striking distance at 3-2. It was the second multi-homer game of the season for Reetz.

Biloxi’s best chance to tie the game came in the sixth inning. Sal Frelick began the inning with a single, and after a strikeout by RHP Anthony Maldonado (W, 2-2), Reetz was hit by a pitch. Thomas Dillard then walked to load the bases with only one out, but Tristen Lutz hit into a fielder’s choice that forced out Frelick at home, keeping the Shuckers from knotting the game, and a groundout in the next at bat ended the threat.

In the top of the ninth, RHP Eli Villalobos (S, 4) walked Lutz to lead off the frame. Terence Doston came in as a pinch runner and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Devanney was then hit by a pitch, bringing up Brent Diaz. The Shuckers’ catcher worked the count to 3-1 before lacing a ball to short that was caught by Aviles Jr. and flipped to second base, doubling up Doston for the first two outs in the frame. Villalobos struck out the final batter to seal the victory for the Wahoos.

The Shuckers continue their six-game series with the Wahoos on Thursday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium. RHP T.J. Shook (0-0, 8.10) takes the mound for Biloxi against Pensacola RHP Zach McCambley (2-3, 4.98) for a 6:35 pm first pitch. The game can be seen on MiLB.TV and heard locally on WGCM AM 1240/FM 100.9 or online here. Individual tickets, Shuck Nation Memberships, Flex Plans and group outings are available for the 2022 season by calling (228) 233-3465 or visiting biloxishuckers.com.

ABOUT THE BILOXI SHUCKERS:

The Biloxi Shuckers are the Double-A Affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Shuckers are members of the Southern League and play at MGM Park in Biloxi, Mississippi. For more information please visit biloxishuckers.comand follow us on Twitter @biloxishuckers and at facebook.com/biloxishuckers.