Shuckers' Pitching Fuels Opening Weekend Series

The Biloxi Shuckers (3-0) defeated the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (0-3) 3-1 on Sunday afternoon at Blue Wahoos Stadium to complete their first sweep of the Blue Wahoos since June of 2019.

For the third straight night, the Blue Wahoos had either the tying or winning runs in scoring position and failed to drive them in to end the game. In the bottom of the ninth inning, after three straight singles loaded the bases with just one out, Victor Victor Mesa chopped a ball to Cam Devanney at third base who stepped on the bag and fired across the diamond for a game-ending double play.

RHP Tyler Herb (W, 1-0) picked up his first win of the season, firing four scoreless innings to end the game. Herb followed the strong start from RHP Victor Castaneda who was making his Double-A debut. The Culiacan Rosales, Mexico native worked 4 2/3 innings on the mound and allowed just two hits and two walks. Castaneda didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning.

The Biloxi offense jumped on mistakes by the Blue Wahoos defense in the first inning. After a two-out Joey Wiemer single, Noah Campbell dove headfirst into the first base bag to leg out an infield single. Freddy Zamora would also tally an infield single to load the bases. The next batter, Felix Valerio chopped a ball up the middle that Luis Aviles Jr fumbled and couldn’t handle to plate the opening run and give the Shuckers a 1-0 lead.

Biloxi held the lead until the bottom of the fourth inning when Paul McIntosh blasted his second home run of the series over the left-field wall to tie the game at one apiece. Pensacola wouldn’t hold that lead for long though, as the Wahoos’ defense coughed up another costly error to Gabe Holt to start the top of the fifth. Garrett Mitchell grounded into a fielder’s choice before he ended up on third base after another Wiemer single. The reigning Brewers’ Minor League Player of the Year finished the game 3-for-3 with two runs and a walk in four plate appearances. On a ball in the dirt blocked up the first base line by McIntosh, Mitchell dashed towards home and scored on the wild pitch to retake the lead 2-1. After Wiemer advanced on the same wild pitch, Felix Valerio continued his strong opening series with an RBI single to extend the Biloxi lead 3-1. Valerio collected an RBI in all three games.

For the Blue Wahoos, RHP Bryan Hoeing (L, 0-1) tossed 5 2/3 innings and tied his career high with 10 strikeouts. Out of the three runs he gave up, only one was earned.

With a series sweep under their belt, the Shuckers have an off day tomorrow but return to MGM Park to host the Mississippi Braves for a six-game series starting Tuesday. The Shuckers send LHP Nick Bennett (NR) to the hill in his first start of 2022 opposite M-Braves RHP Alan Rangel (NR). First pitch is set for 6:35 PM and 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.