Stokes, Shuckers open homestand with 4-3 win over Jacksonville

BILOXI, MS - The Biloxi Shuckers started a pivotal homestand on Sunday night with an exciting 4-3 victory over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in front of 3,425 fans at MGM Park. The first Double-A home run from Troy Stokes Jr. gave the Shuckers a lead they would not relinquish in the series opener.
Biloxi was planning on sending Luis Ortiz  to the mound, but the Brewers organization's top pitching prospect was ill and unable to make the start. In his place, reliever Travis Hissong  was pressed into starter duty and delivered 4.1 innings of one-run ball.

In the second, a René García sacrifice fly got the Shuckers on the board after Clint Coulter singled and Gabriel Noriega doubled. Angel Ortega doubled the lead in the third with an RBI single to score Johnny Davis , who had led off the inning with his team-leading sixth triple of the year. Davis was 1-for-4 on Sunday and is batting .318 during July.
Hissong left with a 2-0 lead and a runner on base, but Quintin Torres-Costa (W, 1-1) allowed two run-scoring hits to start his outing to tie the game 2-2. The lefty would recover, though, and leave runners on the corners to keep the game tied.
In the fifth, Stokes Jr. went yard to the opposite field off starter Matt Tomshaw (L, 9-6) to give the Shuckers a 3-2 lead. Jacob Nottingham added an insurance run later in the inning to make it 4-2.
Torres-Costa allowed another run in the sixth but left the bases loaded to retain the lead. Tayler Scott pitched 2.0 shutout innings of relief, and Jorge López (S, 2) pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save in as many nights.
The Shuckers will send RHP Jon Perrin to the mound on Monday for game two of the homestand against RHP Trevor Richards for the Shrimp. First pitch is at 6:35 pm CT with live coverage beginning at 6:15 pm on Cruisin' WGCM AM-1240/FM-100.9 and the Shuckers Radio Network. The game will also be available at biloxishuckers.com, MiLB.TV and TuneIn Radio.
Monday is Military Monday and the Shuckers wear military-themed jerseys to salute the brave sacrifices made by our servicemen and women! All active and retired military may purchase $7 reserved level tickets with valid ID. There will also be a special $12 reserved ticket offer for the military that includes a hot dog, chips, and drink! Military Monday is presented by Keesler Federal Credit Union.
ABOUT THE BILOXI SHUCKERS: The Biloxi Shuckers are the Double-A Southern League 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.