In their final meeting with their Magnolia State rival in 2019, the Biloxi Shuckers (80-54, 39-25 2nd Half) split their doubleheader with the Mississippi Braves (62-72, 29-36) on Tuesday night at MGM Park, winning Game One 3-1 before dropping Game Two 9-5. Biloxi finishes their 2019 regular season at home
In their final meeting with their Magnolia State rival in 2019, the Biloxi Shuckers (80-54, 39-25 2nd Half) split their doubleheader with the Mississippi Braves (62-72, 29-36) on Tuesday night at MGM Park, winning Game One 3-1 before dropping Game Two 9-5. Biloxi finishes their 2019 regular season at home with a 44-25 record.
Game 1
Biloxi took a lead on the first pitch to a Shuckers batter as Joantgel Segovia hit a lead-off homer, his second home run of the season, to put Biloxi up 1-0. Weston Wilson notched a two-out triple in the frame but was stranded as M-Braves RHP Nolan Kingham (L, 1-3) induced a groundout from C.J. Hinojosa.
RHP Drew Rasmussen got the start for the Shuckers and worked two clean innings to begin his outing. The righty had his scoreless inning streak snapped at 10.1 innings when Riley Unroe hit a solo home run with one out in the top of the third, tying the game at 1-1. RHP Tyler Spurlin (W, 3-2) entered after Rasmussen hit his 50-pitch limit and tossed 1.1 scoreless innings for Biloxi.
The Shuckers went ahead for good in the bottom of the third. Cooper Hummel lined a two-out single to left, and Dillon Thomas followed with a 435-foot homer to right, his 13th of the season, vaulting Biloxi to a 3-1 lead. LHP Daniel Brown (H, 10) spun 1.1 innings but departed with two men on base in the sixth. RHP Nate Griep (S, 22) induced a double play to get the last two outs in the sixth before pitching a 1-2-3 seventh to secure his league-leading 22nd save of the season.
Game 2
Mississippi pounced for five runs in the first inning against RHP Johan Belisario. Braden Shewmake singled and Trey Harris was hit by a pitch, bringing up Greyson Jenista. The left fielder singled to drive in the first run of the game. Ryan Casteel then hit his 21st homer of the season, a three-run blast to left, putting the M-Braves up 4-0. Connor Lien went back-to-back with Casteel, connecting for his seventh homer of the year, to extend the M-Braves advantage to 5-0 before the Shuckers cameer goin down in order in the first, the Shuckers bats started the comeback in the second. Hinojosa and Jake Gatewood singled before Devin Hairston drove in both runners with a double to right, his first Double-A hit, to bring the Shuckers within three at 5-2.
Biloxi drew even in the bottom of the third inning. Mario Feliciano was hit by a pitch and Dillon Thomas slid a single through the right side of the diamond, putting two runners on for Wilson, who scored the pair with a double. The Shucker first baseman was caught in a rundown trying to stretch his double into a triple and was tagged out for the second out in the frame. Hinojosa then launched a solo home run to left, his eighth of the year, to tie the game at 5-5.
The M-Braves had a response in the top of the fourth as Riley Unroe doubled in two, giving Mississippi a 7-5 advantage. A solo home run by Unroe in the sixth widened the deficit and Lien singled in a run in the seventh to push Mississippi to its final 9-5 advantage.
Facing RHP Josh Graham (W, 4-3) in the fourth, Biloxi was able to load up the bases with two outs, but a fielder's choice stranded all three men on base. Feliciano recorded his first hit in Double-A, a triple off RHP Jason Creasy (S, 8), but the M-Braves righty retired the next four men in order between the sixth and seventh to finish off the win for the M-Braves.
Following an off day on Wednesday, the Shuckers begin their final regular-season series on the road against the Birmingham Barons on Thursday night. Biloxi is set to send RHP Alec Bettinger (5-7, 3.59) to the hill for a 7:05 pm first pitch at Regions Field while the Barons have not named a starter. The game can be heard locally in Biloxi on Cruisin' WGCM AM 1240/100.9 FM, TuneIn Radio or the MiLB First Pitch App and can be seen on MiLB.TV. Fans can save $10 off their subscription when they use the promo code 'Shuckers' at checkout.
Flex Plans and Group Outings for the 2019 Biloxi Shuckers season are on sale and are available for purchase by calling 228-233-3465, online at biloxishuckers.com or by visiting the MGM Park front office. With the 2020 Southern League schedule announced, Shuck Nation Memberships for the 2020 season are also available by visiting the Biloxi Shuckers front office. The Biloxi Shuckers will host Game 1 and Game 2 of the South Division Championship Series on September 4 & 5 at MGM Park. Tickets for all six potential playoff games at MGM Park are on sale now.
ABOUT THE BILOXI SHUCKERS:
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.
