Grand Victory! Fry's Slam Holds Up In 8-6 Win

After scoring seven unanswered runs to start the game, the Biloxi Shuckers (7-9) held off a rally from the Tennessee Smokies (6-10) for an 8-6 win at Smokies Stadium on Friday night.

The top two batters in the Shuckers’ order got the scoring started immediately as Tristen Lutz singled off LHP Luis Lugo (L, 0-3) and Brice Turang followed with an RBI triple, driving in Lutz to put Biloxi up 1-0 two batters into the game. Alexander Palma plated Turang with an RBI single two batters later, giving the Shuckers a 2-0 edge. Lutz notched his second hit of the night in the top of the second, an RBI double that scored Tyler Friis to stretch the Biloxi lead to 3-0.

In the top of the third, Jamie Westbrook started the inning with a walk before Palma doubled and Payton Henry walked, loading the bases for David Fry. The first baseman hammered a 2-2 pitch over the center field wall for a grand slam, the second home run of the year for Fry, vaulting the Shuckers to a 7-0 lead. It was the 11th grand slam in Shuckers history and first grand slam since Ryan Aguilar hit one on August 24, 2019 against Mississippi.

LHP Ethan Small handled the Smokies bats in the first two frames but ran into trouble in the third. Levi Johnson’s two RBI single cut into the Biloxi lead, but Small coaxed a double play ball out of Nelson Maldonado to avoid any further damage. Tennessee would add another run in the bottom of the fourth inning on an RBI double, but Small closed his outing by striking out the last two batters he faced, two of his seven strikeouts over four innings.

RHP Zach Vennaro entered to pitch the fifth and was on pace for a four-batter frame, but a fielding error extended the inning with two outs and the Smokies drove in three runs. Despite allowing three unearned runs, Vennaro finished off the frame, stranding the tying run at second.

LHP Nathan Kirby (H, 2) worked around a bases-loaded jam of his own in the sixth to toss a scoreless inning and RHP Peter Strzelecki (H,2) surrendered just a walk in his scoreless inning of work.

Biloxi gave their pitching staff some breathing room in the top of the eighth inning. Aguilar led off the frame with a single before Lutz singled to right, his third hit of the night, bringing up Turang. The shortstop hit a ball through the shift and into right for a base hit, driving home Aguilar to put the Shuckers ahead 8-6.

RHP Braden Webb (W, 1-0) worked his fifth consecutive scoreless appearance, striking out three batters in a perfect eighth and RHP Jake Cousins (S, 3) faced just three and struck out one in a perfect ninth to lock down the win.

Biloxi continues their six-game series against the Smokies on Saturday night. RHP Luis Contreras (0-1, 5.87) is set to take the mound for the Shuckers against Smokies’ RHP Cam Sanders (0-0, 4.73) for a 6:00 pm CST first pitch. The game can be heard locally on Cruisin’ WGCM AM 1240/FM 100.9, online here or on the MiLB App.

Individual tickets are on sale now for all 2021 Shuckers home games and promotions for May can be found here. Full Shuck Nation Membershipsand Half Shell Shuck Nation Memberships, flex plans and group outings are available by calling 228-233-3465 and selecting Option 3.

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 and are members of the Double-A South. For more information, please visit biloxishuckers.comand follow us on Twitter @biloxishuckers and at facebook.com/biloxishuckers.