Homers Power Pandas Past Shuckers

Three home runs were too much to overcome for the Biloxi Shuckers (51-50, 17-17 2nd Half) in a 5-4 defeat to the Rocket City Trash Pandas (59-54, 17-17 2nd Half) on Tuesday night at MGM Park.

LHP Nick Bennett (L, 6-9) got the start for Biloxi, and after hitting the first batter of the game, retired the next six in a row, including five via strikeout. Rocket City cracked the scoreboard in the third on a single by Bryce Teodosio and a two-run homer by Logan O’Hoppe, making it 2-0 Trash Pandas.

Biloxi’s offense delivered a counterpunch in the home half of the third. Felix Valerio led off with a double against RHP Coleman Crow (W, 8-2) and was joined on base by Corey Ray on a two-out walk. Andruw Monasterio singled up the middle and advanced to second on the throw, placing two men in scoring position for Garrett Whitley. The Shuckers’ outfielder cranked a three-run homer over the left-field wall, his first with the Shuckers, vaulting Biloxi to a 4-2 lead.

A solo homer by Torii Hunter Jr. in the top of the fourth brought the Trash Pandas within a run and Rocket City tied the contest in the top of the fifth on the second home run of the night by O’Hoppe. A single, a hit by pitch and another single delivered the go-ahead run for the Trash Pandas, putting them ahead 5-4.

After allowing the RBI single, Bennett retired the next three hitters in order. It kicked off a streak where Biloxi retired 13 in a row and 15 of the final 16 batters faced. RHP Luis Contreras struck out five in two innings of work, RHP Zach Vennaro K’d a pair in his perfect inning of relief, and RHP Cam Robinson allowed just a one-out single while striking out the side in the ninth. The 18 combined strikeouts by the Shuckers ties a franchise record, the fifth time a Shuckers’ staff has struck out 18 in a game.

Biloxi’s offense was able to put a man on second in the sixth when Whitley led off with a single and advanced to second on a groundout, but LHP Nick Jones (H,3) induced a groundout to end the threat in the frame. The Shuckers other best scoring chance came in the bottom of the eighth inning when Tristen Lutz walked with two outs and was replaced by Terence Doston as a pinch runner. Cam Devanney singled to put the winning run on base, but LHP Kolton Ingram (H, 10) got a flyout to strand both runners on base. LHP Eric Torres (S, 14) retired the side in order in the ninth to secure the save for Rocket City.

The Shuckers continue their six-game series against the Trash Pandas on Wednesday night at MGM Park. RHP T.J. Shook (2-1, 4.42) takes the hill for Biloxi against Rocket City RHP Brett Kerry (3-5, 4.50) 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.com and follow us on Twitter @biloxishuckers and at facebook.com/biloxishuckers.