Shuckers Stall in Wednesday Loss to Pensacola

The Biloxi Shuckers (6-7) offense struggled to click on Wednesday night, trailing all nine against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (8-4) and dropping the third game of the series 5-2 at MGM Park.   
Michael O'Neill enjoyed his second three-hit game of the season and provided the only two runs on the night to cut an early-inning deficit.
Shuckers starting pitcher Braden Webb (L, 0-3) saw his pitch count escalate in the first inning, surrendering a single to Jordan Gore, plunking Tanner English and walking Caleb Hamilton. Webb then issued a bases-loaded ball four on his 37th pitch of the inning to Jimmy Kerrigan and was lifted for Nattino Diplan. Diplan allowed a pair of RBI singles in the second innings as Pensacola took an early 3-0 lead.
Responding in the home half of the second, Cooper Hummel reach on an infield error, Luis Aviles Jr. walked and Blake Allemand singled to load the bases. Facing a shifted infield, O'Neill stepped to the dish and ripped a line drive through the left side against Devin Smeltzer, cutting the game to 3-2.
Smeltzer pitched into the fifth inning but was hit by a comebacker on the mound from Max McDowell and was removed from the game. Adam Bray (W, 1-1) took over on the hill for the Blue Wahoos and struck out three over three shutout innings for the win. 
Devin Williams, Daniel Brown and Aaron Kurcz combined to cover six innings out of the bullpen in the contest. Tanner English singled home a run against Williams in the sixth and Jordan Gore scored on an infield throwing error to settle the score at 5-2.       
The loss drops the Shuckers back below the .500 mark for the second time this season, three games back of the Blue Wahoos in the South Division. Biloxi's series with the Blue Wahoos continues on Thursday night at 6:35 pm. RHP Thomas Jankins (1-0, 2.25) is scheduled to start for the Shuckers while RHP Griffin Jax (0-0, 0.00) will toe the slab for Pensacola. It's Double-Play Thursday at MGM Park where fans can enjoy $2 hot dogs, sodas, Yuengling drafts and $3 draft beer specials courtesy of Polk's Meat Products, Yuengling, Coca-Cola and Kicker 108!   
Full Season Shuck Nation memberships, Weekender Shuck Nation memberships and Group Outings for the 2019 Biloxi Shuckers season are on sale now and are available for purchase by calling 228-233-3465, online at biloxishuckers.com or by visiting the MGM Park front office. Biloxi will host the 2019 Southern League All-Star Festivities, with a Home Run Derby on Monday, June 17 and the All-Star Game at 6:35 pm on Tuesday, June 18 at MGM Park. Tickets for 2019 All-Star Events 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 and will host the 2019 Southern League All-Star Game on June 18. For more information please visit biloxishuckers.com and follow us on Twitter @biloxishuckers and at facebook.com/biloxishuckers.