Shuckers Walk Off Smokies for Second Time in Series Finale

*BILOXI, MS *– The Biloxi Shuckers (26-29) used a walk-off single by Tristen Lutz in the tenth inning to defeat the Tennessee Smokies (32-25) 5-4 on Sunday evening at MGM Park to split the series. It’s the second walk-off win of the series for Biloxi and the sixth of the season. Six of the last 12 Shuckers’ games have ended in a walk off.

Chase Strumpf led off the contest with a solo home run over the left-field wall to take an early 1-0 lead. The Shuckers’ offense responded with a four-run first inning. Jakson Reetz doubled home a pair, while Tristen Lutz and Cam Devanney plated the other two runs on a set of singles. Biloxi led 4-1 after the first full frame.

Neither team would score until the fifth inning when the Smokies evened the score at four. After a leadoff walk issued to Cole Roederer and a single by Matt Mervis, Yonathan Perlaza singled home the second run to cut the deficit to one. With Bryce Ball at the plate, Mervis and Perlaza scored on a throwing error by Reetz on an attempted back-pick throw to third base. Both teams remained tied at four at the halfway point.

Biloxi had a chance to take the lead in the eighth inning after Reetz started the inning with a leadoff double down the right-field line. Devanney and Gabe Holt both walked with two outs to load the bases for Yeison Coca who grounded out to first base to end the scoring threat.

RHP Zach Vennaro (W, 2-0) entered the game in the ninth inning and tossed a scoreless two innings to place Biloxi in a position to win the game. Lutz, the first batter of the tenth inning, worked a full count and Tristen pulled a breaking ball down the left-field line off Bryan King (L, 0-1) to win the game, 5-4.

RHP Robbie Hitt and RHP Arnaldo Hernandez combined to throw 3.2 scoreless innings in the victory. Devanney and Sal Frelick extended their on-base streaks to a season-high 13 games.

After an off-day tomorrow, the Shuckers travel to Tennessee to open a six-game series with the Chattanooga Lookouts. It will be the first time Biloxi will play at AT&T Field since April of 2019. First pitch is set for 6:15 PM CT and 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.