Shuckers Shutout Blue Wahoos

April 22, 2016

After winning its first two series against the Mississippi Braves and Jacksonville Suns, 4-1, and getting off to its hottest start in its five-year history, the Biloxi Shuckers turned the tables on the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.

The Shuckers Tyrone Taylor hit a two-out home run to left center field in the third inning and its pitchers blanked the Blue Wahoos, 1-0, on five hits Thursday to win the series, 4-1, at MGM Park.

Pensacola lost its fourth game in a row despite pitcher Rookie Davis, who dropped to 2-1, throwing a seven-inning gem. Davis allowed just four hits, gave up no walks and struck out five. His ERA remains at one run per game.

Besides giving up the homer to Taylor, Biloxi threatened to score one other time. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Biloxi got its first two batters to second and third with one out when Brett Phillips was hit by a pitch and Jacob Nottingham singled to center. But Davis worked out of the jam by striking out the next two batters and getting a pop out to exit the inning unscathed.

Pensacola had runners on first and second with no outs in the fifth inning but Blue Wahoos third baseman Eric Jagielo grounded out into a double play to end Pensacola’s only viable threat to score in the game.

Wei-Chung Wang improved to 2-0 on the year by allowing just two hits, two walks and striking out five. Biloxi then used three relievers who spread out the Blue Wahoos other three hits over the last four innings.

Pensacola scored seven runs in its last four losses to Biloxi, which improved to 11-3 and is in first place in the Southern League South Division. Meanwhile, Pensacola dropped to 9-6 in second place 2.5 games back.

One offensive bright spot in the series was center fielder Beau Amaral, who went 1-4, and now has a six-game hitting streak. Batting .288, he was the Blue Wahoos best hitter against Biloxi, going 6-18 in the series (.333) with one home run, four RBIs, a triple and one run scored.

Starting pitchers Jackson Stephens and Davis have gone 6.2 and 7.0 innings, respectively, without giving up a walk.

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