Biloxi Beats Pensacola Again
August 23, 2018
The Biloxi Shuckers handed the Wahoos their fourth consecutive loss with a 6-3 win on Wednesday to knock the Pensacola Blue Wahoos out of first place in the second-half standings.
Zach Davies (W, 1-0), on a Major League rehab assignment was excellent over six innings for the Shuckers. Pensacola did not register their first hit until Gavin LaValley belted his 13th homer of the season, and his second of the series.
By that point, the Wahoos had dug themselves in a hole. Troy Stokes Jr. homered in the first inning off Daniel Wright (L, 6-10) to put the Shuckers up 1-0. In the third, Corey Ray led off the inning with a solo homer, his league-leading 27th of the year to give the Shuckers a 2-0 edge. The next batter reached on an error, and after a single by Lucas Erceg, Biloxi had runners on the corners with nobody out. Both runs would eventually score and Biloxi led 4-0 after three.
After LaValley’s homer made it 4-1, Biloxi scored two more in the bottom of the fifth, which increased their lead to 6-1. Pensacola’s final push came in the seventh, when Chris Okey crushed a two-run shot off Nattino Diplan to bring the Wahoos within three. However, Miguel Sanchez pitched the final two innings in scoreless fashion to secure Biloxi’s fifth win in a row.
The Wahoos, who sat in first place for 57 days, now trail Biloxi by a half game in the second-half standings. Fortunately for Pensacola, the BayBears split their doubleheader with Mississippi meaning that the Wahoos and BayBears are still tied in the wildcard standings. If the Wahoos can earn a win in the series finale, Pensacola will leapfrog ahead of Biloxi for first place once again.
The Wahoos will send RHP Wyatt Strahan (7-10, 4.19) in a pivotal series finale against the Shuckers. LHP Cameron Roegner (0-1, 6.39) will try to complete the series sweep for Biloxi.
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