Link Report for Saturday 5/30

[Mass Haas]

Final: Biloxi 11, Chattanooga 8

 

Shuckers take slugfest and become first Southern League team to 30 wins

Michael Reed was 4-for-6 with a homer, triple and franchise-most four RBI Saturday

Biloxi Shuckers

 

http://www.milb.com/assets/images/6/4/6/127668646/cuts/_BRP4215_rhj730na_exog6wxo.jpg

 

Michael Reed collected nine total bases in Saturday's 11-8 win over Chattanooga (Benton Reed Photography)

 

CHATTANOOGA, TN - The Shuckers became the first team in the Southern League to reach the 30 win plateau after a slugfest with Chattanooga resulted in an 11-8 victory at AT&T Field on Saturday. The win improved Biloxi to 11-games over .500 for the first time this season at 30-19 and Saturday's win ensured the third straight series win, taking three of the first four games against the Lookouts. Michael Reed led the way offensively by finishing 4-for-6 with a home run, triple and four RBI. Reed's four RBI and nine total bases were franchise-bests and he matched Nick Ramirez and former Shucker Yadiel Rivera with the four hit total. Reed supplied two of Biloxi's nine extra-base hits, which were four shy of the league record.

 

Starter Hiram Burgos (W, 2-0, 4.67) supplied the pitching and set a franchise mark with 10 strikeouts in six innings. Burgos fanned the final four batters than he faced as the Biloxi pitching staff set a nine-inning game mark by striking out 15 Lookout batters. The 27-year-old that went 1-2 in six starts for the Brewers in 2013 would allow four runs on five hits and walk just one.

 

The Shuckers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning on a single from Orlando Arcia (3x6, 2 2B, RBI) that scored Kyle Wren (2x5, RBI, R) and RBI doubles from Ramirez (1x5, 2B, RBI, 2 R) and Taylor Green (2x6, 2B, RBI).

 

Reed helped to extend the lead to 6-0 in the third inning when he belted his fourth home run of the season, a three-run shot to left that broke the game wide open. After the homer, Chattanooga starter D.J. Boxandale (L, 3-1) left with an injury, but reliever Cole Johnson would surrender another Biloxi run in the frame on another single from Wren that scored Nathan Orf (2x4, 2 R RBI).

 

Chattanooga made things a bit interesting in the bottom of the third when they matched the four-spot in the top half with four in the bottom on a two out grand slam home run from cleanup hitter Travis Harrison. The slam trimmed the deficit to 7-4.

 

Biloxi pulled back away though by scoring two more runs in the fifth and another in the sixth to stretch the lead to 10-4.

 

Reliever Jacob Barnes (2.0 IP, H, R, BB, 3 SO) gave up the first run from the bullpen in the series on an RBI single by Miguel Sano. The streak was stopped at 15 innings.

 

Reed capped off his big night at the plate with a triple that scored Arcia in the ninth. The fourth hit and fourth RBI of the game increased the lead to 11-5.

 

Reliever Wirfin Obispo (0.2 IP, H, 3 R, 2 BB, 2 SO) walked two and hit a batter to start the bottom of the ninth that led to three more Chattanooga runs, Jaye Chapman (0.1 IP H) came into the game with one out left to get and recorded the final out to earn his second save.

 

Reed extended his hitting streak to seven games on Saturday and Orf moved his to five. Arcia's two doubles placed him into sole position of first place in the league with 17 doubles. He also struck out twice in a game for the first time Saturday. The second-youngest player in the Southern League now leads the league with 19 multi-hit games. The 11 runs and 18 hits were the second-most this season to scoring 14 runs on 20 hits on May 13th in Jackson, TN.

 

The Shuckers will try to take four of five from Chattanooga on Sunday afternoon with the finale of the series at Chattanooga's AT&T Field. LHP Hobbs Johnson (3-1, 2.81) starts for the Shuckers against LHP David Hurlbut (0-2, 4.20). First pitch is scheduled for 1:15 PM CT with coverage beginning at 1:00 on 1240-AM WGCM, WPMO-AM 1580 and the Biloxi Shuckers Radio Network. Fans can also listen to the game using the TuneIn Radio app or by going to www.biloxishuckers.com.

 

Biloxi Box Score

 

Veteran reliever Wirfin Obispo may be the only player who hasn't fully enjoyed his time as a Shucker; if Shane Peterson is promoted from the Sky Sox to fill Khris Davis' spot, does Michael Reed or Kyle Wren move up to Colorado Springs? Perhaps it'd be a more experienced Josh Fellhauer, but he's had an extended absence himself; nice that Keith Law now lists Orlando Arcia as a "Top 20" prospect, but that needs to escalate to "Top 10", no?

 

Biloxi Game Log

[Mass Haas]

2013 34rd round RHP Barrett Astin (Broxton trade) is doing well lately in Daytona.

 

***

 

Hunter Morris is still playing most everyday for the AAA Pirates' club, but he's not enhancing the PTBNL part of that deal -- his .344 OPS is beyond ghastly.

[igor67]

I'd be partial to moving Wren up to AAA, and giving Roache a chance to see if he can keep hitting in AA. I'm not sure who would fill in at A+, but this potentially starts to cluster our most talented players a little more.

[TheCrew07]

Hunter Morris was never ever able to recapture that hometown magic... too bad really.

[CheezWizHed]

his .344 OPS is beyond ghastly

 

I had to read that 2-3 times before my eyes stopped putting the "B" in the middle. OBS, not bad; OPS... ouch.