Link Report for Saturday 9/12 - Championship Series Starts Wed. vs. Chattanooga

[Mass Haas]

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[Mass Haas]

Biloxi: RHP Tyler Wagner at Pensacola (Reds), 6:20 PM pre-game, 6:35 gametime; Game Three of a Best-of-Five Series; Shuckers lead, 2-0

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

MiLB.TV - Eight of the ten Southern League teams telecast their home games, and Pensacola is among them!

 

By the way, it's Montgomery (Rays) vs. Chattanooga (Twins) in the other semi-final.

 

MiLB.TV subscribers should root for the Biscuits, as Chattanooga does not offer MiLB.TV.

 

That being said, the Lookouts are up one game to none.

 

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Box Score / Game Log / Game Day Link

 

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Biloxi Media Notes - Linked on the Shuck Dynasty blog

 

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Weather forecast:

 

 

Pensacola, FL

[Mass Haas]

MLB Pipeline honor for Domingo Santana

[trwi7]

Arcia having another amazing game. 3-3 with two doubles and a homer and it's only the 4th inning.

 

Edit: 4-4, add another double.

[bthurley19]

This Arcia kid is pretty good

[bkrause2]

Final: Biloxi 7, Pensacola 5

 

SHUCKERS COMPLETE SWEEP OF BLUE WAHOOS EARNING SOUTH DIVSISION TITLE

Orlando Arcia goes 4-for-5 with a homer, two doubles and two RBI in the 7-5 on Saturday

 

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Orlando Arcia smacked a two-run home run in the top of the fourth capping a five-run inning (Benton Reed Photography)

 

PENSACOLA, FL – The Biloxi Shuckers’ magical inaugural season continues to move right along after the team completed the sweep over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos at Bayfront Stadium on Saturday night with a 7-5 victory, advancing to the Southern League Championship Series. Biloxi outscored Pensacola 17-7 over three games while collecting 33 hits. The pitching staff dominated the Blue Wahoos all series, giving up seven runs on 11 hits, while striking out 30.

 

Biloxi (3-0) took the lead first for the third straight game with a two-out rally in the third. After Tyler Wagner struck out to start the inning and Yadiel Rivera (0x5, RBI) followed with a fly out to right, Orlando Arcia (4x5, HR, 2 RBI, 3 R, 3 2B) socked his second double of the game to set up Michael Reed’s (1x3, RBI, 2B, BB) double off the right-field wall to bring in the runner and give the Shuckers a 1-0 advantage.

 

Wagner (1-0) set down the Blue Wahoos in order in the home-half of the third to reserve the lead and his offense responded in a big way in the fourth.

 

Tyrone Taylor (2x5, 2B, RBI, R) started the five-run frame with a double and moved over to third on a sacrifice bunt by Brett Phillips (0x3, R), with Phillips reaching first safely to put runners on the corners. Nick Shaw (2x4, RBI, R) drove in Taylor with a line-drive single to center to extend the Shuckers’ lead to two.

 

Adam Weisenburger’s (1x3, R, BB) infield single loaded the bases with nobody out for Wagner, who struck out for the first out of the inning. Rivera followed by bouncing a ball to second, scoring a run and advancing Shaw and Weisenburger. With Arcia at the plate, a passed ball allowed Shaw to score and moving Weisenburger to third. Acia then sent a towering, two-run shot into the bay beyond the left-field wall to blow the game open to a 6-0 lead. The Milwaukee Brewers’ top prospect throttled Pensacola pitching over the three games, finishing 8-for-13 with two homeruns, four RBI, five runs scored, three doubles and a triple.

 

Pensacola (0-3) threatened to push across a run in the fifth by loading the bases with one out, but Wagner popped up pinch hitter Ray Chang and struck out Phillip Ervin to escape the jam.

 

Wagner worked out of another rough spot in the sixth. After allowing a single to Jesse Winker and walking Marquez Smith with one out, the 24-year-old bore down and struck out Juan Duran and got Seth Mejias-Brean to fly out to center to keep the Blue Wahoos off the board.

 

The Las Vegas native finished the night with six shutout innings, giving up three hits, walking four and punching out six.

 

Shuckers’ manager turned to Jacob Barnes as the first man out of the bullpen to start the seventh and after retiring the first two men he faced, a single by Zach Vincej and back-to-back walks to Ervin and Alex Blandino loaded the bases and forced another move to the bullpen.

 

Jed Bradley walked the only batter he faced in Winker to force in the first run to end the shutout. Yhonathan Barrios was the next reliever to come on for the Shuckers, and gave up a grand slam to Smith to cut Biloxi’s lead to two.

 

The 23-year-old settled down after the slam, retiring the final seven batters of the game to ensure Biloxi’s spot in the Southern League Championship.

 

The Shuckers will now await the winner of Montgomery and Chattanooga from the North Division Series, which is tied at one game apiece. The Shuckers will host games one and two of the Southern League Championship Series at MGM Park with dates to be determined. Tickets are currently on sale for those potential contests.

 

Biloxi Box Score

 

Biloxi Game Log

[WV Brew]

I know it's only 3 games but fun to look at the numbers:

 

Brewers Player Dev ‏@BrewersPD 6h6 hours ago

 

Arcia went 8x13, with 6 XBH (3 doubles, a triple, 2 homers). Slugged 1.462. OPS of 2.077 in the three games.

5 retweets 9 favorites

Brewers Player Dev ‏@BrewersPD 6h6 hours ago

 

As a team, the Shuckers hit .320 in the 1st round - Arcia (.615), Phillips (.333), Reed (.333), Rivera (.333), Shaw (.500), Taylor (.417)

3 retweets 6 favorites

Brewers Player Dev ‏@BrewersPD 6h6 hours ago

 

Biloxi's starting pitchers in the Divisional Round - 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 21.2 IP, 8 H, 7 BB, 23 SO

[JohnBriggs12]

Arcia will be a Brewer by Memorial Day 2016 and will never look back. Book it. Will be flashback of Braun in 07.

[Mass Haas]

Arcia leads Shuckers to semifinal sweep

Brewers top prospect collects four extra-base hits, scores three runs

By Brian Lester / Special to MiLB.com

 

PENSACOLA, Florida -- Marquez Smith stood outside the Pensacola clubhouse late Saturday night wearing a look of disappointment, a special season now a memory for the Blue Wahoos.

 

Smith did what he could to keep Pensacola's championship hopes alive, changing the momentum of the game with one swing of the bat against the Biloxi Shuckers.

 

His grand slam in the seventh inning trimmed a six-run deficit to two and whipped the crowd of 4,104 into a frenzy as the ball sailed over the left-field wall and into the bay.

 

 

At that point, the Blue Wahoos had a pulse. In the end, the Shuckers held on for a 7-5 win to complete a three-game sweep at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium and advance to the Southern League Championship Series.

 

"It was exciting and it says a lot about this team and the fight we have to come back the way we did," Smith said. "We had a tough first half, but we turned things around in the second half. It was great to have the opportunity to be in the playoffs."

 

Biloxi had won the first two games rather handily, including a 6-0 win on Friday, and breathed a sigh of relief when Alex Blandino struck out to end the game.

 

 

The Shuckers celebrated on the field and manager Carlos Subero talked about what it meant to win the series as music blared inside the clubhouse.

 

"Anytime you can win a playoff series, it's great," Subero said. "I'm happy for these guys. We were worried when they got that grand slam, but it's a good feeling to move on."

 

Blue Wahoos manager Pat Kelly also was proud of his team, which won 25 games in the first half but turned things around to capture the second-half South Division crown.

 

"It was a very fulfilling year," Kelly said. "We played tough the whole year and to see these guys to keep fighting and clinch a playoff berth was a great thing. It's nice to see them rewarded for their hard work."

 

The night began with excitement buzzing inside the stadium as the Blue Wahoos played the first postseason home game in the franchise's four-year history. But back-to-back doubles in the third inning by Brewers top prospect Orlando Arcia and Michael Reed put the Shuckers ahead for good.

 

It was the start of a huge night for Arcia, who capped a five-run fourth with a two-run homer that landed in the bay and extended Biloxi's lead to 6-0.

 

 

Pensacola loaded the bases in the fifth, but Ray Chang -- an 11-year Minor League veteran -- popped up to Shuckers starter Tyler Wagner. Reds No. 11 prospect struck out as the bat went flying out of his hand.

 

The Blue Wahoos left two runners aboard in the sixth before Smith's grand slam cut the margin to 7-5.

 

"We felt confident," Smith said. "I wish we could have kept it going. We battled until the end."

 

Arcia paved the way with four extra-base hits, registering his 49th multi-hit game of the year. He's one of 11 of Milwaukee's top 30 prospects on the Biloxi roster.

 

"They are an unusually deep team for this level, but they made decisions to reinforce their lineup and it's worked out for them," Kelly said. "They have a heck of a club. They can hit, they have speed and they have great pitchers. They are tough to beat."

 

Wagner (1-0) earned the win, allowing three hits and striking out six over six innings. Pensacola starter Tim Adleman (0-1) lasted 3 2/3 innings and gave up six runs on six hits and a walk with five strikeouts.

 

For Biloxi, it's on to the championship series. It's a special accomplishment for a first-year franchise that began the year with a 54-game road trip.

 

"Our guys have been resilient all year," Subero said. "We kept grinding all year. I'm happy for our team."

 

In other SL playoff action:

 

Montgomery 6, Chattanooga 5 (11 innings) - Series tied at 1-1

 

The Biscuits evened the other semifinal series with an extra-inning victory. Dayron Varona capped a three-hit night with an RBI single in the 11th after Rays No. 5 prospect Daniel Robertson's delivered a two-run triple in the 10th. Twins No. 4 prospect Jorge Polanco slugged a two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th for the Lookouts

[Mass Haas]

Via NorthEscambia.com:

 

Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said Biloxi easily has five position players that are future Major Leaguers, not to mention its stellar pitching rotation.

 

“That’s a heck of a club,” Kelly said. “They are very talented. Not only can they hit, they got speed and they got defense.”

[Mass Haas]

VIDEO via WLOX: Game highlights

[Mass Haas]

Via the Pensacola News Journal:

 

So confident were the Shuckers heading into the game, leading 2-0 in the best-of-five series, they did not book a hotel room in Pensacola.

 

"I did not bring any change of clothes and I told my wife, no change of clothes, either. I said if we lose, I go to the mall and buy you clothes," Manager Carlos Subero said.

 

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"In reality, they out pitched us," Blue Wahoos Manager Pat Kelly said. "You have to tip your cap. The first two nights, there is not a whole lot we could do.

 

"But Tyler Wagner wasn't sharp. And we let him off the hook. He walked four. We could have picked up a couple runs and then it gets really interesting."

 

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The day began with Bubba Watson, the world's No. 4 ranked pro golfer and one of the biggest PGA Tour stars, returning to his hometown for the game and providing a pep talk to the players about just enjoying the opportunity to play pro baseball.

 

Watson dreamed of playing baseball and following his boyhood hero Don Mattingly.

 

"I told them before the playoffs started, I love the playoffs, it is my favorite time of the year.. because there are no stats," said Kelly. "You just go out to win. The problem with the playoffs is there is a finality to it. Only one team goes home happy.

 

"And unfortunately things didn't go our way. But I was very proud of the character they showed, the perseverance and that's what it takes to be big league player. The chemistry is what allowed us to play the way we did in the second half."

[Mass Haas]

JP at BrewCrewBall summarizes the waiting game here --

 

"Biloxi will now wait and see who wins the Chattanooga-Montgomery series for their opponent in the championship series. Their series is tied at 1 game each entering game three on Sunday, with Montgomery set to host the remaining three games. The championship series is tentatively scheduled to start on September 16, with the first two games hosted by Biloxi and the remaining three by their opponent."

 

We'll post score updates from that series here in this thread, but there will not be a new Link Report until the Championship Series begins.

[Mass Haas]

AUDIO: Via Chris Harris' radio calls of the highlights

[Jenkins5]

Arcia will be a Brewer by Memorial Day 2016 and will never look back. Book it. Will be flashback of Braun in 07.

 

Hope not..... Braun was older than 21, physically developed, and 100% ready to be a star when he was called up. Arcia still needs to be able to develop more. We aren't going to be good next year, no need to rush guys before they are 100% ready and proves that he absolutely no longer needs grooming in the minors as Braun did.

[Mass Haas]

A wonderfully detailed Shuck Dynasty blog entry discusses the latest in the Chattanooga - Montgomery series, AUDIO with Game Two shutout stud RHP Adrian Houser, notes on the status of the designated hitter for the championship series, and more.

 

GM Buck Rogers notes travel distances for fans, how old fans from Huntsville are planning to support the team, and a Carlos Subero historical connection (back when Chattanooga was a Dodgers affiliate, now Twins).

 

Still rooting for Montgomery, hoping to synch up Chris Harris' audio with the Biscuits' MiLB.TV feed.

 

Chattanooga with no MiLB.TV, and the series will definitely be decided away from Biloxi, and Chris Harris explains why here.

[pogokat]

root for montgomery! If the Biscuits win, I might get to go to a game...that would be awesome

[CheezWizHed]

Pitching, pitching, pitching:

 

Lopez: 2.26 ERA

Houser: 2.92 ERA

Wagner: 2.25 ERA

Hader: 2.79 ERA

Johnson: 3.84 ERA

 

Will Hader get a start in the championship round or will they reset the order and start with Lopez again?

 

And I love to see our guys putting in their best performances in the playoffs. The sight of Arcia walking to the plate must have made the Wahoo's manager sick to his stomach.

[Jenkins5]

Johnson I believe has been replaced by Ortega. I could be wrong but I could of swore I say him listed as the game 5/ #5 starter

 

Pitching has been unreal, I hope they go with Hader 1st then you could skip 5 spot to get back to Lopez, Houser, and Wagner to close it out.

[CheezWizHed]

You are correct about Johnson/Ortega. I was listing ERAs during the regular season because it is what got them there.

 

I would assume that Ortega is skipped, so the only options would be Hader-Lopez-Houser-Wagner-Ortez or Lopez-Houser-Wagner-Hader-Ortez. Possibly could depend on how long it takes for the other matchup to complete?

[Mass Haas]

Does Ortega (if he doesn't make a start) get a ring if the Shuckers win the title? That'd be sweet.

[bork]

I'm not ready for a day with no baseball in the organization.

[Mass Haas]

Adam Brett Walker helps guide Lookouts into SL Finals

No. 10 Twins prospect and Milwaukee native goes yard in second straight postseason game

By Alex Kraft / MiLB.com

 

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Game One in Biloxi 7:10 Wednesday night.

 

One of these clubs will be celebrating the best-of-five series win in Chattanooga.

[Mass Haas]

VIDEO via WLOX: Interview from Monday's practice

 

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MORE VIDEO: Via WXXV

[Mass Haas]

Reviewing the Brew -- Know Your Enemy: Chattanooga Lookouts