This Day in Shuckers History: July 8
While we unfortunately won’t be able to bring you any live baseball until 2021, let’s take a look back at this date in Biloxi Shuckers history. The Shuckers have played five games all-time on July 8 and have a 3–2 record.
Jorge Lopez was spectacular in 2015, allowing one run in 6.2 innings, but Austin Pruitt was just a bit better. The Biscuits right-hander threw a complete game, three-hit shutout with no walks in a 1–0 win over Biloxi. Nick Ramirez doubled for the Shuckers only extra-base hit of the contest. In 2016, Brandon Woodruff did not surrender an earned run in five innings, but the Suns nipped the Shuckers 4–2 in the series finale. Brett Phillips had a two-hit game including a triple.
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On July 8, 2017, Biloxi completed a wild comeback, scoring the final ten runs of the game in an 11–6 victory over the Blue Wahoos. The Shuckers trailed 6–1 into the sixth inning when Dustin DeMuth crushed a two-run homer and relief pitcher Tayler Scott drove in a run to make it a 6–4 ballgame. Still down by two in the eighth, Johnny Davis came up with the bases loaded and tied the game with a two-run single, which was immediately followed by Michael Choice doubling in two more to make it 8–6 in favor of Biloxi. For good measure, Clint Coulter launched a three-run shot to left, finishing a seven-run eighth inning rally.
The Shuckers again enjoyed a big eighth frame at home in 2018 as they plated four runs to take the series opener from Jackson by a final score of 5–1. Gabriel Noriega gave Biloxi the lead with a single, Troy Stokes Jr. tripled to score two runs and Stokes came across on a wild pitch to cap the offense. Lucas Erceg homered in the second inning to back starting pitcher Marcos Diplan, who threw 6.1 scoreless innings with ten strikeouts.
Trey Supak allowed just two hits and one run over seven innings, while not walking a batter and fanning seven in a 4–3 victory over the M-Braves last year. Weston Wilson hit a solo homer among his two hits for the Shuckers, Michael O’Neill also had a two-hit night, and Supak helped his own cause with a double.
Eighth-inning magic at MGM Park has been a theme since the ballpark opened five years ago, and it was on display in late rallies in both 2017 and 2018. Starters Marcos Diplan and Trey Supak have been dominant in the last two years, combining to work 13.1 innings with six hits and a run allowed while striking out 17 batters.
