Spain's 3-RBI Night Leads Shuckers to 4-3 Win over Smokies

BILOXI, MS – Behind Garrett Spain’s three-RBI night, the Biloxi Shuckers (24-16) earned a win over the Knoxville Smokies (19-19), 4-3, in the series opener on Tuesday night at Keesler Federal Park. With the win, the Shuckers now sit in first place by themselves, a game up on the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.

The Smokies started the scoring in the second with a solo home run from Darius Hill and an RBI single from Pedro Ramirez in the third made it 2-0. The Shuckers, however, struck back in the sixth with 778-feet worth of homers, coming from a 418-foot solo shot from Brock Wilken and a 360-foot two-run shot from Garrett Spain. The pair of homers across five batters gave the Shuckers a 3-2 lead, with Wilken’s being his league-leading 11^th of the season. The Shuckers added an insurance run in the eighth with an RBI single into left from Spain, part of a two-hit, three-RBI night. In the ninth, the Smokies made it 4-3 with an RBI single from Darius Hill, but catcher Matthew Wood delivered the win for the Shuckers in his debut. The catcher caught Jordan Nwogu stealing second for the second out and then ran down Ethan Hearn up the third base line for the final out after he tried to score on an infield grounder.

Coleman Crow (1-0) earned the win after a season-high 6.0 innings in just 70 pitches while Sam Armstrong (0-4) took the loss. Justin Yeager also picked up his sixth save of the season, tying him for the league lead.

At the plate, Luis Lara (2-for-4) and Garett Spain (2-for-4) each recorded multi-hit performances. Lara also recorded his 15^th and 16^th stolen bases of the year, and the Shuckers tied their season-high with five. Out of the bullpen, Mark Manfredi (1.0ip, 1k) and Abdiel Mendoza (1.0ip, 2k) each recorded a hold in the win.

The series continues on Wednesday with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at Keesler Federal Park. Alexander Cornielle (2-0, 1.97) is scheduled to start for the Shuckers against Jaxon Wiggins (0-0, 2.25) for the Smokies. Fans and their four-legged friends can purchase tickets for $16 in advance and sit in dog-friendly Sections 117 and 119 for Bark in the Park. Fans must sign a waiver for their pets to enjoy the game. It’s also Military Wednesday presented by Keesler Federal Credit Union, where all military personnel can receive a $3 discount on Dugout Box and Reserved Level tickets. Fans can also stop by the Corona Premier Tiki Bar from 5:15-6:35 for Happy Hour deals with $4 16oz Corona Premier, Corona Extra, Modelo, Pacifico, $6 High Noon and $8 well cocktails. Fans can listen live on the Biloxi Shuckers Radio Network with pregame coverage beginning at 6:15 p.m.

Fans can save up to 50% off day-of-game pricing by securing their 2025 Shuck Nation membership today. Shuck Nation memberships, Flex Plans and group outings are available now by visiting biloxishuckers.com, the ballpark offices and by calling (228) 233-3465. Fans can also receive more information regarding the full promotion schedule and single-game tickets on the Shuckers website.

ABOUT THE BILOXI SHUCKERS:

The Biloxi Shuckers are the Double-A Affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Shuckers are members of the Southern League and play at Keesler Federal Park in Biloxi, Mississippi. For more information, please visit biloxishuckers.com and follow us on Twitter @biloxishuckers and at facebook.com/biloxishuckers.

ABOUT SHUCKERS BASEBALL, LLC:

Shuckers Baseball, LLC is a MS entity owned and operated by John Tracy. Shuckers Baseball operates the Biloxi Shuckers baseball franchise, including operating Keesler Federal Park for Biloxi Shuckers minor league baseball games and other entertainment and recreational events.