The Biloxi Shuckers clinched the Southern League’s first-half South Division title with a 3-2 win in Sunday’s opener before completing a doubleheader sweep of the Columbus Clingstone with a 9-4 victory.
Biloxi (35-30) became the first Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers to reach the playoffs in at least three consecutive seasons since the El Paso Diablos made five straight Texas League postseason appearances from 1990-94. Biloxi manager Mike Guerrero was the starting shortstop on those El Paso teams.
In game one, Columbus (29-35) struck first on a Will Verdung sacrifice fly in the opening inning. The Shuckers answered in the bottom half when MLB’s top prospect, Jesús Made, tied the game with an RBI single.
The Clingstones regained the lead in the fifth on a solo home run by Drew Compton, but Biloxi responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Dylan O’Rae delivered an RBI single before Blake Burke followed with an RBI hit to put the Shuckers ahead for good.
O’Rae and Made each recorded multi-hit performances. Manuel Rodriguez (7-2) earned the win, Lucas Braun (0-1) took the loss, and Cameron Wagoner picked up his fourth save of the season.
In the nightcap, Columbus grabbed an early 1-0 lead on a Luke Waddell solo home run in the third inning. Biloxi answered with five consecutive runs, beginning with a three-run home run off the bat of Burke in the fourth. Andrew Fischer followed with a solo shot on the next pitch, and Made added a solo home run in the fifth.
The Clingstones pulled within two runs in the sixth on an Ambioris Tavarez RBI groundout, a Patrick Clohisy sacrifice fly, and a Jordan Groshans RBI single.
Biloxi then broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth. Mike Boeve led off the inning with a home run before O’Rae and Made added back-to-back singles.
O’Rae, Made, and Matthew Wood each recorded multi-hit games in the second contest. Bishop Letson (3-3) earned the win, Blaine Abeyta (1-1) took the loss, and Edwin Jimenez tossed a scoreless relief appearance for Biloxi,
By clinching the Southern League’s first-half South Division title, Biloxi earns an automatic bid to the playoffs in September. The Shuckers are off Monday before opening a series at the Montgomery Biscuits on Tuesday.
