Shuckers' Guerrero earns 1,000th career win in dramatic fashion over Barons
BILOXI – Biloxi Shuckers manager Mike Guerrero picked up his 1,000 th career coaching victory in dramatic fashion Thursday night at MGM Park.
Angel Ortega’s infield single scored Johnny Davis with the winning run with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning before 2,639 fans as the Shuckers rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Birmingham Barons.
Davis reached first on a one-out bunt single. He stole second, moved to third on a single by Tyrone Taylor, and scored on Ortega’s grounder to the second baseman.
“It was an exciting ballgame,’’ Guerrero said. “Anytime we can win a ballgame like that is awesome. It means a lot to me. Our players grinded it out and played hard. I tip my hat to them.
“We always talk about competing and playing with energy even when things aren’t going our way. Once we got runners on bases, we put the pressure on them. Today is a special moment and we will enjoy it.’’
The Shuckers (47-43, 8-13 in the second half) have won two in a row. Birmingham fell to 38-53, 9-12.
Game 2 of the homestand with Birmingham is Friday night at 7:10. Right-hander Taylor Jungmann (0-1, 5.27) will be on the mound for the Shuckers. The Barons will counter with Blair Walters (3-3, 3.48).
“I just tried to get on base so my teammates could get me in,’’ Davis said. “I knew we would pull it out. We were playing patient. If we had panicked, we would not have won this game. We chilled out and said let’s go out and get this win.’’
Trailing 2-0, the Shuckers tied it in the bottom of the eighth. Tyrone Taylor was hit with a pitch.
Ortega then rapped an infield single. Brett Phillips laid down a sacrifice bunt, and pitcher Zack Burdi threw it into right field to cut the lead to 2-1. Then Garrett Cooper singled to right to tie the game.
The Barons broke through against Shuckers starting pitcher Angel Ventura in the top of the fifth.
Adam Engel singled with one out. Eddy Alvarez doubled him home but Alvarez was thrown out trying to stretch the double into a triple.
Ventura worked five innings, giving up one run on eight hits with five strikeouts. He was relieved by Junior Rincon, Tyler Spurlin and Taylor Scott.
The Barons pushed the lead to 2-0 in the seventh. Engel led off with a triple to right off Rincon, and then Courtney Hawkins drove him home on a sacrifice fly to left.
Scott was the winning pitcher in relief, working the ninth inning, while Nolan Sanburn took the loss in relief of Jordan Guerrero and Burdi.
This story was originally published July 14, 2016 at 10:49 PM with the headline "Shuckers' Guerrero earns 1,000th career win in dramatic fashion over Barons."