Shuckers’ struggles continue at the plate

The Biloxi Shuckers' woes at the plate have continued to worsen in the second half of the season.

The team's scoreless streak stands at 25 1/3 innings after suffering its eighth shutout of the season in a 2-0 loss to the Birmingham Barons in the final contest of a five-game series at MGM Park. In the final three games of the series against the Barons, the Shuckers totaled one run on only eight hits.

Biloxi has scored only 20 runs over the last 14 games, an average of 1.4 runs a contest.

The Shuckers were able to overcome their early deficiencies with the bat thanks to good pitching out of the starters and relievers, but they've mostly wasted decent pitching in recent weeks.

Biloxi ranks last in the Southern League with a team batting average of .233 and has produced the fewest runs at 321. Pensacola ranks a spot ahead of Biloxi at .239 and Jackson, Tenn., leads the Southern League at .269, 10 points better than second-place Chattanooga.

Garrett Cooper has been Biloxi's best bat all season with an average of .304, but even he has trailed off recently. He is batting .212 in 33 at-bats over the last 10 games.

The second best batting average among active members of the Shuckers is backup catcher Rene Garcia, who has hit .286 in 63 at-bats this season. The next best active Shucker is outfielder Johnny Davis, who is batting .239.

The two men who entered the season as the best hitting prospects for the Shuckers are Brett Phillips and Jacob Nottingham. Phillips is batting .230 and Nottingham is at .237.

The Southern League isn't typically a league that puts up plenty of runs, but the Shuckers are starting to lag badly behind the rest of the competition at the plate.

Biloxi sits at 9-16 in the second half in the Southern League South, four games out of first place.

Hard luck Jorge

Shuckers right-hander Jorge Ortega's record of 1-9 is deceiving considering he has delivered eight quality starts this season.

Ortega was good on the mound again Sunday, giving up three earned runs on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings. He again took the loss in a 6-0 defeat to the Birmingham Barons.

Ortega has an ERA of 4.99 in 18 starts, striking out 54 and walking just 15.

Ortega, 23, is a native of Caracas, Venezuela.

Filling in well

Right-hander Brooks Hall threw well for Biloxi Monday night as he filled in for Brandon Woodruff, who is on the temporarily inactive list.

Hall, who took a no-hitter into the fifth inning, lasted seven innings in the 2-0 loss to Birmingham. He gave up no runs on two hits, striking out eight and walking one.

Hall is 3-1 with a 3.36 ERA in 15 games, five starts, this season at Biloxi.

Woodruff was placed on the temporary inactive list after his brother, Blake Woodruff, died last week following an ATV accident near Wheeler. His funeral was held Monday.

Busy man

Shuckers left-handed reliever Stephen Peterson has thrown in 42 games this season to lead all of Double-A in pitching appearances this season.

The only pitcher in the minor leagues who has appeared in more games this season is Preston Guilmet, who has thrown in 43 games for Triple-A Toledo.

Peterson is 8-2 with a 2.72 ERA. He has 42 strikeouts and 16 walks.

This story was originally published July 19, 2016 at 11:27 AM with the headline "Shuckers’ struggles continue at the plate."