Biscuits Steal Away Opening Day, 6-1
Published on April 8, 2023 under Southern League (SL)
Montgomery Biscuits News Release
PENSACOLA, Flo. - On a night when their opponents received their championship rings, the Biscuits (1-0) set a team record with eight stolen bases and beat the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (0-1), 6-1, on Opening Day at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Greg Jones (3), Ronny Simon (2), Mason Auer (1), Blake Hunt (1), and Tristan Peters (1) stole their way into the record books as the Biscuits improved to 8-11 on Opening Day all-time. The Butter and Blue have now won each of their last five season openers.
In what was the same pitching matchup as the Biscuits final playoff game in 2022, Miami Marlins number four prospect Dax Fulton (0-1) squared off against Tampa Bay Rays number six prospect Mason Montgomery. After the two southpaws exchanged scoreless firsts, the Biscuits drew first blood in the top of the second. After Austin Shenton led off the inning with a strikeout, Tristan Peters walked. Peters then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Blue Wahoos catcher Will Banfield. Evan Edwards walked in the next at-bat, before Blake Hunt lined an RBI-single to left to make it 1-0 Biscuits.
Montgomery continued to impress in the second inning, striking out a pair in a one-two-three frame. In the top of the third, Greg Jones reached on a fielding error by Pensacola first baseman Troy Johnston. Jones then stole second, and then third, but another Banfield throwing error brought the shortstop home to make it 2-0 Biscuits.
The Blue Wahoos would pull a run back in the bottom of the third thanks to a Jose Devers RBI-single that made it a 2-1 ballgame. Fulton set the Biscuits down in order in the top of the fourth, tallying his fifth strikeout. Chris Gau (1-0) entered the game for Montgomery, who allowed just one unearned run on one hit over three frames, and kept the Blue Wahoos off the board in the bottom of the fourth.
Alika Williams tallied a one-out single in the top of the fifth to knock Fulton out of the game, but Austin Roberts entered for the lefty and held the Biscuits scoreless in the same frame. Gau struck out Paul McIntosh with a blistering fastball with runners at the corners to end the bottom of the fifth, and kept the 2-1 lead intact.
In the top of the sixth, Mason Auer collected a one-out single-his first hit at the Double-A level. Auer then moved to second on a Shenton walk, and stole third. Peters then ripped an RBI-single off the first baseman Johnston's mitt to score Auer and increased the Biscuits lead to 3-1. Gau then worked another scoreless inning, this time in the sixth, striking out two.
Joe LaSorsa relieved Gau and pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth. The Biscuits added three more runs in the top of the ninth off Sean Reynolds courtesy of RBI-singles from Jones and Ronny Simon, and then a Peters RBI-groundout, to make it a 6-1 contest. Michael Mercado worked a scoreless bottom of the ninth to secure the victory.
The Biscuits will aim to stay undefeated on Saturday when Anthony Molina makes his Double-A debut against Eury Perez at 6:05 PM.
The Biscuits will return to Riverwalk Stadium for the first time since 2022 with a six-game series against the Tennessee Smokies on Opening Night with a MAX Fireworks Show on Tuesday, April 11 at 6:35 PM.
The rest of the series will include Military Wednesday presented by WOW! on Wednesday, April 12; Opening Week T-Shirt Giveaway & Thirsty Thursday on Thursday, April 13; Teacher Appreciation Night presented by Whataburger on Friday, April 14; Jackie Robinson Day & The Nine Night & MAX Fireworks on Saturday, April 15; and Lil' Crumbs T-Shirt Giveaway presented by AKD on Sunday, April 16.
Southern League Stories from April 8, 2023
- M-Braves' Bats Explode in 11-6 Win Over Shuckers - Mississippi Braves
- Shuckers Rally Late, Fall to M-Braves 11-6 - Biloxi Shuckers
- Wahoos Halt Biscuits, 12-7 - Montgomery Biscuits
- McIntosh Slams Blue Wahoos to 12-7 Win - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- Trash Pandas Split Unique Twin Bill with Lookouts - Rocket City Trash Pandas
- Biscuits Steal Away Opening Day, 6-1 - Montgomery Biscuits
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
