SL Biloxi Shuckers

Jackson Chourio Makes History, Bullpen Tosses Six Shutout Innings in Shuckers' Win

August 31, 2023 - Southern League (SL)
Biloxi Shuckers News Release


Biloxi Shuckers' Jackson Chourio at bat
Biloxi Shuckers' Jackson Chourio at bat
(Biloxi Shuckers, Credit: Joshua Sumrall)

KODAK, TN - On a night when Jackson Chourio became the second teenager since 2005 in Double-A or Triple-A with at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season, the Biloxi Shuckers (64-58, 30-23) got six shutout innings from the bullpen for a 3-2 win over the Tennessee Smokies (69-53, 33-32) at Smokies Stadium on Thursday night. The win extended Biloxi's win streak to four, their third win streak of at least four in the second half.

The Smokies offense used a pair of doubles to start the day. With one out in the first, BJ Murray lined a double to left and Nelson Maldonado followed it up with one of his own, giving Tennessee a 1-0 lead. They doubled the lead in the second with two outs with back-to-back doubles from Andy Weber and Matt Shaw.

In the third, Chourio blasted off with his 20th home run of the year, a 378-foot drive to left, tying the game at two. His home run not only gave him a 20/20 season but also made him the third teenager in Double-A and Triple-A to have 20 homers in a year, joining Delmon Young and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. He also became the fifth player in Shuckers' franchise history to hit 20 in a season. An inning later, Zavier Warren smashed his 11th home run of the year, a 104 MPH line drive to left, giving Biloxi a 3-2 lead.

Biloxi's bullpen then dominated after starter Adam Seminaris departed after four strikeouts in three innings. James Meeker tallied three scoreless innings with two strikeouts, working around a triple in the fifth and a single in the sixth. Ryan Brady then tallied 1.2 scoreless innings, departing with two on and two out in the eighth. Lefty Nick Bennett entered for Biloxi and used a backdoor slider to get Casey Opitz looking, ending the inning.

In the ninth, Cam Robinson entered for the second straight day and worked around two leadoff walks with a strikeout and two fielder's choices to lock down his 13th save of the year. Meeker (7-4) earned the win for Biloxi while Smokies' starter Brandon Birdsell (1-3) took the loss.

Brewers' seventh-ranked prospect, Carlos Rodriguez, will start for Biloxi on Friday against righty Walker Powell. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CT at Smokies Stadium.

The game can be heard on Cruisin' WGCM 1240 AM, 100.9 FM with coverage beginning at 5:45 p.m. with the Biloxi Shuckers Pregame Show featuring the Mississippi Army National Guard Pregame Interview. The game can also be seen live on MiLB.tv as the Free Game of the Day.

Individual tickets, group outings, Shuck Nation memberships and Flex Plans for the 2023 Biloxi Shuckers season are available now by calling (228) 233-3465 or visiting biloxishuckers.com.

Check out the Biloxi Shuckers Statistics




Images from this story

Biloxi Shuckers' Jackson Chourio at bat
Biloxi Shuckers' Jackson Chourio at bat
(Joshua Sumrall)		   



Southern League Stories from August 31, 2023


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