By the time Braylon Payne’s line drive cleared the right-field wall, Biloxi’s route to the Southern League Championship Series had been illuminated by three booming swings.
Jesús Made, Matthew Wood and Payne each hit a two-run homer over the first two innings Thursday night at Keesler Federal Park, powering the Shuckers to an 8-3 victory over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and a sweep of the Southern League Division Series. Biloxi advanced to the championship round for the first time since 2019.
The early barrage accounted for all six runs Pensacola starter Eliazar Dishmey allowed over four innings. Made started it in the first, sending a fly ball toward the warning track in left-center and over the wall with Dylan O’Rae aboard.
Damon Keith opened the second with a single before Wood hammered a line drive to right-center for a 4-0 lead. An out and a walk later, Payne ripped another line drive down the right-field line, bringing Mike Boeve home and blowing the game open.
Bishop Letson, who had pitched Biloxi to victory in Game 1, had described the comfort provided by that offense before the clincher.
“I mean, our lineup’s incredible, and yeah, it’s a nice cushion to have.”
— Bishop Letson, Biloxi Game 1 Starting Pitcher
J.D. Thompson put that cushion to use. He held Pensacola to one run over five innings, striking out four and walking two to earn the win. The Blue Wahoos did not score until Ethan O’Donnell singled in the fifth and came home on Payton Green’s sacrifice fly.
Dishmey, meanwhile, departed with Biloxi still holding its 6-1 advantage. The right-hander took the loss after the Shuckers turned five of their first five hits into runs.
Pensacola generated its only sustained pressure in the seventh against Jaron DeBerry. A walk to Jay Beshears and Green’s single helped set up run-scoring hits by Fenwick Trimble and Max Williams. Trimble’s liner brought home Beshears, and Williams greeted Stiven Cruz with a sharp single to left that scored Green and cut Biloxi’s lead to 6-3.
The Shuckers answered before the tension had time to settle.
Made singled against Jack Sellinger, Josh Adamczewski walked and Wood came up with two outs against Juan Reynoso. Wood rolled a ground ball through the middle and into right field, scoring both runners to restore the five-run margin.
It completed a four-RBI night for Wood, who went 2-for-3 with a homer and a walk from the seventh spot in the order. Made finished 2-for-4 with a homer, a walk and two RBIs, while Payne supplied the third two-run shot.
The bottom three spots in Biloxi’s order combined for five of the club’s 10 hits, the kind of depth manager Mike Guerrero credited after the celebration reached the field.
“It’s a great lineup. It’s a great club. I think you’ve got to give credit to the guys and the coaches that put a great effort in keeping this rolling.”
— Mike Guerrero, Biloxi Manager
Cruz quieted the threat from there, recording the final seven outs for the save. He worked 2 1/3 scoreless innings, and Made fittingly handled the ball that finished it: Trimble’s ninth-inning grounder went from Made to O’Rae to Andrew Fischer for a series-ending double play.
The brooms came out. Biloxi had its 8-3 clincher and, after six years away, a place in the championship series.
For Guerrero, the immediate verdict required only four words.
“It feels great.”
— Mike Guerrero, Biloxi Manager