Bishop Letson kept piling up strikeouts while Biloxi waited for one swing, one opening, anything that could break an elimination game loose. Seven scoreless innings later, Letson had tied a franchise record with 12 strikeouts, the Shuckers’ offense had finally erupted, and their season was headed for a deciding Game 3.
Biloxi beat the Rocket City Trash Pandas 7-0 at Toyota Field, pairing Letson’s dominant start with Andrew Fischer’s four-RBI night. Wande Torres struck out five over the final two innings to complete a four-hit shutout.
Letson did not issue a walk. He struck out all but one member of Rocket City’s lineup at least once and finished his outing by fanning two in the seventh, stranding the only batter he hit.
His explanation afterward was simple: Rocket City was struggling with spin, so he kept going to it.
“You know, top to bottom. We had their card, man. We, you know, they weren’t hitting the spin. We kept spinning it.”
— Bishop Letson, Biloxi Shuckers Starting Pitcher
The defense gave him an important early lift. Nick Rodriguez singled in the first and tried to score when Jacob Cozart doubled into left. Josh Adamczewski gathered the ball and fired home on two hops, where Darrien Miller applied the tag in time to end the inning.
That was Rocket City’s best chance to score. Letson allowed two more singles, but never permitted another runner to reach third. He worked around a fourth-inning hit, erased a sixth-inning single with a double play and left the mound with the shutout intact.
Biloxi needed that precision because Tyler Bremner matched Letson for five innings. Bremner held the Shuckers scoreless on two hits, struck out seven and walked two.
The opening came as soon as Chris Cortez replaced him in the sixth. Braylon Payne singled with one out, and Jesús Made sent a ground ball down the third-base side and into left, bringing Payne home with the game’s first run.
Fischer followed immediately with the swing that changed the shape of the afternoon. He drove a ball deep toward center, beyond the retreating outfielders and over the wall for a two-run homer. A scoreless duel had become a 3-0 Biloxi lead in the space of two batters.
Fischer supplied the knockout two innings later. Payne singled, Made walked and Fischer ripped a line drive down the right-field line. The ball struck near the top of the wall as both runners scored, giving Fischer a double and four RBIs for the game.
He finished 2-for-4 with a homer, a double and a walk. Made went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk and two RBIs, while Payne collected three hits, scored twice and stole two bases.
The Shuckers added two runs in the ninth without lingering over the result. Miller singled, and Dylan O’Rae dropped a bunt toward third. Jake Munroe’s throw got away, allowing Miller to score and O’Rae to reach second. Made’s single through the middle brought O’Rae home for the final margin.
By then, the only question was whether Rocket City could spoil the shutout. Torres never gave it a chance. He struck out all three hitters he faced in the eighth, added two more strikeouts in the ninth and retired Munroe on a grounder to finish it.
Biloxi’s pitchers combined for 17 strikeouts without a walk. The Shuckers backed them with 11 hits and errorless defense, a complete response with their season at stake.
Letson made sure the night began with pitching, but he spread the credit afterward.
“Made the plays in the field when we needed. And, man, that lineup, dude. That lineup never disappoints.”
— Bishop Letson, Biloxi Shuckers Starting Pitcher
One win now separates Biloxi from the Southern League championship. Letson’s prescription for the deciding game was no more complicated than the approach that kept the Shuckers alive.
“It takes being us, man. It takes just being us.”
— Bishop Letson, Biloxi Shuckers Starting Pitcher