SL PLAYOFFS: Biscuits one win away from berth in league championship series
Dominic Keegan got the Divisional series started in a big way with a three-run homer to lift the Biscuits to a 9-2 win over Biloxi on Tuesday. (File Photo)
By TIM GAYLE
BILOXI - Dominic Keegan hit a three-run homer in the first inning and Tanner Murray homered twice as the Biscuits won the first game of the Southern League divisional series 9-2 at Keesler Federal Park.
Tennessee won the first game in the North Division series, 3-1 over Birmingham, on Tuesday. The winners of the divisional series will meet in the Southern League Championship Series beginning on Sunday at the South Division stadium.
In Montgomery’s final 14 regular-season games before clinching the second half title, the Biscuits hit 21 home runs in 13 of the 14 games. The trend continued on Tuesday as the Biscuits hit three more homers, giving them 25 in the last 18 games.
Murray’s two home runs, a solo shot in the fourth and another solo blast in the eighth, gave him five home runs during that stretch, tying him with Carson Williams and Brayden Taylor for the team lead.
Keegan is just behind at four, but his home runs have accounted for 10 RBIs.
Montgomery roughed up Biloxi starter Tate Kuehner as Keegan’s blast ignited a five-run first inning. Brayden Taylor doubled in Xavier Isaac and scored on an error for a 5-0 lead.
Murray made it 6-0 before Ernesto Martinez homered for the Shuckers in the fourth.
Kuehner lasted just 3.2 innings, allowing eight hits and six runs, five earned.
Montgomery starter Sean Hunley, the first of five Biscuit pitchers, went five innings, allowing just three hits and one run.
Dru Baker hit a pair of RBI singles and Murray homered again to give Montgomery a 9-1 lead in the ninth.
Montgomery, which hasn’t won a divisional series since 2007, return home to face the Shuckers on Thursday in the second game of the best-of-three series at Riverwalk Stadium at 6:35 p.m. A third game, if necessary, will follow on Friday at Riverwalk Stadium at 6:35 p.m
“If we win the championship, it’s going to be good for the city,” third baseman Willy Vasquez said. “It’s been a long time since they won a championship so for us, that’s why we come here and play hard, so we can get that championship.”
Montgomery has advanced to the playoffs in each of the last nine seasons, but Tuesday’s win was only the third for the Biscuits in the first game of the divisional series.
“Throughout the organization, playoffs always mean something and we’re trying to win everything we can,” Williams said. “We’ve definitely had a little slow point (early in the second half) but I feel like this team, with the new players coming in, that it’s coming together super nicely. Everybody’s working hard and at the end of the year it’s going to show.”
The winner of the South divisional series will host the Southern League championship series on Sunday. After a day off, the best-of-three series will move to the North Division team on Tuesday. A third game, if necessary, will be played the following day at the North Division site.
SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISIONAL SERIES (Best of 3)
Tuesday
Montgomery 9, Biloxi 2
Tennessee 3, Birmingham 1
Thursday
Biloxi at Montgomery, Riverwalk Stadium, 6:35 p.m.
Tennessee at Birmingham, Regions Field, 7 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 20 (if necessary)
Biloxi at Montgomery, Riverwalk Stadium, 6:35 p.m.
Tennessee at Birmingham, Regions Field, 7 p.m.