Biscuits Deliver First Blow in Game One, 5-2
September 20, 2022 – Southern League (SL) – Montgomery Biscuits News Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Montgomery Biscuits (1-0) soundly defeated the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (0-1), 5-2, Tuesday night at Riverwalk Stadium in game one of the 2022 South Division Championship Series. The Biscuits managed to hit three home runs en route to their victory for a great start to the postseason.
In the top of the first, Biscuits starter Michael Mercado took the mound and couldn’t ask for a better start as he took down the Blue Wahoos one-two-three with a pair of strikeouts. In the bottom of the inning, A.J. Ladwig took the mound for Pensacola and immediately felt the pressure of the Biscuits. With an 0-2 count, second baseman Brett Wisely smashed a deep home run to right center to put the Biscuits ahead first, 1-0. Third baseman Osleivis Basabe then connected for a stand up double to get in scoring position with no outs.
Still in the first and with two outs, outfielder Niko Hulsizer smashed a line drive RBI-single to bring Basabe home and extend the lead to 2-0. Ladwig started to lose his control in the second inning, as he walked catcher Blake Hunt, Wisely and Basabe. Montgomery failed to take advantage of the opportunity and the score remained 2-0 entering the third.
In the top of the third, the Blue Wahoos created some action. With two outs, right fielder Norel Gonzalez struck a line drive single that scored two for the Blue Wahoos as Gonzalez was thrown out at second for the final out of the inning. As the bottom of the third started, the game entered a rain delay at 7:33 PM CT.
The game resumed in the bottom of the third after a 51-minute weather delay. Pensacola reliever Josan Mendez (0-1) replaced Ladwig and on the second pitch center fielder Kameron Misner blasted a no-doubt home run to left to break the tie and put the Biscuits back ahead 3-2.
After a scoreless fourth, Blue Wahoos’ Chandler Jozwiak came in to replace Mendez. After grounding out first baseman Kyle Manzardo, Misner crushed a solo home run to left center to keep the Biscuits in the drivers’ seat and make it 4-2. The home run would be Misners’ first since August 5th and coincidentally against his former team the Blue Wahoos.
Biscuits reliever Joe LaSorsa (1-0) had an impressive outing in the fifth and sixth innings. LaSorsa surrendered only one hit and retired Pensacola quickly with a number of pop-outs and flyouts. In the seventh inning, Basabe would leave the game with an apparent knee injury and not return as infielder Tyler Frank replaced him.
The Montgomery bullpen of LaSorsa, Justin Sterner, Chris Gau, and Jose Lopez was superb as they pitched five scoreless innings from the fourth to the ninth.
In the eighth, outfielder Jordan Qsar made a clutch play by erasing a sure stand up double from Gonzalez. After a deep ball that hit off the left field wall, Qsar made a throw on the money to get the out and prevent a base hit. Still in the eighth Montgomery extended the lead to 5-2 after an RBI-single from Wisely that brought Qsar home after his stand-up double.
Biscuits reliever Lopez entered in the ninth to close out the game. Designated hitter J.D. Orr was able to reach base on a fielding error, but Lopez looked phenomenal in closing time as he struck out outfielder J.D. Osborne to seal the game, save, and first win of the series.
With a 1-0 lead in a best-of-three series, the Biscuits are seeking their second win to advance. The Biscuits return to action for game two of the South Division Championship Series Thursday at 6:05 PM CT in Pensacola, Fla. when RHP Sean Hunley faces RHP Eury Perez.
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