Blue Wahoos Get Series Opening Victory Over Biloxi

June 30, 2021

Along with command of his arsenal of pitches, the Blue Wahoos’ Max Meyer has shown another important quality in his rookie professional season.

He’s twice followed a rough outing with a brilliant one.

Meyer matched his season-high length, working six shutout innings and getting enough run support for the the Blue Wahoos to hold off the Biloxi Shuckers in the ninth inning for a 5-3 win Tuesday at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

Credit his brother’s weekend wedding, too. It followed Meyer’s disappointment in allowing four runs a week ago at Birmingham, leading to the Barons’ comeback win that night.

“I took a couple days off from throwing and I feel like I was just getting loose back out there again,” said Meyer, smiling, afterward, as he continued his progression as one of the Miami Marlins’ top prospects.

“As the game went on, I felt I got a little sharper,” Meyer said. “I think my (velocity) went up a little bit and knocked all that rust of off.”

In two starts against Birmingham, Meyer has giving up a combined nine runs and 13 hits. Against everyone else in the league, he’s given up one run. That’s one run in seven games.

“Being able to bounce back after giving up runs that I obviously hate to do…. just kinda dial it in more and be a little more focused,” said Meyer, explaining his approach. “Birmingham has got me twice now and the next start I usually lock it in a little bit better. I guess it is fun to do.”

It was fun to watch among a crowd of 4,409 as the quick-working Meyer breezed through six innings, allowing four hits, just one walk with six strikeouts. He twice gave up leadoff singles in the third and fifth and responded with quality pitches.

The win began a six-game, Fourth of July week homestand for the Blue Wahoos (29-20) in a festive way. The Shuckers (15-33) have now lost eight straight games.

The Blue Wahoos are sending another heralded prospect, Edward Cabrera, on the mound Wednesday for the first of four post-game fireworks nights, followed by Jake Eder on Thursday. It’s a trio that is among the top of minor league baseball with earned run averages and overall performance.

“It’s really fun to watch these guys (Cabrera, Eder),” said Meyer, the No. 3 overall selection by the Marlins a year ago out of the University of Minnesota.

“Us three kinda rolling out back to back to back,” he said. “We kind a feed off each other and we all have pretty good stuff so you are able to see how to throw to the teams we are facing. And really, good guys, too.”

As they’ve done all season, the Blue Wahoos’ offense made the most of each hit. Five hits, five runs.

Demetrius Sims started with a solo home run in the second into the right field berm. In the fifth, after Peyton Burdick and J.J. Bleday walked, Jerar Encarnacion just missed a three-run homer to straightaway center.

But catcher Nick Fortes hit a one-out single to score both runners.

In the ninth inning, Burdick followed a bases-loaded, none out situation by delivering a two-run double to continue his Double-A South lead in RBI.

Blue Wahoos closer Colton Hock gained his 11th save by making one big pitch – striking out Alexander Palms with the bases loaded in the eighth on a perfect curveball.

But Hock then struggled in the ninth, giving up a single, double, another batter reaching on an error, then a two-run double before ending the game on two flyouts.

by Bill Vilona, Blue Wahoos Senior Writer

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News, Sports, TOP sports