BILOXI -- The Biloxi Shuckers' first home game on June 6 after 54 games on the road was Minor League Baseball's "Game of the Year."
The winner was announced Monday as chosen by MiLB.com staff and fans voting online.
The Shuckers also are in the running for a MILBY in the categories of "Best Team," which will be announced Wednesday, and "Breakout Prospect" for Orlando Arcia, which will be announced Tuesday. Brett Phillips was nominated for "Best Offensive Player."
The first home game started with the team pulling into Biloxi in the middle of the night and meeting the fans for a "Game Day Experience" downtown before the fans escorted them to the new stadium.
The team delivered a 5-4 game wining victory against the Mobile BayBears.
"Nick Shaw singled, driving in Shuckers' reliever and pinch-runner Brent Suter from second base to cap off a two-run bottom of the 14th inning and magical win in front of a raucous sellout crowd of 5,065," said team spokesman Chris Harris. "The club went on to win league-best 78 games and South Division Championship."
Other finalists in the voting for best team were Triple-A Louisville's combined no-hitter on July 12 against Toledo; Double-A Arkansas' 15-12 win over Springfield on June 13, which included a 14-run fifth inning; Triple-A Toledo's 10-8 loss to Lehigh Valley on Aug. 3 that featured Mike Hessman's go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning that set the new minor league home run record; Tony Gwynn Jr's walk-off single which earned Triple-A Syracuse a 1-0 win over Buffalo on Father's Day, almost a year to the date of the death of his father, baseball great Tony Gwynn.
The Biloxi Shuckers return to MGM Park to host their parent club, the Milwaukee Brewers, in an exhibition game on April 2 and open the 2016 regular season at MGM Park on April 7 against the Chattanooga Lookouts.