Lewis, Duran Make Debut, Lead Blue Wahoos To Seventh Straight Win
July 29, 2019
A leap in level and first impression became memorable Sunday for shortstop Royce Lewis and pitcher Jhoan Duran, leading the Pensacola Blue Wahoos to a new high.
In their much-anticipated debuts, Lewis drove in a pair of runs with a second-inning double, narrowly missing a grand slam, going 2-for-5 and helping turn two double plays, while Duran allowed just two hits in five scoreless innings, as the visiting Blue Wahoos beat the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 5-0 to record their seventh consecutive win.
It’s the team’s longest win streak this season. It’s happening with a remodeled roster.
And the Blue Wahoos did it Sunday on the road against a major league pitcher.
Less than a day after being promoted from the Fort Myers Miracle, the 20-year-old Lewis was in the starting lineup and quickly wowed.
The Minnesota Twins’ overall No. 1 pick in 2017 drove a pitch from Pablo Lopez, who was on a rehab assignment start from the Miami Marlins, off the left field wall at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
The almost-grand slam scored Jimmy Kerrigan and Ivan De Jesus Jr. A wild pitch from Lopez then scored Joe Cronin with the third run of the inning and provided a 4-0 lead. It forced Jumbo Shrimp manager Kevin Randel to summon the bullpen for a reliever.
Lewis singled in his next at-bat to become the Blue Wahoos’ lone multiple-hit player in the game.
The Blue Wahoos got a first inning run off Lopez, a starter in 14 games this season for Miami, on Ben Rortvedt’s two-out double scoring Trevor Larnach, who had singled.
Larnach (2018), Lewis and Alex Kirilloff (2016) currently give the Blue Wahoos the Twins’ No. 1 draft picks in the past three years.
Meanwhile, Duran was dealing on the mound. The 21-year-old righthander faced just one batter above the minimum through four innings. He recorded eight ground ball outs, including a double play that Lewis helped turn.
Duran worked five complete innings, allowing just one walk and striking out three, in addition to yielding two hits.
Three relievers followed Duran. Hector Lujan worked a scoreless sixth inning. Jonathan Cheshire, also making his Blue Wahoos debut after being with the Toronto Blue Jays organization, followed with 1.2 innings, allowing just one hit.
Alex Phillips picked up his second save after entering in the eighth inning and allowed just one hit. The Blue Wahoos picked up their fifth run in the ninth inning on Kirilloff’s two-out single to score Ryan Costello.
The win boosted the Blue Wahoos to 56-50 overall, after they fell under .500 during a six-game losing streak which preceded the turnaround. They are 18-18 in the second half and trail first-place Biloxi by five games in the Southern League South Division.
However, if the Shuckers win the second half to follow their first half division win, the other playoff spot goes to the team with the second-best overall record. The Blue Wahoos now have seven-game lead on Jacksonville in that category, five games over the Mississippi Braves.
The Blue Wahoos and Jumbo Shrimp will continued their five-game series on Monday with Bryan Sammons set to face Sixto Sanchez, the Marlins’ No. 1 overall prospect.
The Blue Wahoos return to Pensacola on Thursday to face the Birmingham Barons in a weekend series
Cleaning Up The Aggie House…And Remembering Sean Banks’ Legacy
July 28, 2019
The Tate Aggie family gathered Saturday to clean up their house and remember a lost teammate.
Volunteers worked to get Pete Gindl Stadium shining with Aggie pride before the upcoming football season. And they also installed a stadium sign remembering Aggie Sean Banks.
“I’ve done a lot of hard things in my life but hanging this particular sign today got to this old man,” said Billy Glenn Howard, Jr., “especially when I turned around and saw our Tate Aggie football team watching this being installed.”
“As the freshman Aggies watched on, they were reminded that every time they put on that uniform and step on that field,” the Tate Quarterback Club wrote on social media, “that they are DOING IT FOR SEAN! They may not have known him but we are all one AGGIE FAMILY and Sean’s legacy will forever live on in this program!
Sean Banks and his sister Antoinette McCoy — his biggest fan — were killed in a tragic car crash in January when their vehicle was hit by an alleged DUI driver on East Kingsfield Road.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
M-Braves Earn Three Game Sweep Of The Blue Wahoos
July 22, 2019
The Blue Wahoos gave themselves an early reason to believe Sunday’s game might evolve differently than others in the past week.
They staked a 3-0 lead in the third inning. It was already the most runs generated in six games. Starting pitcher Jorge Alcala was coming off two solid starts.
But it changed quickly after the Mississippi Braves scored four runs in the bottom of the third, chased Alcala, then kept on hitting into an 8-3 win and three-game sweep of the weather-shortened series in Pearl, Miss. The teams did not play Saturday night due to heavy rain in the area.
What started positive became the Blue Wahoos’ season-high, sixth consecutive loss. It was the team’s 13th defeat in the past 15 games. It has dropped the Blue Wahoos (49-50 overall, 11-18 second half) under .500 overall for the first time this season, after they won the first three games to start the 2019 season in April.
The M-Braves (46-52, 13-16), got a career-high eight innings pitched from starter Joey Wentz, plus bashed a season-high 18 hits against five Blue Wahoos pitchers. The M-Braves won their fourth consecutive game.
The Blue Wahoos will now try to shake this slide at home Monday when beginning a five-game series against the Mobile BayBears.
It will be the BayBears final appearance in Pensacola as a franchise. The team will relocate in 2020 to Madison, Ala., just outside of Huntsville, changing into the Rocket City Trash Pandas.
The M-Braves launched their offense Sunday without a home run and only two extra-base hits among the 18 they produced. Six of the batters in the lineup had multiple hits, led by catcher William Contreras, who went 4-for-5 with three RBI in the first 4-hit day of his Double-A career.
Earlier in Sunday’s game, however, it was the Blue Wahoos with a busy day at the plate. In the first inning, Alex Kirilloff single, then went to second after Trevor Larnach was hit by a pitch from Wentz.
Lewin Diaz followed with an RBI single. Caleb Hamilton hit a sacrifice fly to score Larnach. After a wild pitch sent Diaz to second, Mark Contreras lined out to first base to end the inning.
In the top of the third, Larnach blasted his first Double-A home run on a deep shot over the center field wall, giving the Blue Wahoos a 3-0 lead.
The good vibe changed when four of the first five M-Braves batters reached base in the bottom of the third. Alejandro Salazar started the rally with a lead off triple, then scored on Ray-Patrick Didder’s single.
Drew Waters following a one-out single to score Didder. After Ryan Casteel walked and Contreras made his only out in the game on a fly out, Alcala (5-7, 6.36 ERA) was lifted for Anthony Vizcaya.
He was promptly greeted by two consecutive RBI singles and a walk to drive in two runs. Salazar came back around to bat and laced a hard liner that Larnach caught in right field to end the inning.
The score stayed 4-3 in the M-Braves favor until they scored a run in the sixth. Contreras’ RBI single provided a 5-3 lead. In the seventh, the M-Braves forced the Blue Wahoos to use two relievers in the inning, as they scored three more runs.
The Blue Wahoos were held to five hits, one walk by Wentz (5-7, 4.26 ERA), who struck out five.
Kirriloff went 2-for-4 to boost his average to .281 and was the only Blue Wahoos batter with multiple hits.
The Blue Wahoos will begin the homestand with Mobile on Monday.
Northview’s Stadium Prepped For Football Season With Help From EREC, Century Correctional
July 21, 2019
Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium at Northview High School got a good cleaning Saturday in preparation for the upcoming football season.
The Northview Quarterback Club had help from Escambia River Electric Cooperative and inmates from the Century Correctional Institution (no students were on campus at the time).
The Chiefs hit the road August 16 for a kickoff classic game at Baker. They will be at home to open the regular season on August 23 against Lighthouse Christian.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Monday Deadline To Register To Tate Men’s Soccer Camp
July 21, 2019
Monday is the deadline to register for the 2019 Tate High School Men’s Soccer Camp in order to receive a camp t-shirt.
The camp is for all returning Tate players and all aspiring players for the 2019-2020 varsity and junior varsity teams. Camp will be held July 26-28 from 8 a.m. until noon as Ashton Brosnaham Park. The cost is $100.
For a registration form, click here.
M-Braves Beat The Wahoos
July 20, 2019
The Blue Wahoos knew there might be few scoring chances Friday if Mississippi Braves’ ace Ian Anderson was on top of his game.
When they missed on early opportunities, it became costly again at the end.
The Blue Wahoos’ bats remained in a slumber and their record continued its slide after a 4-2 loss against the M-Braves at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss.
Anderson, the No. 3 ranked player by MLB Pipeline in the Atlanta Braves system, struck out 10 Pensacola hitters to improve his season strikeout total to 129. That leads the Southern League and ranks fourth in all of minor league baseball.
For the Blue Wahoos, this is the first time since the first game of the season their overall record (49-49) is even at .500. They fell into last place (11-17) in the Southern League South Division second-half standings, after losing for the 12th time in 14 games.
On July 3, the Blue Wahoos swept a four-game series at home against the M-Braves for a sixth consecutive win. Friday, they were saddled with a seventh loss in eight games.
The same issue has been the culprit. It’s been a week since they have scored more than two runs in any game.
But before Anderson settled into a seven-inning masterpiece, the Blue Wahoos had a couple chances. They had a runner on base with less than two outs in three of the first four innings.
In the first, leadoff batter Ivan De Jesus Jr. singled. But Anderson got Alex Kirilloff to hit into a double-play and struck out Trevor Larnarch.
In the second inning, the Blue Wahoos got their first run when loading the bases with one out. Lewin Diaz was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Mark Contreras, who went 2-for-4 as the Blue Wahoos only player with multiple hits, followed with a single.
Joe Cronin then singled to load the bases. Diaz scored on Aaron Whitefield’s force out. With runners on second and third, Jordan Gore grounded out to end the inning.
In the fourth inning, Ben Rortvedt had a one out single, but Anderson struck out Contreras and Cronin. The next three innings, the Blue Wahoos had only one baserunner against Anderson, who improved to 7-5, after allowing just five hits, no walks to go along with his 10 strikeouts.
The Blue Wahoos again got their own solid starting pitching. Charlie Barnes worked into the fifth inning, allowing just three hits, one run and struck out six. He had just one walk.
Tom Hackimer, pitching for the first time since June 26, entered in relief and worked 1.2 scoreless innings. In the seventh, however, Adam Bray began the inning and had his roughest relief appearance.
The first three M-Braves batters reached base. William Contreras’ double scored two runs and gave the M-Braves a 3-1 lead. Trey Harris hit a one-out double to score Contreras.
That was the game. The M-Braves’ Claudio Custodio entered in the eighth and gave up a leadoff double to Gore. Larnach’s two-out single scored Gore, then Lewis struck out to end the inning.
Jordan Harrison retired the Blue Wahoos in order in the ninth to get his second save.
The two teams will play again Saturday night in the third game of their weekend series.
Northview Chiefs To Host Youth Football Camp Next Week
July 19, 2019
The Northview Quarterback Club will host their annual youth football camp Monday, July 22 and Tuesday July 23 from 5-7 p.m.
The cost of the camp is $50 and includes a camp t-shirt. The camp is open for any child entering Kindergarten through 8th grade. The participants will receive instruction from the Northview High School coaches and players in offensive and defensive positions, as well as agilities and speed training.
Click here to download a required registration form and waiver.
For more information, email Coach Derek Marshman at DMarshman@escambia.k12.fl.us.
Dobnak’s Memorable Performance Spoiled In Blue Wahoos’ Loss
July 19, 2019
One of the top pitching performances in club history Thursday night was unfortunately not enough to shake the Blue Wahoos from current doldrums.
Randy Dobnak continued his remarkable season, along with his potential future, by working eight innings, allowing just two hits, one run and matching a career-high with nine strikeouts, but became a hard-luck recipient of the Blue Wahoos 1-0 loss against the Mississippi Braves to start a road series in Pearl, Miss.
In part, the reason was M-Braves lefty starter Tucker Davidson, a Southern League All-Star and No. 18 overall prospect in the Atlanta Braves system, was equally masterful. Davidson also went eight complete innings with nine strikeouts, scattered five hits and did not walk a batter.
This sensational arms race led to a game completed in just one hour, 54 minutes Thursday before a crowd of 2,218 at Trustmark Park. It was the seventh time in Dobnak’s last nine starts that he has allowed just one or zero earned runs.
The loss became the Blue Wahoos’ 11th in the past 13 games. They are now just one game above .500 overall (49-48) and fell to 11-16 in the second half. They will try and reverse the trend beginning Friday in the second game of a four-game weekend series.
Rarely in minor league baseball does a game feature both starting pitchers going eight complete innings. Dobnak (4-2) threw 90 pitches and got 12 ground ball outs. Davidson stayed in the game with 97 pitches, 64 for strikes.
In what has typified the Blue Wahoos’ recent downfall, they had runners in scoring position in each of the final three innings, but couldn’t get a game-tying hit. They finished with seven hits in the game, all singles.
In the ninth inning, former major league infielder Ivan De Jesus Jr. led off with a single against reliever Jordan Harrison. Alex Kirilloff then hit into a force play at second base.
Trevor Larnach, who joined the team Tuesday in promotion from High-A Fort Myers, followed with a one-out single. Lewin Diaz worked a 2-2 count, fouled off a pitch, then hit a hard grounder that shortstop Ray-Patrick Didder converted into a game-ending double play.
In the eighth inning, the Blue Wahoos’ Mark Contreras led off with a single. He moved to second on Brian Navaretto’s sacrifice bunt. But Davidson retired Aaron Whitefield on a fly ball to center, then struck out Jordan Gore to end the threat.
In the seventh, Kirilloff had a one-out single, Larnach hit into a force play, but Diaz followed with a single. Again, Davidson worked out of it by getting Caleb Hamilton to pop out.
Those three innings were the Blue Wahoos’ best scoring opportunities. The other was in the first inning when Kirilloff, who went 2-for-4, hit a one-out single. Larnach followed by hitting into a double play.
The game’s only run was scored in the fifth inning. Greyson Jenista led off with a double against Dobnak. Carlos Martinez followed with a one-out, RBI single, but was erased on the cutoff throw by Diaz to De Jesus at second.
Dobnak, who was pitching in a Michigan-based Independent League two years ago, retired the M-Braves in order the next three innings.
The M-Braves (44-52, 11-16) entered the game with four consecutive series’ losses. They lost four of six games against Jacksonville, a team now just one game back of Biloxi in the second-half division race.
Deer Hunters: QDMA Escambia Field Day Program Set For Saturday
July 18, 2019
The Quality Deer Management Association Escambia Branch Field Day will be held Saturday, July 20 in Cantonment.
The free event will feature speakers Keith Swilly on 12 Years of Quality Deer Management and Ben Westfall on QDM Coops, research from UF/IFAS and regulation updates from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The event will take place from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Langley Bell 4-H Center at 3730 Stefani Road. Admission is free, and there will be door prizes.
FWC Hunter Safety Courses Offered In Molino And Jay
July 15, 2019
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is offering free hunter safety courses in Molino and Jay.
Hunter safety courses are designed to help students become safe, responsible and knowledgeable hunters and learn about conservation.
Students who have taken the online course and wish to complete the classroom portion must bring the online-completion report with them.
All firearms, ammunition and materials are provided free of charge. Students should bring a pen or pencil and paper. An adult must accompany children younger than 16 at all times.
Anyone born on or after June 1, 1975, must pass an approved hunter safety course and have ahunting license to hunt alone (unsupervised). The FWC course satisfies hunter-safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces.
Courses will be held:
Escambia County
July 31 (6 to 10 p.m. CDT) & Aug. 31 (7 to 10 a.m. CDT)
Molino Community Center
6450 Highway 95A in Molino
Santa Rosa County
July 17 (6 to 10 p.m. CDT) & Aug. 3 (7 to 10 a.m. CDT)
Jay Community Center
5259 Booker Lane in Jay
July 24 (6 to 10 p.m. CDT) & Aug. 3 (7 to 10 a.m. CDT)
Santa Rosa County Extension Services
6263 Dogwood Drive in Milton
Those interested in attending a course can register online and obtain information about future hunter safety classes at MyFWC.com/HunterSafety or by calling the FWC’s regional office in Panama City at 850-265-3676.