Wahoos Rally Falls A Run Short
July 26, 2017
Pensacola catcher Joe Hudson came to the plate with runners on first and third and two outs with the Blue Wahoos trailing by one run in the ninth inning.
But a five-run rally by Pensacola to tie the game fell one run short when Hudson smoked a line drive back at Biloxi Shuckers relief pitcher Jorge Lopez, who stuck his glove out and caught it.
The Shuckers escaped with a, 5-4, victory over the Blue Wahoos to win the opener of the five-game series and tie the head-to-head battle between the two teams this season at 8-8.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly thought Hudson had smacked a game-tying hit.
“That ball caught him,” Kelly said. “Sometimes the game is not fair. It was nice to see us come back.”
For most of the game, the Milwaukee Brewers top pitching prospect cruised by keeping the Pensacola hitters off balance with his off-speed pitches. He shut out the Blue Wahoos lineup through seven innings of work on two hits and season-high seven Ks.
But Ortiz, who improved to 4-5 with a 3.57 ERA, had his 13-inning scoreless streak end in the eighth inning when Pensacola right fielder Aristides Aquino belted a homer to left center. It was Aquino’s team-leading 10th homer of the season and first since his solo shot July 1 against the Montgomery Biscuits. Ortiz was then chased from the game, when Pensacola second baseman Shed Long followed with a zinger up the middle.
Lopez, who pitched two innings for the Milwaukee Brewers earlier this season, entered the game in the ninth inning with a, 5-1, Biloxi lead and almost gave the game away.
Gabriel Guerrero smashed his first home run at Blue Wahoos Stadium on in front of 4,019 fans on Tuesday. He launched his third homer of the season just right of center field into the Hill-Kelly Dodge berm with Pensacola shortstop Blake Trahan on base. It pulled Pensacola within, 5-3, with no outs.
“It feels great,” Guerrero said. “We just keep fighting. We never give up. We almost came back.”
The rally continued when Pensacola first baseman Gavin LaValley singled with one out and then was singled in by Long’s liner to center field to make it a one-run game, 5-4.
With runners on first and third and two outs, Hudson stepped to the plate. The 23-year-old Guerrero, who was selected to the Southern League All-Star game, was surprised Hudson’s line drive was the last out of the game. Hudson had one of the first two hits off Ortiz when he doubled in the sixth inning.
“I thought the ball was going to go through,” Guerrero said. “(Lopez) threw his glove out there and caught it.”
Biloxi went ahead, 5-0, thanks in part to right fielder Clint Coulter whohad both RBIs in his first two at bats of Tuesday’s game for the Shuckers. The 23-year-old, who was selected 27th overall in the 2012 draft, grounded out to shortstop in the second inning, allowing first baseman Dustin DeMuth to score from third base and put Biloxi up, 1-0.
Coulter then launched his 12th homer of the season to the left center gap to lead off the fifth inning, giving Biloxi a 2-0 lead. Coulter has the team lead in both homers and RBIs with 39 this season.
In the sixth inning, it looked like Pensacola second baseman Shed Long had turned a double play when DeMuth hit a grounder up the middle that Long fielded, stepped on second base and whipped the ball to first. But the umpire ruled he missed the bag allowing Biloxi second baseman Blake Allemand to stay at second base. He would come around to score on shortstop Gabriel Noriega’s sharp single to centerfield to put the Shuckers ahead, 3-0.
Biloxi left fielder Angel Ortega then smacked a two-run homer, his seventh of the season, to left field in the seventh inning to put the Shuckers seemingly out of reach with a, 5-0, lead.
The Blue Wahoos fell to 15-16 in the second half and 55-46 overall. Biloxi, which has lost four consecutive series and 13 of their past 19 games, improved to 13-18 and 49-51 overall.
Northview Baseball To Host Coed Softball Tournament
July 24, 2017
The Northview Baseball team will be host a coed softball tournament Saturday, July 29 at Bradbury Park (NWE).
Entry fee is $200 per team and each team must have a minimum of three females. Rules will be based on USSSA rules. This is a two loss elimination tournament, so each team is guaranteed two games.
To participate or donate, call (850) 232-3205.
Pensacola Falls, 4-2, To Montgomery
July 24, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos scored two runs in the second inning and were blanked the rest of the way.
The Montgomery Biscuits came from two runs down to beat Pensacola, 4-2, Sunday at Riverwalk Stadium to capture the series, 3-2.
Pensacola scored its two runs when right fielder Aristides Aquino tripled to center field to drive in left fielder Josh VanMeter to put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 1-0. VanMeter hit an infield single to shortstop and stole second base, his 10th of the season, to start the inning.
Blue Wahoos second baseman Shed Long walked putting runners at first and third. Aquino then scored when Montgomery starting pitcher Hunter Adkins made a wild pickoff throw that allowed Aquino to cross the plate to make the score, 2-0.
Montgomery scored one run in the second, third and fourth innings to take a, 3-2, lead. In the second inning, catcher Nick Ciuffo grounded out to allow shortstop Jake Cronenworth to score. In the third inning, Montgomery loaded the bases with two outs, when first baseman Michael Russell hit an infield single to third that brought in left fielder Nathan Lukes. In the fourth inning, Biscuits center fielder Andrew Velazquez hit what turned out to be a game-winning home run, his sixth of the season, to center field that put Montgomery up, 3-2.
Ciuffo padded the Biscuits lead with a homer to start the eighth inning to make it a, 4-2, game.
Meanwhile, the Biscuits pitching staff shut down the Pensacola lineup. The Blue Wahoos never threatened to score over the last seven innings.
Montgomery starter Adkins earned the win to improve his record to 2-2 with a 3.91 ERA. He retired nine of the last 11 batters he faced, giving up two singles. In his five innings of work, he gave up two runs on five hits and one walk and struck out four.
Then Biscuits relievers Yoel Espinal, Kyle Bird and Ian Gibaut took over and allowed just two hits, no walks and struck out three over the last four innings.
Pensacola pitcher Domingo Tapia made his fifth spot start for the Blue Wahoos and earned the loss to drop to 3-6 on the season with a 3.77 ERA.
At the plate, Pensacola was led by Aquino, who was 1-4 with a triple and RBI. Both shortstop Blake Trahan and third baseman Nick Senzel went 2-4.
McCants And Team Win At Wood Bat Classic
July 23, 2017
Torianno (TJ) McCants of Quintette and the East Coast Sox’s 2020 Select won the 15U World Wood Bat Classic held in Cartersville, GA. The tournament hosted over 300 15U wood bat teams from across the United States.
McCants is the starting short stop for the 2020 Select and ended the tournament with a .389 batting average and no fielding errors.
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
By reader submitted.
Wahoos Even Series With The Montgomery Biscuits
July 23, 2017
Thanks to back-to-back two out hits by right fielder Aristides Aquino and second baseman Shed Long, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos scored three runs in the top of the ninth to overcome the Montgomery Biscuits.
The Blue Wahoos entered the ninth tied, 4-4, Saturday at Riverwalk Stadium but earned the victory, 7-4, when Aquino singled in third baseman Nick Senzel and Long doubled on a line drive to left field that scored both left fielder Josh VanMeter and Aquino.
The five-game series is now tied, 2-2, with the final game scheduled for 5:35 p.m. Sunday. Pensacola improved to 15-14 in the second half and regained first place over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, whose game with the Tennessee Smokies was postponed. The Blue Wahoos are 55-44 overall and won the first half Southern Division title.
Montgomery knotted the game, 4-4, with two runs in the eighth inning off Pensacola reliever Robert Stock, who loaded the bases with no outs. He was replaced by Pensacola closer Zack Weiss, who got the first two Biscuits batters out but then gave up a two-run single to center field by Biscuits DH Cade Cotta, driving in shortstop Jake Cronenworth and second baseman Riley Unroe.
Weiss struck out two batters in the ninth and got the last six outs to earn the win and improve his record to 2-1 with a 0.93 ERA in nine appearances. He has given up five runs but none earned over his last 8.2 innings and struck out 12.
Pensacola starting pitcher Jose Lopez, who has made eight Double-A starts, turned in his fourth straight strong outing. He worked six innings, allowed two runs on four hits and one walk and struck out five.
Montgomery left-handed starter Logan Darnell, who made four starts for the Minnesota Twins in 2014, also worked six innings, giving up three runs, two earned, on nine hits, no walks and struck out 10. The 28-year-old tied his career high that he recorded in 2010 with the Twins rookie league team in the Gulf Coast League.
Pensacola, though, pounded out 13 hits, one of its highest totals in a game this year. Five Blue Wahoo hitters had multi-hit games. Pensacola center fielder Gabriel Guerrero was 2-5 with two runs scored for his team-leading 29th multi-hit game this season. Senzel was 3-5 with two doubles and two runs scored. First baseman Gavin Lavalley was 2-5 with a double and two RBIs. Aquino was 2-5 with a run and RBI. Long was 2-5 with a double and two RBIs.
Wahoos Fall To Biscuits
July 22, 2017
The game was all tied up, 2-2, and then the bottom of the sixth inning happened.
That’s when the Montgomery Biscuits sent 11 batters to the plate and scored eight runs on four hits, including a grand slam to left field by right fielder Justin Williams to beat the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, 14-3, Friday at Riverwalk Stadium. Montgomery, which got 13 hits, leads the series, 2-1.
The inning started with the Biscuits loading the bases with no outs when left fielder Nathan Lukes doubled in catcher Mac James and third baseman Michael Russell to put Montgomery ahead, 4-2. Second baseman Grant Kay then reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Andrew Velazquez to score from third for a, 5-2, lead. Montgomery first baseman Joe McCarthy then hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Lukes to make the score, 6-2.
The Biscuits loaded the bases again when Williams, the Tampa Bay Rays No. 10 prospect, smacked his grand slam with one out for a 10-2 lead. Williams was 2-4 and now has six homers with 40 RBIs and .294 batting average.
Seven of the runs, six earned were charged to Pensacola reliever Alex Powers, but it was Jake Ehret who gave up the grand slam.
Pensacola starter Deck McGuire struggled in his 19th start, giving up two runs on four hits and five walks and striking out seven in his five innings of work.
Pensacola scored first in the first inning to go up, 1-0, when left fielder Josh VanMeter hit a two-out double to score shortstop Blake Trahan.
Montgomery went ahead, 2-1, in the third inning when DH Dalton Kelly hit a two-run homer off McGuire. It was his seventh homer of the season with four of them coming against Pensacola.
Blue Wahoos second baseman Shed Long hit a solo shot, his third homer for Pensacola, to tie the score at 2. Pensacola third baseman Nick Senzel singled in the seventh inning to score Trahan for the Blue Wahoos third and final run of the game.
Pensacola is 14-14 in the second half and fell into a first-place tie with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. Pensacola is 54-44 overall.
Wahoos Drop Game To Montgomery
July 20, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos lead the Southern League with 11 shutout victories. However, the team also leads the league with 12 shutout losses.
Five Montgomery Biscuit pitchers combined to blank the Blue Wahoos lineup Thursday, 5-0, at Riverwalk Stadium. They scattered seven hits and two walks and struck out 11 Pensacola batters to even the series, 1-1.
Despite the loss, the first half champions in the Southern League South Division are 14-13 in the second half and the Blue Wahoos remained in first place with a one-game lead over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. Pensacola is 54-43 overall.
Montgomery starting pitcher Edwin Fierro led the way throwing five scoreless innings, allowing four hits, giving up no walks and striking out seven to improve to 5-2 with a 2.81 ERA. Biscuits closer Kyle Winkler, who leads the team with 11 saves, made his 25th appearance and struck out two in one inning of work.
Pensacola missed opportunities to score in the third, seventh and eighth innings. In the third, the Blue Wahoos had runners reach first and third with two outs but stranded them. In the seventh, Pensacola loaded the bases with two outs but Montgomery reliever Mike Broadway entered the game and struck out left fielder Tyler Goeddel. In the eighth, runners stood at first and third with one out but Biscuits reliever Jordan Harrison came in and got Blue Wahoos DH Josh VanMeter to ground out into an inning ending double play.
Montgomery first baseman Dalton Kelly continued his assault on Pensacola pitching. In his first series in Double-A, the 22-year-old belted three homers, knocked in seven RBIs and hit .481 (13-27).
In Thursday’s victory, Kelly led the Biscuits offense going 3-3 with a walk, two runs and an RBI. He’s hitting .354 in 21 games with Montgomery.
Meanwhile, Pensacola first baseman Gavin LaValley was 2-4 with a double — the Blue Wahoos only extra base hit in the game — and catcher Chad Tromp was 2-3 with a walk.
Pensacola starter Jesus Reyes, who was making his second Double-A start, worked six innings, allowed three runs on eight hits and one walk and struck out three. He picked up the loss and is 0-1 with a 2.45 ERA.
Blue Wahoos Capture Opening Game Against Montgomery
July 20, 2017
Nick Senzel drilled a line drive, three-run home run to left field in the seventh inning and now has hit in 19 of his first 24 games with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
Senzel’s homer, his third for the Blue Wahoos, broke a 2-2 tie and Pensacola went on to win, 5-3, Wednesday over the Montgomery Biscuits at Riverwalk Stadium.
The top prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization, the 22-year-old third baseman has come through with a walk, single and two homers that have led to the Blue Wahoos winning four games in the second half.
The first half champions in the Southern League South Division improved to 14-12 in the second half and 54-42 overall. The team owns first place a half-game ahead of the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
The 19 games that Senzel has earned a hit, he is 28-72 and batting .389. He’s hitting .315 on the season for Pensacola in his first time in Double-A. In Wednesday’s victory, Senzel was 2-4 with a double and homer, on run scored and three RBIs, giving him six doubles, three homers, 15 RBIs this year with the Blue Wahoos.
Pensacola center fielder Gabriel Guerrero also smacked a homer, his second this season, when he hit a line drive over the center field wall. His solo shot put Pensacola ahead, 2-0, in the fourth inning. Guerrero was 3-4 in the game with two runs scored and an RBI. Guerrero has 31 RBIs this season and 28 multi-hit games in 88 games with Pensacola this year.
Left fielder Tyler Goeddel hit a two-out single to left field to drive in Pensacola’s first run, 1-0, in the second inning when Guerrero crossed the plate.
Montgomery knotted the score, 2-2, with two runs in the bottom of the sixth when left field Cade Gotta drove in third baseman Grant Kay on a sacrifice fly to right field and right fielder Justin Williams singled to center to bring in DH Joe McCarthy.
Pensacola also got a strong start from Keury Mella who worked five innings, gave up two runs on three hits and three walks and struck out four. However, Blue Wahoos middle reliever Robert Stock earned the win to improve to 6-1 with a 2.59 ERA by pitching two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out one.
Northview Baseball To Host Coed Softball Tournament
July 19, 2017
The Northview Baseball team will be host a coed softball tournament July 29 at Bradbury Park (NWE).
Entry fee is $200 per team and each team must have a minimum of three females. Rules will be based on USSSA rules. This is a two loss elimination tournament, so each team is guaranteed two games.
To participate or donate, call (850) 232-3205.
Tate Aggies Kick Off Youth Football Camp, Still Time To Join
July 18, 2017
Monday was the first evening of the Tate Youth Football Camp at Pete Gindl Stadium.
The camp continues 5-8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. According to organizers, there is room for more participants. To join the camp, be at the stadium at 5 p.m. Tuesday to register.
The camp is beingdirected by Tate football coaching staff with assistance from Tate football players. It is an opportunity for youth to work on fundamentals, practice agility, run through drills and learn about being part of a team. No football equipment will be needed. Cleats are recommended, but not required.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
