Winker Grand Slam Seals Wahoos Win
July 11, 2015
Left fielder Jesse Winker hit the Pensacola Blue Wahoos first grand slam of the season when he took Montgomery Biscuits starter Jaime Schultz’s fastball deep to left field with one out.
His fifth homer of the year capped a five-run fifth inning that also included catcher Kyle Skipworth’s solo shot to right field into the Hill-Kelly Hill area to lead off the inning.
Pensacola went on to win its third straight game and hand Montgomery its sixth straight road loss, 6-3, Friday in front of a sellout crowd of 5,038 at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
The Blue Wahoos improved to 8-7 (33-50) and remained in a four-way tie for first place in the second half of the Southern League South Division season. The Biscuits dropped to 8-6 (42-40) on the year.
Winker, the Cincinnati Reds No. 3 prospect according to Baseball America, hit his last grand slam two years ago to the day with the Low-A Dayton Dragons.
The newly bearded Winker is hitting .373 (19-51) in 15 games in the second half with a .492 on-base percentage. And Winker has multi-hit games in eight of his last 17 starts.
Winker said he was waiting for Schultz to bring his 90-95 mph heater over the plate, after watching him walk shortstop Zach Vincej.
“I wanted to elevate a fastball,” Winker said. “I didn’t want to get cheated there. I got it up and over the wall. It was really cool.”
Seth Mejias-Brean added a solo blast in the sixth inning over the left field wall just inside the foul pole. It was his fourth homer of the year and gave him a team-leading 32 RBIs on the season.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly was most impressed with Skipworth’s homer of the three Friday.
“The one that was impressive was Skipworth’s,” Kelly said. “That ball had an over spin, which is basically impossible to do.”
Meanwhile, Barrett Astin earned his first victory in Double-A after two no-decision games since being called up June 25 to Pensacola. The 23-year-old is now 1-0 with a 2.95 ERA, allowing 13 hits, 10 walks and striking out 16 batters in 18.1 innings.
Kelly said Astin has looked good in his three starts.
“That’s what you want is a starter who can give you six innings and then turn it over to the bullpen with a lead,” he said. “Barrett’s done that all three times he’s been out there.”
One other impressive play came defensively from Juan Duran in right field that saved a run. The 6-foot-7 prospect charged a soft liner by Montgomery shortstop Leonardo Reginatto and threw a perfect strike to Skipworth to nail third baseman Patrick Leonard at the plate for the second out of the seventh inning.
Kelly said he coached Duran when he was a 16-year-old “baby giraffe.”
“He could barely stand up,” Kelly joked. “But every year he gets better. He’s got a more controlled swing at the plate and a better throwing arm than you think.”
By the way, Winker said his mom is getting used to his new beard.
Photo courtesy Pensacola Blue Wahoos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Smith Strikes Out 10, Wahoos Beat Biscuits
July 10, 2015
Before returning to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, Josh Smith earned a rare distinction — pitching at every level from Single-A to the major leagues in one season.
“It has been interesting,” Smith said after the game. “Before this year, I’ve never been moved up. This year, I’ve been traveling so much and playing at so many levels. It’s a crazy ride, a crazy journey.”
Smith looked every bit of a big league pitcher Thursday after getting sent down from the Cincinnati Reds to Double-A Pensacola.
Behind his 4.1 hitless innings to start the game and 10 strikeouts, Pensacola held on to capture the opener of the five-game series with the Montgomery Biscuits, 3-2, in front of 4,502 fans at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
The Blue Wahoos are now in a five-way tie for first place in the Southern League South Division as each team is 7-7. It’s the first time since 2012 that they have been in first place this late in a half. They were last in first place July 22, 2012.
Smith’s no-hitter ended — undoubtedly — on a sharp double to right field by 19-year-old Jake Bauers. He ended up giving up three hits and one walk in eight innings of work.
He said it was great to get back on the mound and forget his last start with the Reds on the Fourth of July. Smith pitched 4.1 innings and left the game after hitting his fourth batter. He also struggled with his control walking 19 batters in 12.1 innings.
“That competitive nature kicks in after doing what I did in Cincinnati of the Fourth of July,” Smith said. “I know the fans weren’t happy. I wasn’t happy. But that’s in the past.”
When he came off the field in the eighth inning Thursday, Smith pumped both arms in the air to cheers by fans near the dugout.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly joked that it was “terrific” to get a starter from the Reds.
“He was excited,” Kelly said. “He wanted to pitch. There was no moping. He was ready to go. Nerves get you the first time you’re in the big leagues.”
The 27-year-old Smith made his major league debut with the Reds starting rotation June 25 and pitched in three games. He went 0-2 with 7.30 ERA, including eight strike outs in 12.1 innings. In his previous stint with Double-A Pensacola, he was 3-1 with a 2.16 ERA in 25 innings and struck out 24.
At the Triple-A Louisville Bats, Smith had eight starts and was 1-3 with a 3.56 ERA and struck out 35 in 48 innings. He also pitched one inning and struck out one batter on June 19 for the High-A Daytona Tortugas.
Combined at the four levels, Smith is now 5-7 with a 3.35 ERA and in 94.1 innings the right-hander has 80 total strikeouts.
The Blue Wahoos scored first, going ahead, 1-0, when right fielder Juan Duran blasted a triple off the center field wall to start the second inning and was driven in by third baseman Seth Mejias-Brean.
They added two more in the third inning when Duran crushed a double to center that scored shortstop Zach Vincej to make the score, 2-0. Then Winker, who went 1-2, scored on a wild pitch by Montgomery’s starter Jake Faria to go up, 3-0.
However, Montgomery scored two runs on three hits in the ninth and had the tying run on third. But Pensacola catcher Kyle Skipworth threw out Leonardo Reginatto trying to steal second to end the game.
“It was a fantastic play and got us out of a big jam,” Kelly said.
Blue Wahoos reliever Zack Weiss pitched to one batter in the ninth to earn his team-leading eighth save. He now has 18 strikeouts in 12.2 innings pitched in his last 11 appearances.
The second game of the five-game series is scheduled at 6:35 p.m. Friday with the Tampa Bay Rays Double-A affiliate Montgomery Biscuits. RHP Barrett Astin (0-0, 3.09) takes the mound for the Wahoos and is scheduled to be opposed by the Biscuits RHP Jamie Schultz (5-4, 3.73).
Photo courtesy Pensacola Blue Wahoos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Concussion Baseline Testing Monday For Northview Student Athletes
July 9, 2015
Student athletes in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties are participating in a concussion study.
For Northview High student athletes, concussion baseline testing will be held on Monday, July 13 at 1 p.m. at Ernest Ward Middle School. Each student will need to arrive with a consent form signed by their parents. Click here to print the form.
Each athlete will be screened for their cognitive, balance, and vision baseline.
Wahoos Take Final Game Of Series Against The BayBears
July 9, 2015
Pensacola Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Timothy Adleman continued to prove why he made the Southern League All-Star team.
Adleman improved to 5-6 on the season and lowered his ERA to 2.00 – third among all pitchers in the league.
Thanks to his pitching, Pensacola took the final game of the five-game series Wednesday against the rival Mobile BayBears, 4-1, at Hank Aaron Stadium. Pensacola is now 6-7 in the second half, just one game behind Mobile in the Southern League South Division.
Adleman allowed just one run on a solo homer by Mobile right fielder Socrates Brito with one out in the fourth inning. It was one of three hits he gave up, plus Adleman walked one and struck out seven in seven innings of work.
Adleman out pitched Mobile’s Braden Shipley (4-8), who gave up three runs in six innings on five hits and two walks and struck out two. Shipley, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ No. 3 prospect, entered the game holding Pensacola in his past two starts to one earned run in 12 innings for a 0.75 ERA.
Blue Wahoos reliever Zack Weiss pitched the ninth to earn his team-leading seventh save. He struck out one and now has 18 strikeouts in 12 innings pitched in his last 10 appearances.
Pensacola catcher Kyle Skipworth, who was 1-4 on the night, got the Blue Wahoos on the board first. His double knocked in right fielder Juan Duran and third baseman Seth Mejias-Brean to put Pensacola ahead, 2-0. Then shortstop Zach Vincej singled to right field to score center fielder Juan Perez and put Pensacola up, 3-0, in the second inning.
Skipworth went 4-15 or .267 against Mobile. He hit one home run, doubled and drove in four runs in the series.
In the top of the eighth, first baseman Marquez Smith added an insurance run. Smith smacked his second triple of the season deep to center field. He then scored on a wild pitch by Mobile reliever Dominic Leone to give Pensacola a 4-1 lead.
Smith had the best series against Mobile, going 10-19 and hitting .526, including three multi-hit games, two triples, two runs and two RBIs.
Mobile Beats Wahoos
July 8, 2015
Pensacola and Mobile remained scoreless until the BayBears broke out with six runs in the fifth inning Tuesday and went on to defeat the Blue Wahoos, 9-4, at Hank Aaron Stadium.
Both teams remained scoreless the first four innings. In fact, Pensacola starter Daniel Wright had given up just three singles, walked two and benefitted from two double plays. Meanwhile, Mobile righty A.J. Schugel gave up just two hits to the Blue Wahoos to that point.
But in the bottom of the fifth inning, Gabriel Guerrero, who hit a walk-off two-run homer Monday, hit his 16th double of the year to left field and would score on a fielder’s choice by Schugel to put Mobile up, 1-0. Second baseman Kevin Medrano would then double to center field for Mobile to drive in Rudy Flores and Schugel for a 3-0 BayBears’ lead.
Mobile shortstop Jack Reinheimer would then single on a soft line drive to left field to score Medrano to put the BayBears up, 4-0. Wright would be replaced by reliever Jimmy Moran, who would make a throwing error on center fielder Socrates Brito hit, allowing Reinheimer to score. Finally, left fielder Zach Borenstein would hit a sacrifice fly to left field to bring in Brito and put the BayBears ahead, 6-0.
Schugel improved to 4-2 this season for Mobile working seven innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits, a walk and he struck out seven.
Borenstein has owned the Blue Wahoos pitchers, batting .325 with four homers and 16 RBIs in three series. He hit a two-run homer Tuesday off of Pensacola reliever Ben Klimesh—his seventh of the year—in the seventh inning to put Mobile ahead, 9-2.
Pensacola catcher Kyle Skipworth, who was 1-3, also hit a solo home run in the seventh off of Schugel to cut Mobile’s lead to 7-2. Skipworth now has three homers and eight RBIs on the year and is hitting .290 since coming off the disabled list June 26.
Duran continues to hit well in his seven games back with Pensacola after recovering from an injury. He’s hitting .316 after going 1-4 and knocking in a run Tuesday.
Basketball Camp Next Week In Bratt To Feature Former NBA Coach
July 7, 2015
The First Baptist Church of Bratt will host a basketball camp next week with a former NBA, college and high school coach.
The camp for children ages 8-14 will be held July 13-17 from 9 a.m. until noon at the church. Coach Roger Dutremble of Global Sports Outreach will teach kids the fundamentals of basketball and Biblical awareness.
“We are fortunate to get someone of Coach Roger’s talents and achievements to head up this camp” said First Baptist Bratt Student Pastor Tim Hawsey. “He has a unique ability to deal with children, and his love for them is evident.” This is the fourth year the church has offered this camp.
Dutremble is a a retired coach and member of the International Basketball Hall of Fame. He career includes coaching at every level from high school to the NBA, and into international arenas, with a lifetime coaching record of 687-117 and seven national championships. He was selected “Coach of the Year” six times, and served as national team head coach to Belgium, Scotland, and Jordan. He was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, serving under Paul Westhead and Pat Riley, from 1979-83 and helping the team to three NBA championships with players like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The cost is $45 per student with a limited number of scholarships available. The funds are used exclusively to purchase shoes and basketballs for needy children in other countries where Dutremble conducts camps.
For more information, contact Hawsey at (850) 327-6529, church secretary Sherrye Gilman at (850) 327-6529 or stop by the church on Highway 4 just west of Northview High School.
Pictured: Students that participated in a previous basketball camp at the First Baptist Church of Bratt. Inset: Coach Roger Dutremble of Global Sports Outreach. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Pensacola, Mobile Split Doubleheader
July 7, 2015
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Mobile BayBears split a doubleheader Monday at Hank Aaron Stadium.
In the first game against Mobile, Pensacola closer Zack Weiss earned his team-leading sixth save as Pensacola pulled out an 8-6 victory. The BayBears right fielder Gabriel Guerrero crushed a walk-off, two-run home run deep to left center in extra innings in the second game that gave Mobile a 5-3 victory.
Weiss has saved four games during his past seven appearances. He has now faced 28 batters in his last seven games and struck out 13 batters in eight innings pitched. Weiss has 23 Ks in 21.1 innings this season with the Blue Wahoos.
In the fifth inning of the first game, Pensacola clinched the game, sending nine players to the plate and scoring six runs to take an 8-2 lead over Mobile.
Pensacola loaded the bases with one out when catcher Yovan Gonzalez reached on a fielding error, pitcher Wandy Peralta walked and shortstop Zach Vincej singled.
Blue Wahoos left fielder Jesse Winker walked to score Gonzalez and put Pensacola ahead, 3-2. Pensacola’s second baseman Ray Chang then doubled, his 11th of the year, on a sharp ground ball to left field that cleared the bases, putting the Blue Wahoos up, 6-2.
After a pitching change, first baseman Marquez Smith hit his first triple of the season to score Chang for a 7-2 lead. Smith then scored when right fielder Juan Duran hit a sacrifice fly to center field to go ahead, 8-2.
In the second game Monday, Duran hit a sacrifice fly to center in the sixth inning that scored second baseman Ray Chang and put Pensacola up, 3-1.
However, Mobile came back with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie it, 3-3. Left fielder Zach Borenstein doubled to score center fielder Socrates Brito to make the score, 3-2, while first baseman Rudy Flores then singled to score Borenstein and tie the game at 3.
Pensacola’s Winker went 1-3 in the first game with a walk, run and two RBIs. After going 0-1 in the second game, Winker has now hit in nine of his last 11 games, raising his season average to .270.
Meanwhile, Chang, who had three RBIs in the first game, remains one of the hottest hitters on the club. He is currently hitting .353 (6-17) in July after batting .329 in June and .375 in May for the Blue Wahoos.
Smith went 5-7 with a run, triple and RBI in the doubleheader against Mobile and is now hitting .270 this season.
Duran continues to swing a big stick, too, in his six games back with Pensacola after recovering from injury rehab. He’s hitting .333 after going 2-4 with three runs, a double and two RBIs.
Wahoos, Baybears Washout
July 6, 2015
Sunday’s game between the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Mobile BayBears was postponed due to rain.
The second-game of series is scheduled to be made up in a doubleheader on Monday.
Gates open at 4:30 p.m. and the first game is scheduled to start at 5:05 p.m. at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile. Both games will be seven innings.
Baybears Best Wahoos
July 5, 2015
The Blue Wahoos took a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh on Saturday night at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile, Ala., but the BayBears rallied for six runs with the help of four walks on their way to a 9-4 series-opening win over Pensacola.
Barrett Astin was outstanding in his second start for the Wahoos. He allowed just two runs/earned on only three hits over 6.1 innings. He added six strikeouts and he scattered four walks. Astin retired 10-straight from the second through the first two outs of the fifth.
After he was lifted following a one-out walk in the seventh, Mobile poured on their six-run rally. Blaine Howell (L, 1-1) faced three batters and gave up a single off the glove of second baseman Juan Perez, and two walks. The second forced in a run. Nick Christiani made his Blue Wahoos debut in back of Howell and walked in the BayBears second run of the inning and later gave up a two-run double to Rudy Flores to cap the rally.
The BayBears added two more runs against Ben Klimesh in the eighth. He threw four wild pitches with four walks in two-thirds of an inning.
Penascola looked to be in control after scoring a pair of insurance runs in the sixth inning to extend their lead to three, 4-1. Zach Vincej singled in Seth Mejias-Brean, and Juan Perez scored behind him on an errant throw from Socrates Brito at third base.
Jesse Winker paced the Blue Wahoos offense with his team-leading 21st multi-hit game of the year. He finished 2-for-4 as one of four in the Wahoos lineup with a multi-hit effort. Marquez Smith drove in the go-ahead run for Pensacola in the third as part of a 2-for-4 night. Mejias-Brean and Perez also had a pair of hits.
Will Locante picked up the win out of the BayBears bullpen after working 1.2 innings with three strikeouts.
The two teams will continue the series at Hank Aaron Stadium on Sunday evening. The Blue Wahoos will start LHP Wandy Peralta (3-7, 5.32). The BayBears have not announced a starter yet for the game. First pitch is set for 5:05 p.m.
Wahoos Beat Jacksonville
July 4, 2015
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos (4-4, 29-47) took the three-game series and a 7-6 advantage in the season series for the Golden Skillet against the Jacksonville Suns (3-5, 32-45) with a 5-1 victory Friday night.
Wahoos starter Tim Adleman (4-6) had a solid performance on the mound, earning a win with 6.0 innings of work while allowing only one run on eight hits and striking out seven. Suns starter Scott Lyman earned his third loss in four starts.
Manager Pat Kelly on Adleman: “He’s been really steady every time out there. You just know that if you score a couple of runs for him, you’re going to win the game.”
With fireworks scheduled for after the game, veteran infielder Ray Chang blasted some fireworks of his own as he led the team at the plate with yet another stellar performance. He hit his first home run since June 13, 2013 on a solo shot to left field and was 3-4 at the plate. Outfielders Jesse Winker and Sean Buckley each went 2-4 with an RBI apiece.
Chang on the home run: “Obviously as a leadoff guy you want to see as many pitches as possible, try and get his pitch count up. I saw every pitch that he had, and I was just fouling balls off, fouling balls off.
“They’ve been [pitching] in to me a lot this series, knowing I’m a guy that likes to spray the ball the other way. And so I just cheated on one and got lucky and hit one out, first time in two years.”
Adleman got into a bit of trouble in the top of the first as he loaded the bases with only one out. However, he was able to get out of the jam with a pair of impressive strikeouts.
In the bottom half of the fourth, Seth Mejias-Brean singled, stole second and advanced to third on a fly ball. Sean Buckley then drove him home with one out to increase the Wahoo lead to 2-0.
The Suns did a bit of damage in the fifth inning, getting a run on three singles to bring them within a run. Adleman was able to get out of the inning with a two-out strikeout as a man was in scoring position.
Juan Perez led off the bottom of the sixth with a double to the corner in right. He would later score on an error at second following a Juan Duran blooper to make it 3-1.
Kyle Skipworth led off the seventh with a double to the corner in right, the sixth leadoff hit in the first seven innings. After a Mejias-Brean walk on the next at-bat, an error at first would allow Skipworth to score from second base.
Juan Silva and Chang opened the bottom of the eighth with a pair of walks. Jesse Winker would then capitalize for the Wahoos with a ground-rule double to drive in a run and make it 5-1.
Kelly took time to praise the defense after the win: “We’ve played super defense all year, and I thought that was very apparent tonight. We turned a big double play. Mejias-Brean made an outstanding play to his left earlier in the ballgame. With Adleman pitching, you know you’re going to get ground balls, so I think the infielders are ready and it makes a big difference.”