Wahoos Win in 11
July 7, 2018
After a sluggish performance Thursday night, the Wahoos showed their grit with a hard-fought, 8-7 win in Friday’s 11-inning contest at Riverwalk Stadium.
After neither team was able to score in the 10th inning, T.J. Friedl broke a 6-6 tie with an RBI triple that put the Wahoos ahead. He later scored on Brian O’Grady foul sacrifice fly that extended Pensacola’s lead to 8-6.
The bottom of the 11th was not without drama. Montgomery began with a runner on second base, and Victor Payano was brought in the game to try and close out the win. After Dalton Kelly grounded out, Peter Maris tallied a RBI single to make it 7-6 Pensacola. After Nick Solak flew out to center, Payano had a 1-1 count on Nate Lowe before grimacing on the mound. He was looked at by the Wahoos athletic trainer before lifted from the game. Alejandro Chacin became the fifth relief pitcher used by Jody Davis and was able to induce Lowe to foul out to Cassidy Brown to end a wild game.
Pensacola got off to a dream start against one of the premier pitching prospects in the Rays system in Genesis Cabrera. Friedl opened the game with a single, and after a walk to Jose Siri, Shed Long drove home Friedl with an RBI single to center. The Wahoos doubled their advantage after Narciso Crook’s sac fly to center scored Siri.
Seth Varner took the hill in the first inning with a 2-0 lead and did not squander it. Despite not having his “best” stuff, the Cincinnati-native battled his way through five innings and only yielded one run. Michael Brosseau tagged Varner with a triple in the fourth inning and later scored on David Rodriguez’s sac fly to make it 3-1.
The Wahoos quickly countered with three runs in the fifth. Crook picked up his second RBI with a single that brought home Siri, and after a wild pitch from Matt Krook, Taylor Sparks delivered a two-out RBI single that made it 6-1 Wahoos.
Montgomery slowly chipped at away the Wahoos lead over the final four innings. They scored one run in the sixth, and three runs in the seventh all of Rafael De Paula, which cut the Wahoos lead to 6-5. There was a scary moment in the top of the seventh inning when Long was hit in the helmet with a pitch from Matt Krook. After being checked by the athletic trainer for several minutes, Long was helped off the field and replaced by O’Grady.
Alex Powers entered the game in the ninth inning with a chance to wrap up his ninth save of the year, but he and the Wahoos watched their one-run lead evaporate with Nick Solak’s twelfth home run of the season that tied the game at 6-6.
The series concludes Saturday with the Wahoos hoping to clinch their sixth consecutive series win. RHP Vladimir Gutierrez (5-8, 4.95) has been stellar as of late for Pensacola and he will be opposed by RHP Sam McWilliams (3-4, 4.57)
Biscuits Roast Wahoos 8-2
July 6, 2018
Montgomery’s offense struck early and often against Wyatt Strahan Thursday night as the Biscuits cruised to an 8-2 win at Riverwalk Stadium.
After putting together one of his best outings of the season, Wyatt Strahan (L, 5-8) struggled to keep the Biscuits offense in check. After scoring a pair of runs in the second inning, the hosts exploded for six runs in the fourth. He was eventually replaced with two outs in the fourth inning by Joel Bender.
Four different Biscuit pitchers held the Wahoos to a pair of runs. Using a strategy similar to their parent club, Montgomery opened with Brandon Lawson who pitched three shutout innings before being relieved by Curtis Taylor (W, 2-1). Taylor worked the next four innings without giving up a run before Roel Ramirez entered the game in the eighth.
That’s where the Wahoos did their damage offensively. Aristides Aquino led off the frame for Pensacola, and after a great battle, he ripped a single up the middle to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. Gavin LaValley followed with his seventh home run of the season to make it 8-2. After Luis Gonzalez reached with an infield single, Ramirez settled down and retired the next three batters in order to end the threat.
In the ninth, Travis Ott worked around a Brian O’Grady single to finish out the Biscuits win.
The series rolls along Friday with Seth Varner (4-0, 2.48) battling against LHP Genesis Cabrera (6-4, 3.83)
Molino 12U Team Heading To Dizzy Dean World Series After Tourney Win
July 5, 2018
The Molino 12U team won a Dizzy Dean tournament recently and qualified for the Dizzy Dean World Series in Southhaven, MS, later this month. Molino only game up three runs during the entire tournament. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Register Now For Next Week’s Tate Youth Football Camp
July 5, 2018
A Tate Youth Football Camp will be held 5-8 p.m. July 9-11 at Pete Gindl Stadium for students in grades 2-8.
The camp will be directed 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.
The camp fee is $65 preregister online at tatehighfootball.com or $75 first day of camp (checks made payable to Tate Quarterback Club). Each camper will receive a camp t-shirt and a pizza party at the end of camp.
Wahoos Beat The Biscuits
July 5, 2018
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos belted three home runs in a 7-2 win over the Montgomery Biscuits Wednesday night at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, Ala. Jose Siri paced the Wahoos offense with 2-for-3 night including a grand slam in the second inning. It gave the Blue Wahoos a 5-0 lead, and Pensacola cruised the rest of the way.
Siri opened the game with a triple that almost got out of the park in the first inning. He scored on a Shed Long groundout to put the Wahoos ahead 1-0 in the first inning. It was one of two RBI for Long in the game. The other was on an opposite field home run in the third inning. Mitch Nay made it a 7-0 Blue Wahoos lead with a solo blast to left field in the fifth inning.
Daniel Wright (W, 4-5) made another strong start for Pensacola. He allowed just two runs over 6.2 innings with only one walk and six strikeouts. He earned his fourth win of the year. Biscuits starter Benton Moss (L, 1-3) was saddled with six of the Wahoos runs over three innings in his third loss of the year.
The Blue Wahoos have now won 10 of their last 11 games. Pensacola will try to make it 11 of 12 on Thursday night with RHP Wyatt Strahan (5-7, 6.33) on the mound against RHP Brandon Lawson (2-0, 5.49). First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. from Riverwalk Stadium.
Wahoos Walk Off In Stunning Fashion
July 4, 2018
The Wahoos mounted a late-game comeback in the bottom of the ninth inning as they defeated the Mississippi Braves 4-3 in Tuesday night’s ballgame at Blue Wahoos Stadium in front of a sellout crowd.
Pensacola entered the ninth inning trailing Mississippi 3-0. The Braves looked to Adam McCreery to secure the win for them in the inning. McCreery issued a leadoff walk to Gavin LaValley to start the inning. With one out from a Chris Okey fly out to center field, McCreery then threw a wild pitch to Taylor Sparks that put LaValley on second base. Sparks reached on a throwing error by McCreery that moved LaValley to third. McCreery was relieved by Chad Sobotka after he hit TJ Friedl with a pitch, to have the bases loaded for the Wahoos. Jose Siri got the Wahoos on the board with a sac fly to left field that scored LaValley to cut the lead to 3-1. Shed Long came to the plate and smashed a line drive RBI single that plated Taylor Sparks to make it a one-run game. With Mitch Nay batting, Sobotka threw a wild pitch that scored Friedl from third. M-Braves catcher Carlos Martinez tried to throw Friedl out at the plate, but his errant throw went up the first base line and Long scrambled around all the way from first to score the winning run.
Despite not factoring in the decision, Mississippi starter Bryse Wilson had a solid outing for the M-Braves. The Braves prospect pitched seven shutout innings allowing one walk, five hits, and a season-high nine strikeouts.
The Wahoos head to Montgomery Wednesday to battle the Biscuits in a four-game road trip. Daniel Wright (3-5, 4.23) will open the series for Pensacola, and RHP Benton Moss (1-2, 3.42) will take the hill for Montgomery
Wahoos Match Franchise Record With Eighth Straight Win
July 3, 2018
The Wahoos matched their franchise record of eight straight wins and clinched their fifth straight series win in Monday night’s ballgame at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Pensacola and Mississippi split the doubleheader with the Wahoos taking game one 3-0 and dropping the second game 6-3 to the Braves, snapping Pensacola’s streak.
In game one, Pensacola scored all three of their runs off home runs. In the bottom of the second inning, Luis Gonzalez smashed a two-run homer to left field that scored Mitch May to give the Wahoos a 2-0 lead. Later in the bottom of the fourth inning, Mitch Nay hit a solo home run to left center field to increase the lead to 3-0.
Wahoos starter Vladimir Gutierrez (W, 5-8) had a solid outing for Pensacola. Gutierrez pitched six shutout innings, with only two walks and five strikeouts. Robinson Leyer (S, 2) was credited with the save as he retired all three batters he faced to secure the Wahoos eighth-straight win.
In game two, the Wahoos starter Victor Payano struggled to keep the Braves in check. He was charged with five runs, all earned over 2.2 innings in the spot start. Most of the damage came with two outs in the third inning. It started with a walk to Tyler Marlette, followed by a two-run homer from Travis Demeritte and three straight singles after that. When the dust settled the M-Braves had added four runs to their existing 2-1, leaving the Wahoos with a five-run hole to dig out of. Pensacola rallied to make it a three-run game with a couple of runs in the bottom of the third.
Narciso Crook sparked the rally with a laser shot out of the park to left for his second home run of the season. Later in the inning Nay doubled home Gonzalez, but that’s as close as the Wahoos would get.
Kyle Wright (W, 5-7) had an impressive outing for the Braves. He pitched six innings, and despite giving up three earned runs early in the game, settled in and totaled five strikeouts, and only two walks the rest of the way. Chad Sobotka (S, 1) earned his first save of the season as he saddled three out of the four batters to give the Braves the victory.
The series wraps up on Tuesday night as right-hander Keury Mella (7-3, 3.20) will open the game for Pensacola on the mound, and right-hander Bryse Wilson (1-5, 6.25) will take the hill for Mississippi.
Wahoos Washed Out Sunday; Doubling Up On Monday
July 2, 2018
Sunday’s game between the Wahoos and the M-Braves has been postponed due to inclement weather in the area. The game will be pushed back to Monday as part a doubleheader. The two teams had hoped to fit tonight’s game in, but with the threat of impending weather moving through the area, the Wahoos determined that the safest course of action was to postpone the game.
Fans with tickets to Sunday’s game can exchange their ticket, subject to availability, at the Blue Wahoos Box Office for a ticket of equal or lesser value for any remaining regular season game, except for July 3.
Game one Monday will feature RHP Vladimir Gutierrez (4-8, 5.33) against M-Braves starter RHP Enderson Franco (2-5, 3.68). After the conclusion of the first game, former first-round pick Kyle Wright will take the hill for Mississippi while Pensacola has yet to disclose its game two starter.
Wahoos Stun M-Braves For Seventh Straight Win
July 1, 2018
The Blue Wahoos rallied from behind with two runs in the eighth inning to beat the Mississippi Braves 2-1 for their seventh straight win in front of a capacity crowd Saturday night and Blue Wahoos Stadium. It was the second consecutive game the Wahoos scored the tying and go-ahead runs in the eighth inning or later.
With the Wahoos trailing 1-0 in the eighth, Brian O’Grady hit a game-tying pinch-hit home run off Kelvin Vazquez (L, 3-1) to tie the game at 1-1. T.J. Friedl followed with a single, and after a stolen base came around to score on Mitch Nay’s double to left-center. Alex Powers (S, 
entered the ninth and after a leadoff single from Alay Lago, the Wahoos closer carved up the next three M-Braves to secure Pensacola’s seventh consecutive victory.
Saturday’s game was a pitching masterclass headlined by Touki Toussaint and Blue Wahoos starter Seth Varner. Toussaint was perfect through four innings before plunking Mitch Nay with a curveball to open the fifth inning. Two batters later Narciso Crook notched the Wahoos first hit with a single to right field to put runners at first and second with only one out. However, Crook was picked off by the catcher Alex Jackson and Taylor Sparks flew out to the warning track in center to end the threat. The Wahoos other threat against Toussaint came in the sixth when Pensacola loaded the bases thanks to three Toussaint walks. Nay came to the plate with two outs and Toussaint struck him out for his 11th strikeout of the night, which tied his career high.
Varner, though not as good as Toussaint, was still brilliant on the mound. The southpaw scattered one run and five hits over his six innings. He ran into trouble in the second inning when Alex Jackson led off the frame with a double and scored on Alay Lago’s RBI single. Varner kept his composure and retired the next three M-Braves in order to keep the score at 1-0. The Cincinnati-native allowed two hits over his final four innings and struck out eight, which was one shy of his season high.
Carlos Navas (W, 3-0) replaced Varner in the seventh and after allowing a leadoff single to Brandon Downes struck out the side in order. The eighth was the exact same as Navas struck out the side after a leadoff double, this time from Luis Valenzuela.
The series rolls along Sunday when RHP Vladimir Gutierrez (4-8, 5.33) duels against RHP Enderson Franco (2-5, 3.68). First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m.
Wahoos Walk Off To Sixth Straight Win
June 30, 2018
It hasn’t taken long for Pensacola fans to see what kind of impact Jose Siri can make on a game. The highly touted prospect hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning off Corbin Clouse (L, 2-1) to give the Blue Wahoos a 3-2 walk-off win Friday night.
With the Wahoos trailing 2-1 in the eighth inning and Chad Sobotka on the mound, Mitch Nay started the two-out rally with a swinging bunt single up the third base line. Gavin LaValley followed with a single to left before Aristides Aquino legged out an infield single, which allowed Nay to score from third. In the ninth inning, Chris Okey doubled off Clouse to open the inning. Jody Davis called upon Keury Mella to lay down a sacrifice bunt, but the Wahoos starter struck out after bunting the two-strike pitch foul. T.J. Friedl bested the M-Braves defensive shift with an infield single, which moved Okey to third base. That brought up Siri who lifted Clouse’s 1-1 pitch to left field, deep enough to score the winning run.
While neither starting pitcher factored in the final decision, both were tremendous Friday night. Wyatt Strahan tied his longest outing of the season with seven innings of two-run ball. The University of Southern California product struck out eight and walked only two. His lone mistake was in the second inning when Travis Demeritte launched a solo home run to put the M-Braves up 1-0. He allowed one more run in the sixth courtesy of Tyler Neslony’s RBI single.
Bruce Zimmerman made his Double-A debut for the M-Braves and was equally strong in his start. His only mistake was a solo home run to Nay to open the Wahoos bottom of the second inning, which tied the game at 1-1. The 23-year old struck out 10 Wahoos and walked only three while holding Pensacola to four hits.
Alejandro Chacin (W, 1-1) replaced Strahan and pitched the final two innings for the Blue Wahoos in scoreless fashion. The win of the second walk-off win of the season for the fish and they have now won a season-best six straight games this season.
The Wahoos will try and make it seven straight wins tomorrow night when LHP Seth Varner (4-0, 2.61). He will face one of the best pitching prospects in all of Minor League baseball in RHP Touki Toussaint (4-6, 3.19) toes the rubber for the hosts.