Blue Wahoos Drop to Chattanooga, 5-1
July 10, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos fell to 1-10 this season against its nemesis, the Chattanooga Lookouts, which has the best record in the Southern League.
Chattanooga padded its lead in the eighth inning with two runs on a bases-loaded walk and bases-loaded wild pitch to continue its domination of Pensacola, winning, 5-1, in the opener of the four-game series Sunday in front of 3,778 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
The Lookouts improved to 14-3 in the second half in the North Division and 56-31 on the season, both of which lead the Southern League.
Pensacola dropped to 8-9 in the second half in the South Division and 48-39 overall.
Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Deck McGuire’s scoreless inning streak ended at 23.1 innings when Chattanooga first baseman Andy Wilkins doubled over the head of Blue Wahoos left fielder Tyler Goeddel in the third inning to drive in center fielder LaMonte Wade. The Lookouts took a 2-0 lead when third baseman T.J. White grounded out to shortstop, allowing DH Jonathan Rodriguez to score from third base.
Blue Wahoos McGuire gave up a double on a one hopper off the right field wall to Wade and a sizzling line drive single to center field to Rodriguez in the fifth inning. But the 6-foot-6 righty then got a strikeout and two fly outs to leave the Chattanooga runners stranded at second and third.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said he liked that McGuire kept Chattanooga from scoring.
“I thought he battled,” Kelly said. “He didn’t have his best stuff. He gave up a lot of extra-base hits. But he kept them off the board and gave us a chance.”
McGuire earned the loss and is 8-6 this season with a 2.78 ERA. He gave up two runs on nine hits, including four doubles, and walked one.
Pensacola second baseman Shed Long drilled a line drive down the right field line for a triple that drove in DH Nick Longhi to cut Chattanooga’s lead to, 2-1, in the fifth inning.
But Chattanooga scored two runs in the eighth inning to go ahead, 4-1. The Lookouts White scored when Pensacola reliever Alex Powers walked No. 9 hitter, catcher Dan Rohlfing. The second run scored when Pensacola reliever Brennan Bernardino struck out shortstop Ryan Walker for the third out but the strikeout pitch skirted by Blue Wahoos catcher Joe Hudson, who had no play, allowing right fielder Max Murphy to score.
Kelly said that Chattanooga has just given Pensacola fits, sweeping them in the first five-game series.
“They are a really good team,” he said. “They have strong pitching, speed, power in the middle of the lineup. They got about everything you could want.”
Chattanooga Kohl Stewart, the Minnesota Twins first round selection in 2013, has not had a losing decision since April 24. He worked six innings Sunday, giving up one run on three hits and a walk and striking out six. At one point, he retired 10 Blue Wahoos in a row.
“He had good stuff,” Kelly said of the Minnesota Twins eighth ranked prospect. “He had late action on his fastball. We weren’t getting good swings on him.”
Biloxi Rallies Over Pensacola
July 9, 2017
The Biloxi Shuckers rallied for seven runs in the bottom of the eighth inning Saturday to overcome the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, 11-6, at MGM Park.
Pensacola entered the eighth inning ahead, 6-4, and got the first two outs of the inning before the Shuckers mounted their comeback. Biloxi sent 11 batters to the plate and earned four hits, two walks, a hit batter and one error.
Biloxi second baseman Wendell Rijo and pinch hitter Javier Betancourt scored the first two runs of the inning when center fielder Johnny Davis singled them both in to tie the score, 6-6. Shuckers right fielder Michael Choice doubled in two runs when Betancourt and Davis scored to go up, 8-6. The final three runs scored when left fielder Clint Coulter smashed a three-run homer to left field, his 10th this season, that scored Choice and catcher Jacob Nottingham to make the score, 11-6.
Pensacola relievers Zack Weiss and Brennan Bernardino pitched the eighth. Weiss gave up six runs, one earned, and got the loss, while Bernardino gave up one run on the homer to Coulter.
The rally spoiled a good start by Pensacola, which had a six-run inning of its own in the fifth inning that gave them a 6-1 lead.
Blue Wahoos pitcher Keury Mella doubled to drive in the first two runs in the fifth. Third baseman Josh VanMeter singled to score Mella. First baseman Nick Longhi, who the Cincinnati Reds picked up from the Boston Red Sox seven days ago, doubled to center field with the bases loaded in his first start for the Blue Wahoos to drive in left fielder Tyler Goeddel, VanMeter and center fielder Gabriel Guerrero.
Pensacola starter Keury Mella gave up just one run in the first five innings but then gave up three in the sixth inning that pulled Biloxi within, 6-4. Mella gave up hits to the first three batters he faced in the sixth inning, including Dustin DeMuth’s two-run homer, his fifth of the season.
Mella ended up scattering eight hits and one walk over five innings and giving up four runs, while striking out five.
Biloxi relievers Jorge Lopez and Matt Ramsey held the Blue Wahoos hitless and scoreless over the last three innings and combined to strike out four. Lopez got both victories in relief against Pensacola in the series and is 5-6 this season.
Wahoos Win Second Straight Over Biloxi
July 8, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos added third baseman Nick Senzel and first baseman Gavin LaValley to its rosters to start the second half of the Southern League season.
All they’ve done since coming up from High-A Daytona Tortugas is deliver clutch hits for the Blue Wahoos, including each smashing solo shots in a 3-1 victory Friday over the Biloxi Shuckers at MGM Park. The victory captured the series for Pensacola, 3-1, with the fifth game set for 6:35 p.m. Saturday.
Senzel’s line drive over the left field wall was his second for Pensacola in 15 games. It gave Pensacola a, 2-1, lead in the sixth inning. The Cincinnati Reds first round pick in 2016 and top-rated prospect has now hit in nine straight games, including 10 of his last 11.
LaValley’s deep fly ball to left center field in the ninth inning was his third for Pensacola and the 18th this year. Ranked the No. 26 Reds prospect, he has hit in seven of his last 10 games.
Meanwhile, four Pensacola pitchers combined to work nine innings and allowed one run to Biloxi on six hits, one walk and 10 strikeouts. The Blue Wahoos bullpen combined to throw 6.2 scoreless innings.
Blue Wahoos right-handed starter Austin Ross pitched the first 2.1 innings and allowed the single run by the Shuckers before coming out of the game for Blue Wahoos reliever Robert Stock.
The 25-year-old Stock tossed 3.1 scoreless innings, gave up one hit and struck out four. Geoff Broussard relieved him with 2.1 scoreless innings, one hit and a strikeout. Closing out the game with his third save for Pensacola was Carlos Gonzalez who walked one and struck out two in one inning of relief.
On the mound for Biloxi was the Milwaukee Brewers No. 19 ranked prospect, righty Freddy Peralta. Peralta, who was starting his third game in Double-A, threw six innings, allowing two runs on five hits, a walk and he struck out eight. He is now 1-1 with a 3.68 ERA.
Biloxi’s only run of the game came when second baseman Wendell Rijo doubled in first baseman Dustin DeMuth in the second inning.
Pensacola is now 8-7 and a half game behind the South Division leader the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, whose game was postponed Friday because of bad weather. Pensacola is 48-37 overall.
Wahoos Top Biloxi
July 7, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos pitcher Jose Lopez threw his best game of the season, tossing eight scoreless innings, allowing three hits, walking one and striking out seven.
Behind Lopez’s career-high eight innings, Pensacola defeated the Biloxi Shuckers , 2-0, at MGM Park. It was the ninth shutout win of the season for the Blue Wahoos, which have a Southern League-leading 3.01 ERA.
Drafted in the sixth round of the 2014 draft by the Cincinnati Reds, Lopez was promoted to Pensacola May 30 from High-A Daytona Tortugas. He has made five starts and two relief appearances since then in his first year in Double-A.
Lopez had five strikeouts in the first four innings and retired the last eight batters he faced.
The 22-year-old right-hander rebounded from giving up six runs on six hits and five walks in four innings in his last start against the Montgomery Biscuits. He is now 3-1 with a 3.86 ERA.
Pensacola reliever Zack Weiss threw one inning of relief and struck out two batters and now has two saves since rejoining the Blue Wahoos on June 30.
The Blue Wahoos scored its two runs on right fielder Gabriel Guerrero’s solo shot on a line drive to left field in the second inning. It was the 23-year-old Guerrero’s first homer of the season. However, the 6-foot-3 Guerrero, who leads the team with a .276 batting average, has displayed power, winning the Southern League All-Star Homerun Derby with 29 homers total.
In the fourth inning, Pensacola scored on back-to-back doubles by third baseman Nick Senzel and first baseman Gavin LaValley to go ahead, 2-0.
LaValley now has two homers 11 RBIs, five doubles and .280 batting average in 14 games with Pensacola. Senzel, the Cincinnati Reds top prospect, has knocked one homer, nine RBIs, two doubles and is batting .313. Both were called up on June 28 from Daytona and have batted third and fourth in Pensacola’s lineup since then.
Northview Cheerleaders Earn Awards, Honors At Auburn Camp
July 6, 2017
The Northview High School cheerleaders recently attended camp at Auburn University.
The cheerleaders competed into two areas on their final day of camp and won first place in the medium division for their “extreme routine” and received a “Superior Squad” award.
Throughout the week Northview received the spirit stick each night (four times) and blue and gold ribbons for each evaluation. Other personal awards included two “pin it forward” awards to Cloe Smith and Dalton Hamilton for outstanding attitudes, enthusiasm and work ethic. Two of the Northview cheerleaders — Gabrielle Kline and Bailey Spann — were named All-American.
Hamilton, as mascot “Big Weave”, also won first place in the mascot dance off, a leadership award and second place camp mascot.
The Northview High School cheerleaders are: Bailee Hinote, Anna Nelson, Celeste North, Bailey Spann, Shelby Bashore, Hannah Ellis, Gabrielle Kline, Jessie McCall, Olivia Seals, Madison Sherouse, Madicyn Bell, Karlee Criswell, Ashlan Harigel, Cloe Smith and Bailey Van Pelt, in addition to mascot Dalton Hamilton.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Chiefs To Hold Youth Football Camp
July 6, 2017
Northview Football Youth Camp will be held July 18 and 20 from 5-7 each evening.
The camp is for players entering kindergarten through the eighth grade. Players will receive instruction from Northview High School Chief players and coaches. Participants will be coached in offensive and defensive position groups. There will also be daily drills and competitions.
Camp fee is $25; all participants will receive a camp t-shirt.
Click here for a registration form (pdf).
For more information, contact Coach Marshman at (850) 377-204.
Wahoos Fall 6-4 To Biloxi
July 6, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos third baseman Nick Senzel smacked a two-out single to left field that scored left fielder Tyler Goeddel with the go ahead run in the eighth inning Wednesday at MGM Park.
But that 4-3 lead was short lived as the Biloxi Shuckers scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth on back-to-back homers by right fielder Michael Choice and left fielder Clint Coulter that helped their ballclub rally for a, 6-4, victory over Pensacola.
The game featured the start of Rookie Davis, who is coming back from an injury. Davis pitched for the Blue Wahoos last season. For the Reds, Davis was 1-2 with a 7.58 ERA in five starts with Cincinnati this year.
Davis is returning from a back injury he suffered pitching for Triple-A Louisville Bats, where he was 0-0 in two starts with a 4.00 ERA.
On Wednesday, Davis pitched 4.2 innings and gave up four runs to Biloxi on six hits a walk and four strikeouts. He was replaced after getting the first two outs of the fifth inning but then allowed an infield single to Biloxi center fielder Johnny Davis, followed by an RBI double by second baseman Blake Allemand that tied the game, 3-3. Pensacola right-hander Davis then walked catcher Jacob Nottingham and was lifted for Blue Wahoos reliever Alex Powers after throwing 66 pitches.
In the second inning, Davis gave up a two-run homer to right field to first baseman Dustin DeMuth that put the Shuckers ahead, 2-0. DeMuth also doubled and led Biloxi by going 3-4 in the game.
Pensacola, though, went ahead, 3-2, in the fourth inning when second baseman Shed Long hit a two-out, three-run homer to right field that also scored Senzel and first baseman Gavin LaValley. Long’s first Double-A home run came off Biloxi reliever Josh Uhen. For the High-A Daytona Tortugas, Long had 13 homers in 247 at bats.
Biloxi reliever Matt Ramsey entered the game in the ninth and gave up a double to Pensacola right fielder Aristides Aquino but got out got out of the inning for his 20th save of the year, which leads the Southern League.
Pensacola dropped to 6-7 in the second half and 46-37 overall. Biloxi improved to 7-6 and 43-39 overall.
Blue Wahoos Beat Shuckers
July 5, 2017
In his last three games, 6-foot-6 right-hander Deck McGuire has not allowed a run in 21 innings for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
McGuire’s latest victim was the Biloxi Shuckers, who the former first round pick, shutout over seven innings, allowed just two hits, walked one and struck out seven to earn a 4-0 victory Tuesday in front of 6,098 at MGM Park.
Biloxi had little luck against McGuire, who retired 12 of the first 13 Shuckers he faced. McGuire, who threw 96 pitches, faced just three batters over the minimum in his seven-inning outing.
His Fourth of July victory improves his record to 8-5 and he has a 2.77 ERA. His eight wins tie him for second most in the Southern League.
During his scoreless-inning streak, McGuire has given up 10 hits, three walks and struck out 23 batters. Opponents are hitting just .210 against him on the year. The 28-year-old has bounced back this year, after playing for five teams in his seven-year professional career.
McGuire also helped himself at the plate, his line drive single to center field in the seventh inning drove in second baseman Shed Long to cap a three-run inning that put Pensacola ahead, 4-0. Long lined a two=out triple to centerfield to drive in both third baseman Nick Senzel and first baseman Gavin LaValley.
Pensacola’s other run came in the fourth inning when LaValley smacked a two-out double to center field that scored left fielder Tyler Goeddel for a 1-0 lead.
Blue Wahoos reliever Carlos Gonzalez pitched the final two innings and gave up a walk.
Pensacola evened its second half record to 6-6 and is tied for second in the Southern League South Division behind the 8-4 Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. The Blue Wahoos, who won the first half South Division title, are 46-36 overall. Biloxi dropped to 42-39 overall.
Wahoos Drop Monday Game To Montgomery, Win Series 4-2
July 4, 2017
After clinching the series the previous evening, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos dropped the series finale to the Montgomery Biscuits, 13-5, in front of a sold-out Blue Wahoos Stadion. It’s the 12th time the team has reached the 5,038 capacity.
The game Monday got so out of hand for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos that they inserted second baseman Angelo Gumbs in as pitcher for the first time in his professional career.
Gumbs, who Pensacola manager Pat Kelly reported threw 96 mph in high school, begged his coach to let him pitch. After abusing his bullpen in the six-game series with the Montgomery Biscuits, Kelly decided to allow him to throw the ninth inning with Pensacola trailing, 13-5.
Gumbs, who threw his fastball in the low 90s Monday, gave up one run on one hit and struck out one batter. He waved his hat in the air as he walked off the mound to the dugout.
“He’s been bugging me all year,” said Kelly, who last allowed a position play to pitch when veteran Ray Chang did against the Mobile BayBears July 5, 2016. “He was really excited about going into the game.”
Montgomery seemingly took out its frustrations of losing 13 of 17 games at Blue Wahoos Stadium dating back to 2014 by scoring 13 runs on 13 hits. Leading the way for the Biscuits was red-hot hitting first baseman Dalton Kelly, who clubbed two home runs — the first Montgomery player to do that this season. The 22-year-old, who was drafted in the 38th round, was called up Tuesday from the High-A Charlotte Snow Crabs.
The left-handed hitting Kelly crushed a two-run home run to left field in the third inning and then belted a solo shot over the 400-foot sign in dead center field. For the series, Kelly was 13-27 (.481) with three home runs and seven RBIs. In 69 games and 236 at bats with Charlotte, Kelly had just two home runs in the Florida State League.
“I told the coaches I thought Kelly would be a pretty good hitter,” said Pensacola’s Kelly, who is no relation. “I guess, I was right. He went to dead center. That’s impressive. There haven’t been a lot. Maybe one or two that I can remember.”
Both teams used five pitchers in the three hour, six minute game. Plus, Pensacola was forced to use relievers Domingo Tapia and Alex Powers as starters in the series, since it lacks a proven fifth starter on its current roster.
Kelly said starter Keury Mella — who has yet to win a game at home — lost his cool in the third inning when he gave up four runs.
The first two runs for Montgomery in the third inning scored when Andrew Velazquez, crossed the plate after Pensacola’s Mella bobbled the bunt by right fielder Nathan Lukes and then threw the ball over Gavin LaValley’s head into right field for two errors on the play.
Lukes then scored the second run for Montgomery on Senzel’s errant throw on a bunt by second baseman Riley Unroe. Mella pitched four innings, allowed seven hits, gave up five runs, one earned, walked two, struck out five and gave up two homers.
Besides Kelly’s two homers, Velazquez and first baseman Joe McCarthy, the Tampa Bay Rays No. 19 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com, both launched balls out of the park.
“The third inning was key,” Kelly said. “Mella threw the ball away and he got shook.”
Pensacola benefited from a home run by left fielder Tyler Goeddel to lead off the fourth inning. It was his second this series and his fourth for Pensacola. The Cincinnati Reds top prospect, third baseman Nick Senzel, smashed a two-run homer to left field in the eighth inning. He was 3-4 on the night with three RBIs and is now hitting .306 in the Southern League.
Kelly said that pitcher Rookie Davis, a starter for the Blue Wahoos last year, is scheduled to pitch Wednesday in the five-game series against the Biloxi Shuckers. He was 1-2 in five starts for the Reds before going down with a back injury.
Pensacola dropped to 5-6 in the second half of the Southern League season and the first half South Division champions are 45-36 overall.
Wahoos Beat The Biscuits
July 3, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos right-hander Austin Ross continued to dominate the Southern League from the mound. The Montgomery Biscuits didn’t get its first hit off him until the fourth inning.
And the Blue Wahoos offense contributed just enough runs to keep his record a perfect 7-0 in a, 3-2, victory over the Biscuits Sunday in front of 4,333 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Cincinnati Reds No. 1 prospect Nick Senzel drew a bases loaded walk on a full count from Montgomery reliever Mike Broadway to score catcher Joe Hudson with the winning run in the seventh inning.
“That was an awesome at bat,” said Pensacola manager Pat Kelly. “He had no fear. He recognized the slider was out of the zone and took it for a walk.”
Pensacola has now beat the Montgomery Biscuits in 13 of the last 16 games at Blue Wahoos Stadium dating back to the 2014 season. It also clinched the six-game series, which it leads 4-1.
The Blue Wahoos evened their record at 5-5 in the second half of the Southern League season and the first half South Division champions are 45-35 overall.
Ross admitted he didn’t have his best stuff Sunday but heading into the sixth inning the 28-year-old hurler, who has spent seven years in the minors, had not allowed a run and given up just one hit. In the top of the sixth Montgomery third baseman Michael Russell leadoff the inning with a home run just inside the left field foul pole. Biscuits second baseman Riley Unroe scored when left fielder Joe McCarthy hit the third straight single off Ross in the inning to tie the game, 2-2.
Ross was making his second start for the Blue Wahoos since returning from the Triple-A Louisville Bats where he made five appearances, four of them starts. He was 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA.
“It was good but not every time you go out there are you going to feel great,” Ross said. “The rule is one third of the time you will feel awful, one-third of the time great and one-third in between. It’s what you make out of the bad ones that count.”
His final line was seven innings pitched, five hits allowed, two earned runs, three walks and 102 pitches in the suffocating 90-degree heat in Pensacola. His ERA on the year is 1.36, which is best in the Southern League.
This is his first year with the Cincinnati Reds organization after spending the previous six with the Milwaukee Brewers, Ross has reached the Triple-A level, one step below the big leagues, the past three seasons.
“The last two years, I’ve had really good years but things didn’t go my way,” said Ross, who reserved 19 tickets Sunday for his landlord and her family and his hunting buddy’s family. “All I can do is strive to get better and prepare for when I do get there.”
Kelly said he likes having Ross back on his rotation. He pointed out that Louisville has six starters on its staff.
“It helps our club,” Kelly said. “He made some good pitches when he had to. If you can compete in the Southern League, you can play at the big-league level.”
Pensacola clinched the win in the ninth inning after Zack Weiss made it “interesting,” Kelly said.
Weiss is returning from an injury to his throwing elbow that kept him from pitching last year. A top Reds pitching prospect after saving 25 games in Pensacola in 2015, he looked healthy Sunday.
Weiss earned his first save for Pensacola this season after loading the bases with two outs on a single and two walks. He struck out two, including the last batter who he caught looking at a wicked 76-mph breaking ball after throwing five straight fastballs. Weiss had also thrown one inning Saturday.
“We wanted to see him go back-to-back in a pressure-filled situation,” Kelly said. “You have to just keep plugging away and get three outs before they score.”