Mobile Defeats Pensacola
May 22, 2017
The Mobile BayBears got a three-run homer by former Catholic High School catcher Wade Wass in the third inning and went on to defeat the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, 9-4, Sunday in front of 4,672 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Pensacola and Mobile are now tied, 2-2, with the final game of the series scheduled at 6:35 p.m. Monday. The Blue Wahoos fell out of first place in the South Division at 24-20 and trail the Biloxi Shuckers by one game.
Pensacola, which trailed 9-0 after four innings, avoided being shut out when first baseman Eric Jagielo crushed a two-out pitch to right field out of Blue Wahoos Stadium. His three-run homer pulled, Pensacola within, 9-3.
Blue Wahoos right fielder Aristides Aquino made the score, 9-4, in the eighth when he smacked a solo homer to left field into Pensacola Bay for his team-leading sixth homer of the season.
“We haven’t had too many of those,” Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said about being down nine runs. “We didn’t know how to act. But we didn’t give in.”
Mobile exploded for seven runs in the third and fourth inning. Three of those runs came in the third inning thanks to Wass, the designated hitter, to give the BayBears a 5-0 lead. The 25-year-old Pensacola product smacked a one-out, three-run home run into the right field berm. Wass now leads the BayBears with seven homers, with six of them coming this month.
But the BayBears weren’t finished. They piled on four more runs after two outs in the fourth inning to chase Pensacola starter Keury Mella from the game. Mobile right fielder Zach Gibbons walked with two outs and scored when the next batter, center fielder Michael Hermosillo, doubled into the left field corner to put Mobile up, 6-0. BayBears shortstop David Fletcher then drove in his third RBI of the game when he lined a single to center field to score Hermosillo, putting Mobile up 7-0.
The BayBears took a 9-0 lead when third baseman Zach Houchins drove in Fletcher and Wass when he smashed a double off the glove of Blue Wahoos center fielder Gabriel Guerrero, as he tried to chase down the ball.
Pensacola relievers gave up just one unearned run to Mobile over the final 5.1 innings. Alex Powers worked 3.1 innings out of the bullpen and gave up three hits, walked one and struck out three.
Kelly said Powers’ innings were critical with reliever Ismael Guillon advancing to Triple-A Louisville Bats, and Jake Ehret going to High-A Daytona Tortugas.
“We were a little shorthanded in the bullpen,” Kelly said.
Pensacola did load the bases with no outs in the second inning on Mobile starter Osmer Morales but came away with nothing. Morales struck out Blue Wahoos shortstop Blake Trahan and then catcher Joe Hudson hit a sharp line drive to Mobile shortstop David Fletcher, who threw to second for an inning ending double play.
The 6-foot-3 Morales threw five scoreless innings, giving up two hits, walking two and striking out three. He picked up the win in his seventh start to improve to 2-0 with a 2.23, ERA.
BayBears Beat Wahoos
May 21, 2017
Two top pitching prospects went head-to-head and delivered the sellout Pensacola Blue Wahoos crowd exactly what they should have expected — a tight, low-scoring game.
Blue Wahoos starter Louis Castillo, the Cincinnati Reds No. 7 prospect, and Mobile BayBears starter Grayson Long, the Los Angeles Angels No. 6 prospect, dueled to a 1-0 Mobile lead at the end of seven innings.
The rain that sporadically came down during the game, poured down in the top of the ninth inning with Mobile ahead, 2-0, a runner on first base and two outs. The umpires called the game, giving Mobile a 2-0 victory after a 51 minute delay. Pensacola leads the series, 2-1.
Castillo retired 11 of 12 batters after giving up a run in the first inning to Mobile and worked out of a bases-loaded jam when he allowed three straight singles in the fifth inning after getting the first two batters out.
The 24-year-old Dominican threw 103 pitches over seven innings, giving up one run on six hits and allowing no walks. He finished his ninth start of the year with his fifth strike out of the game and pumped his fist and looked to the sky.
Meanwhile, Long retired the first eight batters of the game until Pensacola catcher Joe Hudson doubled into the right field corner in the third inning. Long gave up one other hit when shortstop Blake Trahan singled to centerfield.
Long had Pensacola base runners on first and second base in the fourth and fifth innings but escaped both innings unscathed. He threw five scoreless innings and now has not allowed a run in his two starts against Pensacola over 11 innings and given up just three hits this season. The 22-year-old Long walked three and struck out five Saturday.
Long, who made his Double-A debut against the Blue Wahoos on April 24, picked up the win, improving to 2-2 with a 2.61 ERA. Pensacola righty Castillo dropped to 1-3 with a 2.82 ERA.
Mobile scored on Castillo when BayBears leadoff hitter Zach Gibbons, who doubled and moved to third on a bunt, scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by second baseman David Fletcher. Pensacola right fielder Aristides Aquino threw a one hopper to the plate but Gibbons slid under the tag for a, 1-0, Mobile lead.
Mobile loaded the bases in the fifth inning with two outs but Castillo struck out Mobile left fielder Michael Hermosillo to end the scoring threat.
Pensacola dropped to 24-19 on the season. They are tied for first place in the Southern League South Division with the Biloxi Shuckers, which won, 2-0, over the Chattanooga Lookouts when rain ended that that game after five innings.
Pensacola Blue Wahoos Top The Mobile BayBears 3-2
May 20, 2017
Pensacola’s pitching staff has lead the Southern League all season and tonight’s game was no different for the Blue Wahoos. The bullpen held the Mobile BayBears to only one hit in 4.1 innings of work as the Pensacola Blue Wahoos won 3-2 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
After a quiet start of the game from both teams, the Blue Wahoos offense came to life in the bottom of the second. Right fielder Aristides Aquino started the inning with a walk and scored after a double by designated hitter Eric Jagielo.
Mobile’s starting pitcher, Alex Blackford, allowed Jagielo to advance to third on a wild pitch, his first of the year. Shortstop Blake Trahan brought home Jagielo on a single right up the middle to give the Blue Wahoos a 2-0 lead.
With two outs in the inning, catcher Adrian Nieto knocked in a double to right-center to bring home Trahan for the Blue Wahoos final run of the game. The Pensacola bats stayed hitless the reminder of the night as the Pensacola bullpen took control of the last half of the game.
Starter Austin Ross pitched a season low 4.2 innings giving up seven hits and two runs along with four walks and four strikeouts. RHP Domingo Tapia took the mound with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth inning and forces Mobile’s Alberto Triunfel into a groundout.
Tapia went on to pitch 2.1 hitless innings, walking only one and striking out three to earn his second win of the season.
RHP Jimmy Herget secured his 11th save of the season with 2.0 innings of solid work giving up only one hit and one strikeout.
Walk-Off Double For O’Grady As The Wahoos Beat Mobile
May 19, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos center fielder Brian O’Grady knew going up to bat that the Mobile BayBears reliever Michael Dimock likes to throw sliders.
He ripped a slider that didn’t slide for a walk-off double to right field that drove in both left fielder Gabriel Guerrero and shortstop Blake Trahan for a, 3-2, victory Thursday in front of 4,889 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
It was the third walk-off for Pensacola this season, which had a team record 12 last year. The players have nicknamed the walk-offs the “Wahoo Way.”
“In the dugout, we were joking about the Wahoo Way,” O’Grady said. “It’s not giving up until the game is over. The pressure really is on them. We’re just out there battling. It’s definitely a good feeling.”
Blue Wahoos manager Pat Kelly said because Pensacola has had walk-offs so often the past two seasons, the team now expects it.
“You win as many games as we have and you start to believe it,” Kelly said. “They’re still talking about the Wahoo Way.”
O’Grady’s walk-off was set up by an amazing sacrifice bunt by Pensacola catcher Joe Hudson on an inside pitch. It moved Guerrero and Trahan to third and second base.
Kelly called it “tremendous.” O’Grady added: “Without that bunt right there, the walk-off is not possible.”
Pensacola improved to 7-8 in one run games this season and is 23-18 on the season to remain in first place in the Southern League South Division.
After earning just three hits and striking out eight times over the first seven innings, the Blue Wahoos sprung to life. Pensacola right fielder Aristides Aquino launched a ball deep to center field that bounced off the top of the wall 400-feet away for a triple with two outs. It drove in third baseman Josh VanMeter. The score pulled Pensacola within one run heading into the ninth, 2-1.
Aquino is 11-38, or .289, in his last 11 games with three homers and 13 RBIs. He also narrowly missed throwing Mobile right fielder Forrestt Allday, who scored Mobile’s second run, out at home with a strike in the fifth inning. Then in the sixth inning, Aquino threw to first base to almost get center fielder Michael Hermosillo out.
“Guys like him are so extraordinary to watch,” Kelly said.
Pensacola Blue Wahoos starter Tyler Mahle wasn’t so perfect against the Mobile BayBears in his second meeting against them. He allowed 12 runners on base in his six innings of work. When Mahle faced the BayBears on April 22, the 22-year-old right-hander tossed a perfect nine-inning game.
He gave up seven hits, walked three, hit a batter and gave up a fielder’s choice and allowed two earned runs Thursday.
In the third inning, he faced six batters, walking the leadoff batter and giving up two singles. Mobile left fielder Zach Gibbons line drive hit to center field scored first baseman Luis Tejada for a 1-0 lead.
In the fifth inning, the 22-year-old right-hander walked a batter, hit another with a pitch and gave up a single. Mobile added another run when Allday, who has reached base in 23 straight games, scored on a sacrifice fly to Aquino in right field to put the BayBears up, 2-0.
It appeared Mobile would score again off Pensacola’s Mahle in the sixth inning when they loaded the bases with one out. But he got Tejada to pop out to second and struck out shortstop Alberto Triunfel to get out of the jam.
“It could have been six or seven to nothing,” Kelly said. “They could have easily blown the game open. I’ve got to credit Mahle for going out there, not having his best stuff, and keeping his team in the ball game.”
Northview Softball’s Jamia Newton Signs With Coastal Alabama
May 18, 2017
Northview High School senior Jamia Newton has signed to play softball with Coastal Alabama Community College in Monroeville, AL. She is pictured at a signing ceremony Wednesday afternoon at Northview with family, friends and fellow Northview Chiefs players. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Baseball Heads To Regional Finals
May 17, 2017
The Tate High School Aggies advanced to the 1-7A regional final with a 5-1 win over Milton Tuesday.
Gabe Castro pitched a complete game for the Tate Aggies, surrendering one run, allowing five hits, walking one and striking out five.
For the Aggies — Jesse Sherrill 2-2, 2R; Mason Land 1-2, 2R, 2B; Logan McGuffey 1-4, 2 RBI, 2B; Logan Blackmon 1-3, R; Kyler Hultgren 2-4, 3 RBI; Corben Young 1-2.
The Aggies will play in the Regional 1-7A final at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Tate High School against the Nease Panthers.
Wahoos Earn 5-2 Win Over Jackson
May 17, 2017
The last time Kelly Mella earned a W came in a Triple-A game with the Louisville Bats on Sept. 5 when he pitched seven innings, gave up one run and struck out six batters.
Mella’s first win in Double-A for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos came Tuesday in his eighth start. The right-hander’s five scoreless innings and Aristides Aquino’s third homer in six games propelled Pensacola to a, 5-2, victory over the Jackson Generals at The Ballpark at Jackson.
The series is now tied at 2-2. Pensacola improved its record to 21-18 and remains tied for first with the Mississippi Braves in the Southern League South Division. Jackson dropped to 22-16 and fell into second place in the North Division.
The 23-year-old Mella, the Cincinnati Reds No. 19 ranked prospect, allowed just three hits, walked three and struck out four. He joins the rest of the rotation in the win column with a 1-3 record and 3.92 ERA.
Mella struck out the side in the third inning. He also benefited from a double play in the first inning, Pensacola left fielder Gabriel Guerrero throwing Jackson left fielder Rudy Flores out at second base trying to stretch a single in the fourth inning, and catcher Joe Hudson throwing out center fielder Reyes trying to steal second base to end the fourth inning.
Pensacola also got a big contribution from right fielder Aristides Aquino who went 2-5. His single to right field drove in third baseman Josh VanMeter and put the Blue Wahoos up, 2-0, in the first inning. VanMeter had doubled in second baseman Alex Blandino for the first run of the inning.
Aquino came through in the fifth inning when he smashed a two-run homer to left center field that also scored first baseman Angelo Gumbs, giving Pensacola a, 5-0, lead. Gumbs had doubled in VanMeter to make the score, 3-0.
Aquino, who won the Reds’ Minor League Player of the Year Award last season with the High-A Daytona Tortugas, now has three homers in his last six games and is tied with center fielder Brian O’Grady for the team lead with five homers. He also is showing flashes of coming out of his slump, going 8-25 in his last six games (.320).
Blandino finished the game 2-4 with two doubles and a run scored for Pensacola. VanMeter also had a notable game at the plate, going 1-2 with his ninth double of the season, three walks, a run scored and one RBI.
A trio of relievers finished up the game for Mella and preserved his victory. Ariel Hernandez pitched two innings and struck out four. Blue Wahoos closer Jimmy Herget earned his 10th save, which is tied for the Southern League lead, and struck out two hitters. The 23-year-old now has fanned 32 hitters in 18 innings in his first season in Double-A.
Jackson’s Flores Hits Walk-Off To Beat Wahoos 4-3
May 16, 2017
Jackson Generals left fielder Rudy Flores smacked a two-out, walk-off single to help his team rally from three runs down to beat the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 4-3 on Monday at The Ballpark at Jackson.
Jackson center fielder Evan Marzilli scored the winning run after leading off the ninth inning with a single to right field.
The Blue Wahoos fell to 6-8 on the season in games decided by one run. They are 20-18 on the year and a game behind the Mississippi Braves in the South Division.
Jackson, the defending Southern League champion, improved to 22-15 and leads the North Division by a half game over the Chattanooga Lookouts and Tennessee Smokies.
Blue Wahoos closer Brennan Bernardino came on in the ninth with the game tied, 3-3, but gave up two hits and struck out one to pick up the loss. He is 0-2 with a 3.38 ERA.
Pensacola right-hander Luis Castillo has failed to get a decision in his past two starts, even though he allowed one run in seven innings against the Birmingham Barons and on Monday gave up just two runs in five innings to Jackson. Considered the seventh best prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization by MLB Pipeline.com, Castillo scattered six hits to the Generals, walked two and struck out one.
Castillo, who is 1-2 on the year with a 3.07 ERA, last earned a victory April 13 against the Biloxi Shuckers in his second start of the season.
He was relieved by Domingo Tapia, who blew his second save opportunity of the season when he gave up the tying run in the sixth to Jackson. Generals first baseman Kevin Cron led off the sixth inning by crushing a fly ball over the center field wall 390-feet away to tie the game, 3-3. It was his Southern League-leading ninth homer of the season.
All three of Pensacola’s runs happened in the third inning. Blue Wahoos center fielder Brian O’Grady hit his second homer in two games and now has five on the season to lead the ball club.
With two outs, Pensacola second baseman Alex Blandino singled to left field and shortstop Blake Trahan singled to right field and then stole second base. That’s when Mr. Clutch Josh VanMeter stepped to the plate and delivered a single to left that drove in both Blandino and Trahan to put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 3-0.
VanMeter, Pensacola’s third baseman, is 9-19 (.474) with 12 of his team-leading 17 RBIs coming with runners in scoring position and two outs this year.
Castillo gave up his two runs to Jackson in the fourth inning when second baseman Kevin Medrano doubled in Cron and then starting pitcher Taylor Clark hit a sacrifice fly to score catcher Oscar Hernandez to cut Pensacola’s lead to, 3-2.
Northview Girls Weightlifting Team Presents Season Awards
May 15, 2017
The Northview High School girls weightlifting team celebrated their season and presented the following honors:
Wahoos Top Jackson
May 15, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos manager Pat Kelly told his hitters that they needed to take advantage of opportunities when they had them.
That’s exactly what they did with two big, two-out clutch hits by left fielder Gabriel Guerrero in the fifth inning with runners on first and second and by right fielder Aristides Aquino in the seventh inning with the bases loaded to overcome the Jackson Generals, 5-2, Sunday at The Ballpark at Jackson.
Meanwhile, Austin Ross gave up just two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to Jackson. The 28-year-old starter worked 6.2 innings, scattered six hits and a walk and struck out five. He earned the win to improve to 4-0 and owns the best ERA in the Southern League at 1.13.
Pensacola scored first in the fifth inning when center fielder Brian O’Grady reached home on a sacrifice fly by third baseman Josh VanMeter his 15th RBI of the season. With runners on first and second with two outs, Guerrero then slapped a single to center field to score second baseman Alex Blandino. Guerrero was 2-5 Sunday and now has 16 multi-hit games in the 35 games he has played and is hitting .295 to lead the team.
In the seventh inning, Aquino stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. Aquino smacked a double to center field that scored both Blandino and VanMeter, which gave the Blue Wahoos a 4-0 lead. Aquino went 2-4 with a walk and two RBIs and leads Pensacola with 16 RBIs.
Pensacola tacked on an insurance run in the eighth inning when O’Grady pulled his fourth homer of the season with a solo shot to right field for put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 5-2.
Jackson did score two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull within, 4-2. Pinch-hitter Rudy Flores hit his 11th double of the season that drove in third baseman Dawel Lugo but center field Evan Marzilli was thrown out at home when Pensacola’s Guerrero threw to shortstop Black Trahan, who threw a strike to catcher Adrian Nieto. Generals catcher Michael Perez then singled to right field to drive in Flores.
Pensacola reliever Jimmy Herget nailed down his ninth save, which is second in the Southern League, with one walk and two strikeouts in the ninth inning. He now has 30 strike outs in 17 innings.
Pensacola improved to 20-17 and are in a first-place tie with the Mississippi Braves in the South Division. Jackson fell to 21-15 and lead the North Division and Southern League with the best record.