Blue Wahoos Streak in Right Direction
July 25, 2019 - Southern League (SL1)
Pensacola Blue Wahoos News Release
Pensacola Blue Wahoos pitcher Bryan Sammons
(Pensacola Blue Wahoos)
The past few weeks, the Blue Wahoos often lost a game like Wednesday night when lacking big hits and stranding runners.
This time, however, they beat the Mobile BayBears 4-2 at Blue Wahoos Stadium for their first back-to-back wins in 21 days with strong pitching and being opportunistic on the basepaths.
The Blue Wahoos took advantage of four BayBear errors, including two on the same scoring play, to make the most of five hits.
"Right now, it's important on how we can drive in runs when we have a chance," said Blue Wahoos manager Ramon Borrego. "That's big."
The game followed Tuesday's postponement when steady rain throughout the day thwarted a chance to play. The unexpected break didn't faze the Blue Wahoos' defensive performance.
They received the best start from left-hander Bryan Sammons since June 20, matching his longest outing since joining the Blue Wahoos. He allowed two runs on four hits, struck out six and walked three in earning in a month.
His effort on the mound allowed a tight game to stay in the Blue Wahoos favor.
"Sammons was unbelievable," Borrego said.
After leaving the bases loaded in the second inning, the Blue Wahoos trailed 2-0 in the fourth when getting their first run on Aaron Whitefield's baserunning speed.
With two out, he was hit by a pitch. Whitefield then stole second, as the throw sailed into center field while he slid into the bag.
He took off for third and that throw from centerfielder Erick Salcedo was way off, bouncing off the visitor's dugout fence and caroming back into the infield, as Whitefield kept running and easily scored.
"When Aaron Whitefield is on the bases, you definitely know something is going to happen. He took three bags on one play," said Blue Wahoos outfielder Trevor Larnach, the Minnesota Twins' No. 1 draft pick in 2018, who joined the team July 16, and played with Whitefield when both were part of the Fort Myers Miracle.
"With Whitey, that is what I expect when he gets on... put some pressure. That pumped the team right away," Borrego said.
Larnach then factored into the Blue Wahoos' second run in the fifth inning. He reached on a walk, the third time in the game he reached base. Lewin Diaz then followed with a one-out double down the right field line to score Larnach.
With two out, two more runs scored on BayBears' gaffes. Mark Contreras was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Joe Cronin followed by lacing a pitch right back through the mound off BayBears pitcher Adrian Almeida's glove.
In trying to get Cronin, Almedia's hard throw went through glove of first baseman Roberto Baldoquin, allowing Diaz to come around third and score. With Whitefield at the plate, Almedia then uncorked a wild pitch to score Contreras from third.
"Just little things like that, taking what they give us... some clutch hitting, I think that goes along with some good approaches at the plate," Larnach said said. "We only had five hits, but I thought we didn't do too bad."
The rest of the game, the Blue Wahoos' pitching and fielding took over. They turned a double play to end the sixth. Reliever Andrew Vasquez struck out two batters in the seventh.
In the ninth, after Alex Phillips entered to close the game, he got pinch hitter Brendan Sanger to line out to Cronin, who was perfectly positioned on an infield shift.
It sealed the first consecutive wins since the Blue Wahoos won six in a row, following a series sweep July 3 at home against the Mississippi Braves. The Blue Wahoos (51-50) went back over .500 and tied the BayBears at 13-18 in the second half.
"We had a rough (last) week," Borrego said. "We didn't play bad, but we didn't have those big hits. Right now it's important when we can drive runs when we have a chance."
The teams will play a doubleheader Thursday to make up for the Tuesday rainout. Each game will be seven innings. The series will close Friday - the final game for the BayBears as a franchise in Pensacola.
BALLPARK MEMORIES
Prior to the game, Aaron Whitefield and pitcher Charlie Barnes signed autographs in the Bait and Tackle Store behind home plate. It was part of "Wine and Sign Wednesday."
The game was designated as First Responders Night. Members of the Pensacola Police Department wowed the crowd before and in the second inning with their canine unit.
One of the demonstrations involved a German Shepherd K-9 rapidly exiting a vehicle on the right field warning track to snare a simulated suspect running in the outfield, who was a fellow police officer. In the second inning, another K-9 corraled showed off its skills then caused a loud cheer when sitting on home plate after running down the third base line.
The National Anthem was performed by a 30-member choir from Immanuel Baptist Church in Pace. In the seventh inning, a men's quartet from that choir sang "God Bless America" from atop the first base dugout.
The Silver Wahoos performed before the game. The Cantonment Gators youth baseball team ran on the field with the players.
Images from this story
 Pensacola Blue Wahoos outfielder Trevor Larnach |
 Pensacola Blue Wahoos pitcher Bryan Sammons |
• Discuss this story on the Southern League message board...
Southern League Stories from July 25, 2019
- Shuckers and Jumbo Shrimp Split Thursday Doubleheader - Biloxi Shuckers
- Lookouts Get Hits, Outscored by One - Chattanooga Lookouts
- Battenfield Halts Lookouts, Gets Barons Back in Win Column - Birmingham Barons
- Green's Gem Undone with Late Mississippi Rally in 3-1 Loss - Jackson Generals
- Harris Fuels Eighth Inning Rally in Series Clinching Win - Mississippi Braves
- Six-Run Fifth Sinks Smokies, 7-4 - Montgomery Biscuits
- Mahoney, Seymour Help Jacksonville to Twin Bill Split - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Smokies Run Season Long Losing Streak to Seven - Knoxville Smokies
- Smokies to Host Dog-Friendly Beerfest Presented by Quaker Steak & Lube on August 3 - Knoxville Smokies
- Generals Gameday: July 25 vs. Mississippi - Jackson Generals
- Top Prospects Duran and Jeffers Promoted to Pensacola - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp: Game Notes, July 25 vs. Biloxi - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Blue Wahoos Streak in Right Direction - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
