Sports stats



SL1 Pensacola Blue Wahoos

Cheshire Closes out Pensacola Victory

August 27, 2019 - Southern League (SL1)
Pensacola Blue Wahoos News Release


Pensacola Blue Wahoos relief pitcher Jonathan Cheshire
Pensacola Blue Wahoos relief pitcher Jonathan Cheshire
(Pensacola Blue Wahoos)

The day relief pitcher Jonathan Cheshire joined the Blue Wahoos a month ago, he literally only had the clothes he was wearing.

"The airlines had lost my luggage," he said. "I didn't have cleats, glove, nothing."

But he had caring, new teammates. They filled the temporary void.

"All of the players were so supportive and so helpful," he said. "The first impression I had was welcomed. It showed what a great group of guys they are."

Cheshire, 24, who has spent a well-traveled season on five teams, continues showing what a welcome addition he's been, as well.

He picked his first win Monday night by finishing off the Jackson Generals in the ninth inning of a 4-2 victory at Blue Wahoos Stadium, which evened the series and continued a hopeful playoff path.

Cheshire, who was pitching in an Independent League when signed by the Minnesota Twins to a minor league contract, has five saves in nine appearances.

"This is a special group," he said, after entering in the ninth inning and retiring Jackson in four batters, including his second strikeout of the inning to end the game. "A lot of energy in the clubhouse. A lot of positive vibes.

"That's how you win. That's how you win championships with good energy in the clubhouse."

The Blue Wahoos win, along with first-place Biloxi having its game postponed by rain, put the Blue Wahoos 3.5 games back in the Southern League South Division. The Blue Wahoos have secured the second-best record in the division and will be the wild card team if Biloxi wins the second half chase against Jacksonville (2 games back).

The circumstances added to the significance of Monday's win, after the Blue Wahoos trailed 2-0 into the fifth inning, then 2-1 in the eighth when scoring three runs.

"It's not just a normal night. You are playing for something," said Cheshire, who began his season in the Toronto Blue Jays organization. "You are playing for each other. When you are playing something it just means a little bit more."

After driving several long flyouts and line drive outs in the game, including one by Travis Blankenhorn that was caught on the warning track in the second inning, the Blue Wahoos caught a break.

With Royce Lewis on second, after a stolen base, and Ryan Jeffers on first after both batters reached when hit by a pitch, Blankenhorn hit a chopping grounder that turned productive.

The Generals second baseman Ramon Hernandez mishandled a force play throw from shortstop Camden Duzenack. The ball rolled into the outfield grass, enabling Lewis to round third and tie the game.

"Obviously, the plan was to drive the ball, but fortunately they had a little hiccup that helped us scored a couple runs at the end of the game, which were struggling to do the first couple of innings," Blankenhorn said.

LaMonte Wade Jr., continuing his major league, injury-rehab assignment, followed with a drive that bounced over the outfield fences in left-center for a ground rule double. It scored Jeffers with the go-ahead run.

"Ultimately, we put pressure on their defense," Cheshire said. "And anytime you compete and continue to hit balls hard and put balls in play and put pressure on them, good things happen. And that's what happened (Monday)."

Blankenhorn continuing the scoring when he slid into home, ahead of the throw, on Mark Contreras' sacrifice fly in right field.

"At that point in the game, we're trying to win the game, so really you trying to just put runners on and we have LaMonte behind me coming up," Blankenhorn said, explaining the situation. "And he put a great swing on a ball to drive it."

The game began as a pitching battle. Jackson starter Jeff Bain allowed just three hits in five innings. Blue Wahoos starter Adam Bray was lifted with two outs in the third, trailing 2-0, and reliever Anthony Vizcaya followed with 3.1 innings of shutout pitching.

The Blue Wahoos got their first run in the bottom of the fifth when Ryan Costello singled home Contreras.

In the top of the eighth inning, Cheshire recorded the final out, then focused on the ninth.

"We were fortunate. We had good defense all night and that's how you win ball games," Cheshire said.

BALLPARK MEMORIES

Rally Pensacola, an extension of the Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research, based in Sandy Springs, Ga., an Atlanta suburb, attended the game.

Approximately 100 members, including children who had either overcome cancer or were battling the disease, were on the field during the game and participated in pregame activities. They were part of a pregame parade on the field.

Many ran out with Blue Wahoos players.

The non-profit agency is led by director Cindi Bonner, who did a radio interview during the game with Blue Wahoos broadcaster Chris Garagiola.

The Blue Wahoos honored their five-year employees. A total of 68 either full time or part time employees met the criteria. "Downtown Dave" Presnell, the popular in-game emcee, was one of those who was honored.

Gulf Power honored its linemen with a group night where 65 attended and one lineman was selected to throw out a first pitch.

Check out the Pensacola Blue Wahoos Statistics




Images from this story

Travis Blankenhorn receives congratulations in the Pensacola Blue Wahoos dugout after scoring
Travis Blankenhorn receives congratulations in the Pensacola Blue Wahoos dugout after scoring
 Pensacola Blue Wahoos relief pitcher Jonathan Cheshire
Pensacola Blue Wahoos relief pitcher Jonathan Cheshire
  



Southern League Stories from August 27, 2019


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.

OurSports Central