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SL1 Pensacola Blue Wahoos

Contreras Aids Wahoos' Rally over Birmingham

August 6, 2019 - Southern League (SL1)
Pensacola Blue Wahoos News Release


Mark Contreras of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Mark Contreras of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos
(Pensacola Blue Wahoos)

The waves of young autograph-seekers around Mark Contreras had thinned, following another Blue Wahoos win.

Two teenage girls patiently waited Monday along the dugout walkway.

Two more selfies. Two more signatures. Contreras was more than happy to oblige.

"I remembered when I was a kid and I would come to baseball games... I always wanted a ball," said Contreras, smiling. "As a player It is nice to take time out after the game to say, 'Hey we were heard you, we thank you for coming out.' We want to give them the hope they will be here one day too."

As grateful as he is accommodating, Contreras, 24, helped continue his team's inspiring play, going 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI as the Blue Wahoos rallied from a 4-0 deficit in the middle innings to beat the Birmingham Barons 7-4 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

A crowd of 3,898, which pushed season attendance past the quarter-million mark (252,478) for the eighth time in the team's eight-year history, watched another noteworthy game. It was the Blue Wahoos 12th win in their last 15 games. Includes wins in four of five games against Birmingham.

But this one unfolded differently.

The Barons led 4-0 in the fifth. The Blue Wahoos (61-53 overall, 23-22 second half) did not have a hit. Or a baserunner. Birmingham pitcher Tanner Banks thrown four perfect innings.

And then, as if a light switch had been flipped, the Blue Wahoos used 10 batters in the bottom of the fifth and exited with a 5-4 lead.

Leadoff batter Ryan Costello scorched a single past second baseman Ti'Quan Forbes. Jimmy Kerrigan singled. Travis Blankenhorn, playing his first game since a finger injury July 16, drove in a run on a ground out.

Contreras, who grew up in California and was a ninth-round pick in 2017 from California-Riverside University, drove in the second run. Royce Lewis and Alex Kirilloff both had RBI hits.

"I think it all started with Costello. He broke the no-hitter when hitting a rocket that (Forbes) almost made a great play on," Larnach said. "And instead of trying to do something too big, we just tried to play small and put hits together and have a pretty big inning.

"We just had to stay with it, because it was still way early in the game. With our lineup, there is no telling when there will be a spark because all 1-thru-9 nine are capable hitters."

Contreras made it 6-4 in the sixth with his single to score Kerrigan, who reached when hit by a pitch. Blankenhorn followed with an RBI single.

A month ago, the Barons took five of six in that series against the Blue Wahoos in Birmingham. It was a low point in the season.

And now?

"Every game was close, but the difference now is our offense," said Blue Wahoos manager Ramon Borrego. "Right now, we are a different team."

The team's performance Monday included some spectacular defensive plays. Second baseman Jordan Gore, who has played shortstop most of the season, made a pair of crowd-wowing stops to turn double plays.

"Unbeliebable," Borrego said. "He was the show (Monday). We know Jordan. The way he played second base was really impressive."

Blue Wahoos pitchers twice picked off runners. In the first inning, Contreras made a perfect throw on a single to throw out a lead runner at home plate and end the inning.

All of this helped overcome the three errors and six walks issued.

"Even though we were losing early in the game, we still made some plays," Contreras said. "That just kept us in there. Defense kept us in there, because it could have broke open."

The Blue Wahoos will get their first off day Tuesday, after playing 20 consecutive days. Borrego is part of a group going on a deep sea, charter fishing expedition off Pensacola Beach.

Wednesday, they begin a road series against the Mobile BayBears, which will be the final time in history both teams will play. The BayBears are in the final days of their final season. The franchise is transferring to Madison, Ala., near Huntsville, to become the Rocket City Trash Pandas.

As of Tuesday, the Blue Wahoos would be in the playoffs, as the team with the second-best overall record in the Southern League South Division. If the Biloxi Shuckers should follow their first half division win with another in the second half, the Blue Wahoos have a lead on others with their overall record.

The Blue Wahoos trail by three games in the second-half division chase.

"When we set out to begin the season, we had a great squad, and a lot of guys moved up," Contreras said. "We got some new guys here and we just kept the mold that we are going to play hard and win ballgames. We are in it right now. Keep it rolling."

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Mark Contreras of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Mark Contreras of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos
   



Southern League Stories from August 6, 2019


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