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SL1 Pensacola Blue Wahoos

De Jesus' Inside-the-Park Homer Key in Blue Wahoos' Win

August 2, 2019 - Southern League (SL1)
Pensacola Blue Wahoos News Release


Ivan De Jesus Jr. of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Ivan De Jesus Jr. of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos
(Pensacola Blue Wahoos)

He had just touched third base when veteran infielder Ivan De Jesus Jr. felt the age in his 32-year-old legs, but a youthful fire to go for broke.

"I was like... gone... whatever, I've already got two runs, we might score," he said, explaining it all later. "If they throw me out, that's okay."

They didn't throw him out.

Instead, De Jesus Jr. pulled off a savvy slide to complete an inside-the-park home run, igniting a explosion of joy from teammates and large crowd at Blue Wahoos Stadium, leading the Blue Wahoos into an 11-8 victory Thursday night against the Birmingham Barons.

He believes the 3-run, rare play in the eighth inning, was the first inside-the-park homer in his well-traveled, 16-year professional baseball career.

"Even when I was fast, I didn't have one," he said, laughing. "Now, that I'm slow, I have one."

After reliever Jonathan Cheshire, who joined the Blue Wahoos six days ago from an Independent League, pitched a clean ninth inning for his first Double-A level save, it finalized a wild win.

The Blue Wahoos trailed 5-0 after the second inning. They rallied to lead 8-5. The Barons tied the game in the top of the eighth. And then, the two-out heroics from De Jesus Jr. for the decisive hit.

Just your normal, run-of-the-mil, 19-run, 27-hit game between two teams, right? In this case, it was the ninth win for the Blue Wahoos in their last 11 games.

It moved them a game closer to first place Biloxi (4 games back) in the second-half, division chase, plus a game further ahead in overall record (58-52) in the wild-card race for a potential playoff spot.

"We are playing really good baseball these last two weeks," said De Jesus Jr., whose father, Ivan De Jesus, played shortstop for seven different major league teams in 15 seasons. "We lost a lot of games two, three weeks ago. (13 of 15 in one stretch). We are clicking now."

The crowd of 4,667, which included NBC Sports' Peter King, the preeminent NFL journalist and long-time Sports Illustrated writer, who was in Pensacola with his team for a segment on the ballpark experience, witnessed one of the Blue Wahoos' signature wins.

It was the first inside-the-park home run by a Blue Wahoos player since Tony Renda, now with the Boston Red Sox organization, had one in 2016. The most famous one was struck by Billy Hamilton in the Blue Wahoos inaugural 2012 season. Hamilton covered the distance in a track sprinter's time.

"Billy's my boy. I played with him two years," said De Jesus, referring to the time both were on the Cincinnati Reds roster. "He's an amazing player. Now I've got one more to tie him."

About two hours earlier Thursday, the Blue Wahoos endured a long second inning. Blue Wahoos starter Griffin Jax had a rare struggle. He gave up six straight hits, along with a wild pitch, before getting the first out. With the bullpen warming up, Jax got out of the inning, then faced the minimum the next two innings with two double plays recorded.

The Blue Wahoos got a two-run double from Alex Kirilloff, then two-run single in the third inning from Ben Rortvedt to get back in the game. They took a lead on Kirilloff's 3-run homer in the fourth inning.

Kirilloff, one of three No. 1 draft picks by the Minnesota Twins in the Blue Wahoos lineup, went 2-for-4 with five RBI in the game.

The Barons, who took five of six games from the Blue Wahoos, included four walk-off wins, on July 4-9 in Birmingham, chipped away to tie the game.

In the bottom of the eighth, Rortvedt led off and was hit by a pitch. Ryan Costello walked. With two out, the runners still on first and second, De Jesus Jr. laced a pitched that barely eluded a diving attempt from center fielder Luis Gonzalez. The ball then skimmed its way to the wall.

"I turned the neutron on," De Jesus said, jokingly. "As soon as I saw that ball go behind (Gonzalez) head, I said, 'Okay, I've got to keep going and see what happens.' When I saw (manager) Ramon (Borrego) waving to home plate (from third base coaches' box), I said, 'Oh my God, I don't have no more, so let's do it.'

"But we won. We won and that's a good thing."

DeJesus, who can play multiple infield positions, was signed by the Twins on July 11, following his release from the Charlotte Knights, the Chicago White Sox Triple-A affiliate. The White Sox were the eighth different major league organization in De Jesus' career.

In 16 seasons, the Puerto Rico native been with 14 different teams, including three different big league stints (Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds).

His 5-year-old son was at Thursday's game, even saying a few words on the post-game interview with the on-field emcee.

"It's been up and down. It's a roller coaster," De Jesus said, reflecting on his career. "Like I said to my friend the other day, I'm grinding...this is what I do... this is my job.. this is my love.

"I love this game. There's a lot of players and a lot teammates that are not doing anything now. And I am still playing. I'm blessed to be still playing.

"The good thing is I choose to take care of myself really good. My body feels good. I take care of myself and that's why I am blessed to still be playing baseball."

BALLPARK MEMORIES

The Jay High School band performed the National Anthem as well as God Bless America during the game. Jay mayor Shon Owens threw out a first pitch.

In all, Jay High sold 400 tickets to the game.

Peter King was introduced to the crowd as he entered in a Dodge truck from sponsor Hill Kelly Dodge. He was presented a Blue Wahoos jersey and threw out a first pitch. He also spent two innings in the broadcast booth with Blue Wahoos play-by-play announcer Chris Garagiola and displayed his knowledge of the Blue Wahoos and minor league baseball in an entertaining way. The Blue Wahoos put Southern League playoff tickets for sale Thursday to their season-ticket holders. The purchase is for five games (two rounds) and refunds can be applied to the 2020 season-ticket packages.

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Images from this story

Ivan De Jesus Jr. of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Ivan De Jesus Jr. of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos
   



Southern League Stories from August 2, 2019


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