Early Lead Doesn't Hold for Blue Wahoos
July 22, 2019 - Southern League (SL1)
Pensacola Blue Wahoos News Release
Alex Kirilloff of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos
(Pensacola Blue Wahoos)
The Blue Wahoos gave themselves an early reason to believe Sunday's game might evolve differently than others in the past week.
They staked a 3-0 lead in the third inning. It was already the most runs generated in six games. Starting pitcher Jorge Alcala was coming off two solid starts.
But it changed quickly after the Mississippi Braves scored four runs in the bottom of the third, chased Alcala, then kept on hitting into an 8-3 win and three-game sweep of the weather-shortened series in Pearl, Miss. The teams did not play Saturday night due to heavy rain in the area.
What started positive became the Blue Wahoos' season-high, sixth consecutive loss. It was the team's 13th defeat in the past 15 games. It has dropped the Blue Wahoos (49-50 overall, 11-18 second half) under .500 overall for the first time this season, after they won the first three games to start the 2019 season in April.
The M-Braves (46-52, 13-16), got a career-high eight innings pitched from starter Joey Wentz, plus bashed a season-high 18 hits against five Blue Wahoos pitchers. The M-Braves won their fourth consecutive game.
The Blue Wahoos will now try to shake this slide at home Monday when beginning a five-game series against the Mobile BayBears.
It will be the BayBears final appearance in Pensacola as a franchise. The team will relocate in 2020 to Madison, Ala., just outside of Huntsville, changing into the Rocket City Trash Pandas.
The M-Braves launched their offense Sunday without a home run and only two extra-base hits among the 18 they produced. Six of the batters in the lineup had multiple hits, led by catcher William Contreras, who went 4-for-5 with three RBI in the first 4-hit day of his Double-A career.
Earlier in Sunday's game, however, it was the Blue Wahoos with a busy day at the plate. In the first inning, Alex Kirilloff single, then went to second after Trevor Larnach was hit by a pitch from Wentz.
Lewin Diaz followed with an RBI single. Caleb Hamilton hit a sacrifice fly to score Larnach. After a wild pitch sent Diaz to second, Mark Contreras lined out to first base to end the inning.
In the top of the third, Larnach blasted his first Double-A home run on a deep shot over the center field wall, giving the Blue Wahoos a 3-0 lead.
The good vibe changed when four of the first five M-Braves batters reached base in the bottom of the third. Alejandro Salazar started the rally with a lead off triple, then scored on Ray-Patrick Didder's single.
Drew Waters following a one-out single to score Didder. After Ryan Casteel walked and Contreras made his only out in the game on a fly out, Alcala (5-7, 6.36 ERA) was lifted for Anthony Vizcaya.
He was promptly greeted by two consecutive RBI singles and a walk to drive in two runs. Salazar came back around to bat and laced a hard liner that Larnach caught in right field to end the inning.
The score stayed 4-3 in the M-Braves favor until they scored a run in the sixth. Contreras' RBI single provided a 5-3 lead. In the seventh, the M-Braves forced the Blue Wahoos to use two relievers in the inning, as they scored three more runs.
The Blue Wahoos were held to five hits, one walk by Wentz (5-7, 4.26 ERA), who struck out five.
Kirriloff went 2-for-4 to boost his average to .281 and was the only Blue Wahoos batter with multiple hits.
The Blue Wahoos will begin the homestand with Mobile with a Military Monday. The team honors area military heroes during the game. It is also a Giveback Monday with local non-profit agencies raising money for their charitable causes.
Their game against the Mississippi Braves in Pearl, Miss. was wiped out by heavy rain in the area throughout the day. Officials made the decision to postpone before the scheduled 6:05 p.m. start, after persistent rain created unplayable conditions.
The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Aug. 19 when the Blue Wahoos return to Mississippi for a final series between the teams that week.
On Sunday, the Blue Wahoos will face the M-Braves at 5:05 p.m. in this series' finale. They will return to Pensacola following the game to begin a five-game homestand Monday against the Mobile BayBears.
It will mark the final time the Mobile BayBears will visit Pensacola as a franchise. The team is transferring to Madison, Ala., located near Huntsville, next season and will be known as the Rocket City Trash Pandas.
Jorge Alcala is scheduled to make his start on Sunday for the Blue Wahoos against Joey Wentz. The Blue Wahoos will try and end a five-game losing streak, which has been part of 12 losses in the past 14 games.
Images from this story
 Alex Kirilloff of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos |
• Discuss this story on the Southern League message board...
Southern League Stories from July 22, 2019
- Barons Can't Solve Wood in Loss to Lookouts - Birmingham Barons
- Streak Ends at Fourteen - Chattanooga Lookouts
- Slim Lead Holds as Shuckers Top Jumbo Shrimp - Biloxi Shuckers
- Jacksonville Suffers Narrow Defeat in Series Opener - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Generals and M-Braves Rained out on Monday - Jackson Generals
- Monday's Series Opener in Jackson, TN Rained Out - Mississippi Braves
- Biscuits and Smokies Postponed - Montgomery Biscuits
- Smokies and Biscuits Series Opener Postponed - Knoxville Smokies
- Creasy, Hoekstra Join M-Braves, Aro to IL, Santiago Released - Mississippi Braves
- Generals Gameday: July 22 vs. Mississippi - Jackson Generals
- Contreras, Davidson Named Farm Bureau Players of the Week - Mississippi Braves
- Stone Garrett Named Southern League Player of the Week - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Trey Supak Named Southern League Pitcher of the Week - Biloxi Shuckers
- Southern League Weekly Award Winners Announced for July 15-21 - SL1
- Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp: Game Notes, July 22 vs. Biloxi - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Early Lead Doesn't Hold for Blue Wahoos - 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.
