SL1 Pensacola Blue Wahoos

Mobile Knocks Two Homers in Sixth Inning in Victory

August 12, 2014 - Southern League (SL1)
Pensacola Blue Wahoos News Release


PENSACOLA, Fla. - Mobile BayBears hitters showed two-time U.S. Master's champion Bubba Watson - one of the longest drivers off the tee on the PGA Tour - how to drive a baseball.

While Watson took a few big cuts in the batting cage before the game, it was Mobile that relied on the long ball to defeat Southern League rival Pensacola, 6-1, in the opener of the five-game series at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.

The BayBears knocked two homers over the wall in left field and into the bay in the sixth inning for three runs to take a commanding, 5-1, lead.

Corcino entered the game with a 9-2 record at home with a 2.52 earned-run average. But Mobile knocked him out of the game in the sixth with a lead off home run by third baseman Brandon Drury just inside the foul pole. After right fielder Dustin Martin followed with a single, second baseman Gerson Montilla hit a two-run shot.

Mobile starting pitcher Braden Shipley earned his first professional hit when he smacked a solo home run over the left field wall in the third inning off Corcino to put the BayBears ahead, 2-0. Corcino gave up five runs and six hits in five-plus innings, however, he struck out seven, including five in a row. Shipley allowed just one run on three hits in four innings and struck out five.

The BayBears, winners of the first half of the Southern League South Division, have the best record in the second half, too. They are 30-19 and 72-46 overall. In the final series with Pensacola (20-31, 51-70), Mobile leads nine games to seven.

After Mobile added a run in the seventh, Drew Hayes took the mound and stopped Mobile from scoring any more. He faced the minimum eight batters in the final 2.2 innings. He fanned three batters.

The Wahoos were only able to push across one run Tuesday and missed having catcher Ross Perez in the middle of the lineup, Manager Delino DeShields said. Perez, who was hitting a team-leading .333 on the season, got called up Tuesday to the Triple-A Louisville Bats.

"He earned the promotion," DeShields said. "I know he was happy. Personally, I hated to see him go, especially for our offense. But at the end of the day, it's all about the guys moving on and one day reaching the big leagues."

GAME NOTES

The second game of the five-game series with Arizona DiamondBacks Double-A affiliate the Mobile BayBears gets underway at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. RHP Jon Moscot (7-10, 3.14) takes the mound for the Wahoos and is scheduled to be opposed by the BayBears RHP Aaron Blair (3-1, 3.09). It's Hi-Chew Wednesday when fans can enjoy games, prizes and a postgame Kids Run the Bases presented by Hi-Chew.

Fans are encouraged to wear blue Wednesday for Blue Out for Prostate Cancer Awareness. Woodlands Medical Specialists will be onsite in the ballpark's First Aid room during the Blue Out game to provide free, Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) screenings for men age 45-69.

The game will be broadcast live on radio on ESPN Pensacola at 101.1 FM and 1450 AM. You can also stream the game at MILB.TV.

BIG FISH Wahoos left fielder Kyle Waldrop went 2-for-4 with a home run to the opposite field in the fourth inning for Pensacola's only run...Pitcher Daniel Corcino went 2-for-2 with two singles and raised his average to .222 on the year...First baseman Juan Silverio entered the game in the seventh inning and singled in his first at bat back from Triple-A Louisville.

PEREZ PROMOTED The Blue Wahoos' catcher Ross Perez, hitting .333 with four home runs and 48 RBI at Pensacola, has been promoted to the Triple-A Louisville Bats to make his debut at that level. Perez put together a 13-game hitting streak, which was the second longest hitting streak in the team's three-year history. Over the streak, Perez hit .449 (22-for-49) with one homer and 13 RBI. Perez had 6 RBI against Mobile on June 13 to set a Blue Wahoos record.

The Wahoos received catcher Yovan Gonzalez from High-A Bakersfield to replace Perez. Gonzalez hit .242 with one home run and 22 RBI for the Blaze.

Third baseman Juan Silverio returns to the Wahoos after appearing in 31 games with Louisville since the Southern League All-Star break. In Silverio's Triple-A debut, he hit .247 with the Bats with one home run and five RBI. In a corresponding move, infielder Ray Chang has been placed on the disabled list.

AVIATORS HONORED Fans stood and gave former U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aviators a standing ovation as they took the field during the introductions of the Blue Wahoos players. The special guests attended the opener of Pensacola's five-game series with the Mobile BayBears to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Naval Air Station Pensacola, known as the Cradle of Aviation.

The men who were honored Tuesday were: former Lt. Col. Jack Pippa, former Lt. Lou Plotz, former Chief Warrant Officer Tom Phelps, former Col. Dick Rodriguez, former Capt. Dave Lorenzo, former Cmdr. Rich White, former Lt. Col. Terry Bryan, former Col. Curt Lawson and former Capt. Chuck Tinker. All flew in combat missions in the Korea and Vietnam wars and many earned distinguished air medals for their service.

BUBBA WATSON RETURNS Two-time U.S. Master's champion Bubba Watson, who grew up in the nearby Milton, Fla., area, took batting practice and signed autographs at Tuesday's Blue Wahoos game. Watson, one of the longest drivers on the PGA tour, didn't crush any baseballs out of the ballpark but the lefty was a hit with fans, signing hundreds of autographs, including cell phone cases and forearms, over nearly two innings. He also posed for photos. And in the sixth inning, the Pensacola ground crew did their dance to one of Watson's songs as the video played on the big screen.

Watson said he enjoyed BP with the players but don't expect him to switch careers. "No, we're too good at golf, right now," Watson said. "I got to see how good these guys really are. When you watch from the stands, you don't see how fast the game is moving."

In his third visit to Pensacola Bayfront Stadium as a guest, Watson said the waterfront ballpark never gets old and he often shows up with family and friends. "This is a special place. It has a family atmosphere and a fun atmosphere."

Check out the Pensacola Blue Wahoos Statistics



Southern League Stories from August 12, 2014


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