SL1 Pensacola Blue Wahoos

Pensacola Opens Second Half of Season with 7-2 Win

June 19, 2014 - Southern League (SL1)
Pensacola Blue Wahoos News Release


PENSACOLA, Fla. - The Pensacola Blue Wahoos started the second half of the Southern League season with four new faces in the starting lineup.

In fact, those four - second baseman Ryan Wright, left fielder Jesse Winker, third baseman Seth Mejias-Brean, and right fielder Kyle Waldrop - all made their Double-A debuts Thursday night in Pensacola's 7-2 victory in front of the team's 21st sellout in 36 home games.

Delino DeShields was cautiously optimistic how they would handle the jump from High-A Bakersfield Blaze where they hit like a Murderers' Row.

"As far as expectations, I have none," DeShields said before the game. "They all played well in Bakersfield. But I know how difficult this league is. We will find out who can really play."

In the first inning, the newcomers got off to a blazing start. Wright, Winker and Mejias-Brean loaded the bases and all scored on catcher Ross Perez's double that rolled to the fence in right center field, giving Pensacola a 3-0 lead. Perez, who added a solo homer in the eighth inning, has hit in 11 of his last 12 games at a .444 clip and leads the team in hitting with men on base at .368.

Then Waldrop, who led Bakersfield and the California League with a .359 average, singled to right field to knock in Perez, putting Pensacola ahead, 4-0. Waldrop has a hit in his last 14 games and is hitting .466. The Wahoos led 5-0 after the first inning.

Their excitement was contagious with most of the players standing and leaning on the rail in the dugout to watch the game. The Wahoos called up seven players total from Bakersfield, which won its division in the first half. Pensacola finished last in its division with a 31-39 record in the first half.

"Who really cares what happened in the first half," Perez said. "It's really exciting to have all these new guys in here and they're really excited to move up. The team's looking different and I think we'll have a real good second half."

Winker admitted he was "very pumped up" about his debut, especially with his family traveling from Orlando for the series. Winker, the Cincinnati Reds 2012 first round pick and No. 3 prospect, walked twice and scored a run. With his addition, Pensacola now boasts four of the top five and six of the top 10 Cincinnati prospects on their roster.

"I'm just going to come out and play hard and hopefully help the Wahoos make the playoffs," Winker said. "I want to work hard, play hard every day and just win."

Wahoos reliever Carlos Contreras, who hasn't given up a run in five appearances after pitching a scoreless ninth inning, said he likes the lineup changes.

"It's awesome," he said. "We have all these prospects on one team playing together. I hope we're all playing together in the big leagues very soon. I think now we're going to do very good in the second half. I think we're the best team in the Southern League."

Reliever Carlos Gonzalez also appeared in his first Double-A game, pitching the eighth inning. Gonzalez, who earned 15 saves and had a 0.57 ERA for Bakersfield, allowed one hit and struck out one.

GAME NOTES

The second game of a five-game series with Milwaukee Brewers Double-A affiliate the Huntsville Stars gets underway at 6:30 p.m. Friday. RHP Jon Moscot (4-5, 2.56) is set to start for the Wahoos and is scheduled to be opposed by the Stars LHP Jed Bradley (0-2, 5.14). The first 2,000 fans will receive a Blue Wahoos drawstring bag courtesy of Woodlands Medical Specialists. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN Pensacola at 101.1 FM and 1450 AM. Cox Sports Television (CST) will televise Friday's game on channel 319 on Cox Cable.

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Gulf Coast Chevy Dealers will host the Chevy Youth Baseball Instructional Clinic. The complimentary baseball camp runs from 10 a.m. to noon Friday, with registration beginning at 9 a.m. Blue Wahoos players and coaches will lead the sessions.

The Wahoos scored five runs or more, so use promo code WAHOOS at Papa.Johns.com for 50% off your entire order.

BIG FISH

Wahoos catcher Ross Perez was 2-4 with a home run and 4 RBI. He now has 16 RBI in his last 10 games...third baseman Seth Mejias-Brean was 1-2 with two walks and scored a run...Starting pitcher Daniel Corcino improved his record to 7-5. He allowed just two runs in six innings and struck out two.

PMA DISCOUNT

Every Blue Wahoos fan who attends the Saturday, June 21 game can earn a discount at the Pensacola Museum of Art, if they bring that Wahoos ticket to the museum. The PMA discount is good from Sunday, June 22 to Saturday, June 28. Currently, the museum features LEGO® brick artist, Nathan Sawaya, and his creations. Sawaya will throw the game's first pitch with a LEGO brick baseball at Saturday's game.

WHAT'S COOKIN'

Celebrate the Milwaukee Brewers affiliate, the Huntsville Stars, with the Brew Crew Pale Ale Brat. A cousin of the famous Blue Wahoos hot dog, this Kayem Bratwurst is cooked in Pale Ale before being finished on the grill and dressed with roasted onions and peppers. Served with a choice of chips on a souvenir frisbee for $8, fans can find this Wisconsin specialty at both concession stands and the Grill Carts in right and left field.

Check out the Pensacola Blue Wahoos Statistics



Southern League Stories from June 19, 2014


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