SL1 Pensacola Blue Wahoos

Pensacola Takes Opener against Montgomery, 4-2

July 10, 2014 - Southern League (SL1)
Pensacola Blue Wahoos News Release


PENSACOLA, Fla. - Daniel Corcino put what the reigning WWE Tag Team Champion Uso Brothers would call "the kibosh" on the Montgomery Biscuits Thursday night.

In front of a sellout crowd and twin brothers Jimmy and Jey, who graduated from Escambia High School, Corcino clamped down on the Biscuits in the, 4-2, Pensacola victory in the series opener.

Corcino allowed just one run on a solo home run to Alejandro Segovia in the second inning and struck out seven to up his record to 8-7. It was Corcino's ninth start this season that he has pitched six innings or more and allowed one run or fewer.

He said that meeting the dominating Uso Brothers, who threw out the game's ceremonial first pitch, pumped him up before the game. Corcino said he has loved wrestling since he was a little boy watching it on TV in the Dominican Republic.

"I love that sport. It's one of my favorites," Corcino said. "I met them and they asked, 'Who's going to teach me to pitch?' I said, 'I'll teach you, if you teach me how to wrestle in the ring.'"

Corcino came into his 18th start of the season having struggled in his past five games. He was 1-3 with 19 strikeouts and 18 walks in 23.1 innings for a 9.26 ERA.

Corcino, who is the Cincinnati Reds' No. 10 prospect according to MLB.com, said he considered those outings ancient history. Plus, the 23-year-old is now unbeaten, 4-0, against the Biscuits, including 3-0, this season.

"If you have a bad game you just forget about it," said Corcino, who walked only one batter. "I threw the ball at the plate and said, 'Let's see what happens?' My last few starts I've been a little wild."

The difference Thursday was command of his fastballs in the 90s and getting ahead in the count on the hitters, said Wahoos manager Delino DeShields.

"When he pitches like that we have a chance to win games," DeShields said. "When you look at his side work and his pitching in the bullpen before the game, everything's working. It's just being able to do it at 6:30 p.m. It was a great job by him tonight."

GAME NOTES

The second game of the five-game series with Tampa Bay Rays Double-A affiliate the Montgomery Biscuits gets underway at 6:30 p.m. Friday. RHP Jon Moscot (4-8, 3.19) takes the mound for the Wahoos and is scheduled to be opposed by the Biscuits RHP Albert Suarez (1-0, 1.50). It's Beach Towel Giveaway night and the first 2,000 fans will receive a Blue Wahoos beach towel courtesy of Florida Blue.

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

BIG FISH Wahoos second baseman Ryan Wright went 2-3 scored the game's first run, knocked in a run and stole two bases...Rightfielder Yorman Rodriguez went 2-4 and scored once...Centerfielder Josh Fellhauer went 2-4 with a triple, scored a run and had an RBI...Shortstop Devein Lohman was 2-3 with one run scored...first baseman Travis Mattair went 1-4 with his double driving in a run...Relief pitcher Shane Dyer got his team-leading eighth save in the victory.

SITTON TO THROW OUT FIRST PITCH Super Bowl champion Josh Sitton will be on hand the throw out a ceremonial first pitch on Monday. Sitton, a Catholic High graduate, is the starting offensive lineman for the Green Bay Packers. He played in his first Pro Bowl in 2013.

WAHOOS REACH 200K The Pensacola Blue Wahoos surpassed the 200,000 fan mark for the third straight season in just its 46th home game of the season. An announced sellout crowd of 5,038 to put the season total at 204,963. It was the Wahoos' 27th sellout this season.

Only two other Southern League teams - Birmingham Barons and the Jacksonville Suns - have drawn 200,000-plus in three seasons since 2012.

WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS The Uso Brothers, the reigning WWE Tag Team Champions, were awed Thursday to be standing on the field of Pensacola Bayfront Stadium for the first time to throw out the game's first pitch. The twin brother duo of Jimmy and Jey left Pensacola to pursue their professional wrestling dreams and have been traveling the world, while the stadium was being built. "When we left it was not up," said Jimmy. "We're happy be back in 850."

The 28-year-old champs, who earned their title for the first time March 3, say after playing football at Escambia High School and University of West Alabama they decided to get into the Samoan family business-wrestling. Their father, known as Rikishi, was a professional wrestler, as well as uncles and cousins, including The Rock. "We have a family lineage and felt we had to do it for our family."

You can see the Uso Brothers, who have absolutely dominated the tag team division, at the WWE Summerslam Heatwave Tour event at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 18 at the Pensacola Bay Center. They're wrestling rivals The Wyatt Family's Luke Harper and Erick Rowan.

LOUISVILLE DEBUTS When catcher Chris Berset started for the Louisville Bats Thursday, he became the seventh former Pensacola Blue Wahoos player to make his Triple-A debut there this season. Yet to make his Triple-A debut at Louisville is relief pitcher Carlos Contreras, who parent club Cincinnati Reds sent down Thursday, despite an effective stint in the major leagues this year, giving up just one earned run in 4.1 innings of work.

The other Wahoos to debut in Triple-A at Louisville are: Josh Smith (April 5); Tucker Barnhart (April 10); Donald Lutz (May 17); Juan Silverio (June 17); Steve Selsky (June 18); Mikey O'Brien (July 8); and Berset.

ALL-STAR FUTURES The Blue Wahoos are the only team in the league with multiple players in the 16th annual SiriusXM All-Star Futures game. Right-handed pitcher Robert Stephenson and outfielder Jesse Winker have both been selected to play for the U.S. Team in this year's annual event held in conjunction with the Major League All-Star Game.

The showcase between prospects on the U.S. and World Teams is scheduled at 4 p.m. Sunday, July 13 at Target Field, as part of Taco Bell All-Star Sunday. The game can be seen live on television on MLB Network and MLB.com.

Stephenson, 21, is 4-6 with a 3.97 ERA with the Wahoos this season, and is second in the league in strikeouts with 93. Meanwhile, Winker, 20, joined the Blue Wahoos following the Southern League All-Star break from High-A Bakersfield and has 2 home runs and 8 RBI in 19 games. Stephenson is the Cincinatti Reds No. 1 prospect and Winker is the organization's No. 4 prospect.

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