Smeltzer Fires Five Shutout in 8-3 Win over Jackson
April 28, 2019 - Southern League (SL1)
Pensacola Blue Wahoos News Release
The Blue Wahoos captured their fifth series win in a row to start the season with a convincing 8-3 victory over the Jackson Generals Sunday afternoon at the Ballpark at Jackson.
Devin Smeltzer (W, 3-1) continued to impress as a starter with five shutout innings in which the southpaw yielded only four base runners across his five innings. The only time a runner reached scoring position was on a fly ball into right field that was mishandled by Jaylin Davis and resulted in a triple for Jackson's Ben DeLuzio. Smeltzer made quick work of the next batter, Galli Cribbs, and escaped the fifth with the General still off the board.
Jackson starter Sam Lewis (L, 1-2) was cruising the game's first four innings but labored in the fifth. After a pair of walks and a single, Luis Arraez hit what looked like a potential inning-ending double play to the shortstop Andy Young. However, Young misplayed it for his second error of the season, which resulted in the Wahoos taking a 1-0 lead. The Wahoos would capitalize on another mistake on a passed ball from Domini Miroglio in the same inning to double their advantage.
Pensacola added three more runs in the sixth inning thanks to four hits off Ryan Atkinson. When the dust settled, the Wahoos had sent eight men to the plate and led 5-0.
Adam Bray replaced Smeltzer in the sixth and provided quality relief despite a small hiccup in his first inning of work. After retiring the first two batters he faced, he walked Jamie Westbrook before surrendering a two-run home run to Daulton Varsho, which cut Jackson's deficit down to 5-2.
Pensacola would put the game away in the eighth when they scored three more runs against former big leaguer Damien Magnifico. The former Milwaukee Brewer struggled mightily with his command, walking three batters in the eighth and allowing a two-run homer to Taylor Grzelakowski, which was his first career Double-A round-tripper. Caleb Hamilton finished the game with a pair of RBIs, and eight of the nine Wahoos in the lineup reached base safely at least once.
For the first time in franchise history, the Blue Wahoos have opened a season by winning each of the first five series out of the gate. They will try to make it four out of five wins against the defending Southern League champions tomorrow morning when they send RHP Griffin Jax (1-0, 0.41) against RHP Matt Peacock (1-1, 1.76). First pitch is schedule for 11:05 a.m. and immediately after the game the Wahoos will return to Pensacola, prior to a day off on Tuesday.
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Southern League Stories from April 28, 2019
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- Smeltzer Fires Five Shutout in 8-3 Win over Jackson - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
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- Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp: Game Notes, April 28 vs. Tennessee - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Booker Earns Promotion; Barons Set to Receive Basabe from Kannapolis - Birmingham Barons
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