SL1 Pensacola Blue Wahoos

Wahoos Stun M-Braves for Seventh Straight Win

June 30, 2018 - Southern League (SL1)
Pensacola Blue Wahoos News Release


PENSACOLA, Fla. - The Blue Wahoos rallied from behind with two runs in the eighth inning to beat the Mississippi Braves 2-1 for their seventh straight win in front of a capacity crowd Saturday night and Blue Wahoos Stadium. It was the second consecutive game the Wahoos scored the tying and go-ahead runs in the eighth inning or later.

With the Wahoos trailing 1-0 in the eighth, Brian O'Grady hit a game-tying pinch-hit home run off Kelvin Vazquez (L, 3-1) to tie the game at 1-1. T.J. Friedl followed with a single, and after a stolen base came around to score on Mitch Nay's double to left-center. Alex Powers (S, 8) entered the ninth and after a leadoff single from Alay Lago, the Wahoos closer carved up the next three M-Braves to secure Pensacola's seventh consecutive victory.

Saturday's game was a pitching masterclass headlined by Touki Toussaint and Blue Wahoos starter Seth Varner. Toussaint was perfect through four innings before plunking Mitch Nay with a curveball to open the fifth inning. Two batters later Narciso Crook notched the Wahoos first hit with a single to right field to put runners at first and second with only one out. However, Crook was picked off by the catcher Alex Jackson and Taylor Sparks flew out to the warning track in center to end the threat. The Wahoos other threat against Toussaint came in the sixth when Pensacola loaded the bases thanks to three Toussaint walks. Nay came to the plate with two outs and Toussaint struck him out for his 11th strikeout of the night, which tied his career high.

Varner, though not as good as Toussaint, was still brilliant on the mound. The southpaw scattered one run and five hits over his six innings. He ran into trouble in the second inning when Alex Jackson led off the frame with a double and scored on Alay Lago's RBI single. Varner kept his composure and retired the next three M-Braves in order to keep the score at 1-0. The Cincinnati-native allowed two hits over his final four innings and struck out eight, which was one shy of his season high.

Carlos Navas (W, 3-0) replaced Varner in the seventh and after allowing a leadoff single to Brandon Downes struck out the side in order. The eighth was the exact same as Navas struck out the side after a leadoff double, this time from Luis Valenzuela.

The series rolls along Sunday when RHP Vladimir Gutierrez (4-8, 5.33) duels against RHP Enderson Franco (2-5, 3.68). First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. CT and can be heard on the radio at 97.1 The Ticket/1490 AM Milton, and www.bluewahoos.com, while television coverage is presented by BlabTV.

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Southern League Stories from June 30, 2018


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