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Braves Beat Blue Wahoos 5-2
May 24, 2012
Mississippi shortstop Andrelton Simmons recorded four hits including a two-run home run, while starting pitcher Zeke Spruill held the Pensacola offense to two runs on three hits as the Braves defeated the Blue Wahoos 5-2 on Wednesday night in front of another sellout crowd at Pensacola’s Bayfront Stadium.
The victory gives Mississippi a 1-0 lead in the series, and improves their record to 20-25 on the year, as Pensacola fell to 22-24 this year. It was the 14th sellout crowd to take in a Blue Wahoos game in their 20th opening.
Simmons (4-4, 1 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI) got the scoring started in the third inning with his first longball of the season, a two-run shot that gave the Braves the early 2-0 advantage. From there he would add two doubles after tallying a single in his first at bat of the contest, falling a triple shy of the cycle. C Christian Bethancourt (2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI) was the only other hitter for either side to record a multi-hit effort in the contest.
The Blue Wahoos were held without a baserunner until the fifth, when they plated two runs to even the contest at 2-2. LF Yordanys Perez began the frame with a single before scoring on 3B David Vidal’s RBI triple to cut the deficit in half. Vidal would subsequently score on 1B Stephen Hunt’s sacrifice fly to left to bring the game back to a draw.
Mississippi however, countered in the following frame with a trio of tallies. 2B Phil Gosselin got the rally started with a single, and would come across on 1B Ian Gac’s run-scoring double, while back-to-back RBI base knocks from Bethancourt and LF Alden Carrithers added a pair of insurance runs for the Braves.
Spruill (7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 7 SO) earned the win to improve to 4-4 in 2012 after allowing just two earned runs on only three hits, in addition to seven strikeouts in his seven innings of work. Relievers Cory Rasmus (1.0 IP, 2 SO) and Mark Lamm (1.0 IP, 1 BB, 1 SO) then tossed the final two hitless innings in support of Spruill, with Rasmus notching his third hold and Lamm his fifth save.
Pensacola starter Tim Gustafson (5.2 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO) suffered the loss after yielding five earned runs on eight hits in 5.2 frames. Relief pitchers Wilkin De La Rosa (0.1 IP, 1 H), Chris Manno (2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 SO) and Mark Serrano (1.0 IP, 1 BB) combined to pitch the final 3.1 scoreless innings.
The Blue Wahoos and Braves will face off again tomorrow night, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 pm from the bayfront stadium. RHP J.C. Sulbaran is expected to take the hill for Pensacola, while Mississippi is slated to counter with RHP Gary Moran.
By Andrew Green
Pictured: David Vidal had an RBI triple in the Blue Wahoos’ 5-2 loss Wednesday night. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
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