Wahoos Get Comeback Victory Over the Mississippi Braves

May 28, 2012

Pensacola center fielder Andrew Means launched a three-run home run in the eighth inning to lead the Blue Wahoos to a 7-5 comeback victory over the Mississippi Braves, as the Fish sold out all five games of their homestand, including their 18th capacity crowd of the year on Sunday afternoon at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.

The Braves won the series 3-2, having clinched on Saturday evening, though they fell to 22-27 with the loss Sunday. The Blue Wahoos improved their season mark to 24-26 with the win. The sellout crowd was the 18th of the year in 24 home openings this year.

After entering the eighth down 5-3, RF Josh Fellhauer led off the frame with a double and subsequently scored on 1B Joel Guzman’s RBI single to narrow the deficit to one. 3B David Vidal would then single to set the stage for Means, who rocketed an 0-1 pitch over the left field wall to complete the comeback.

Mississippi got off to an early 3-0 lead after three frames thanks to a two-run double from RF Cory Harrilchack in the second, while the third tally came across when C Matt Kennelly was hit by a pitch in the next inning. The Braves added single tallies in the seventh, courtesy of Kennelly’s RBI base knock, while SS Andrelton Simmons belted his third longball of the season and the series in the eighth.

Pensacola got their first two runs in the fifth, when C Mark Fleury drew a bases-loaded walk and 2B Brodie Greene was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The Blue Wahoos also got a run in the seventh when SS Didi Gregorius tripled to bring home Means, who singled earlier in the frame.

Means (3-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI) was the lone Blue Wahoos batter to record a multi-hit effort in the contest with his three base knocks, while Simmons (2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB) and 3B Joe Leonard (2-3, 2 R, 2 BB) each collected a pair of hits for the Braves.

Pensacola reliever Mark Serrano (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 SO) earned his fourth victory of the year after yielding a run on a hit in one frame, while closer Donnie Joseph (1.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 SO) notched his Southern League leading 12th save with a hitless ninth, fanning two. Blue Wahoos RHP Drew Hayes (2.1 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 2 SO) had a strong outing, firing 2.1 scoreless innings in relief. Mississippi RHP Cory Rasmus (1.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 SO) suffered the loss to fall to 1-1 after allowing four runs on four hits in the eighth.

The Blue Wahoos will now travel to Jackson, Tennessee for a five-game series with the Generals, the Double-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, with the series opener on Monday with first pitch set for 7:05 pm. The Fish are scheduled to send RHP Tim Gustafson to the mound, while Jackson is expected to give the ball to LHP Danny Hultzen.

By Andrew Green

Pictured: Closer Donnie Joseph notched his Southern League leading 12th save Sunday. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News, Sports, TOP sports