Generals Top Wahoos 6-0

June 29, 2012

Jackson starting pitcher Anthony Fernandez fired his second complete game in as many starts at the Double-A level and gave up just two hits, while third baseman Nate Tenbrink and second baseman Stefen Romero each homered as the Generals topped the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 6-0 in front of a sellout crowd of 5,038 on Thursday night at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.

The Generals now own a 47-31 record this season, including a 5-3 mark in the second half, while the Fish have compiled a 38-39 clip, in addition to a 4-4 mark since the Southern League All-Star break. The capacity crowd was the 24th the Blue Wahoos have hosted in 2012 in their 37th home date.

The 22-year-old Fernandez (9.0 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 8 SO) improved to 2-0 in his second career Double-A start, fanning eight batters while yielding just two hits and a walk in his nine solid frames. After giving up a ground-rule double to SS Didi Gregorius in the first frame, the southpaw allowed just two base runners from that point until the ninth inning, when 3B Miguel Rojas reached on an infield hit.

The lefty totaled 97 pitches in his gem, with 70 of those offerings strikes. In his Generals debut on June 23 against Huntsville, the left-hander earned the win after allowing only a lone earned run on just four hits in his complete game effort against the Stars.

Pensacola starter Kyle Lotzkar (4.2 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 8 SO) suffered the defeat after surrendering six earned runs on seven hits, while punching out eight in 4.2 innings of work. Blue Wahoos relievers Drew Hayes (1.1 IP, 2 BB, 3 SO) and Wirfin Obispo (3.0 IP, 1 H, 2 SO) were strong in support of Lotzkar, combining to yield just one hit in the final 4.1 shutout frames.

The Generals got all the scoring they would need in the third thanks to the longball. After SS Gabriel Noriega was hit by a pitch, Tenbrink followed with his two-run blast to left, his second homer of the season and series. The infielder in the first game of the series accumulated four hits, including a roundtripper to right.

Jackson would tally four more insurance runs in the fifth partly thanks to a second homer. DH Joe Dunigan and C Ralph Henriquez began the frame with back-to-back singles prior to an RBI single, which plated Dunigan to raise the margin to 3-0. Romero then followed with a three-run big fly to left that struck the foul pole to move the Generals ahead 6-0.

Pettit (2-5, 1 R, 1 RBI) and Henriquez (2-4, 1 R) each collected two base knocks for Jackson in the contest, while no Blue Wahoos batters tallied a multi-hit effort. Pensacola C Brian Peacock did not record a hit in the contest, snapping his ten-game hit streak that dated back to April 25. The stretch was paused twice due to stints with Triple-A Louisville.

With the Generals leading the series 2-1, the two teams will meet again Friday night with first pitch scheduled for 7:00 pm. RHP Daniel Corcino is slated to take the mound for the Fish, while Jackson is expected to counter with RHP Brandon Maurer.

By Andrew Green

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