Cingrani Leads Pensacola Wahoos To 2-0 Shutout Win

July 3, 2012

Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Tony Cingrani gave up just two hits and struck out nine in 6.2 scoreless frames, while reliever Justin Freeman fired 2.1 perfect innings in relief to lead Pensacola to a 2-0 shutout win over the Jacksonville Suns on Monday night at The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.

The win for the Fish even the series at 1-1 to set up a rubber match on Tuesday night and improved their record in the second half to 7-5. The Suns fell to 5-7 since the All-Star Break.

After being named the Southern League’s Pitcher of the Week for the week ending on July 1, Cingrani (6.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 9 SO) kept the Jacksonville bats in check and allowed just the two hits while striking out nine. The victory improved the southpaw to a 3-1 record with the Blue Wahoos this year.

The left-hander had been recognized by the league earlier in the day for his 15 strikeout performance in his previous outing on June 27 versus Jackson. Cingrani did not give up a tally in that contest as well, meaning he has not given up a run in his last 14.2 innings of work.

Freeman (2.1 IP, 4 SO) came on in the seventh in support of Cingrani and finished off the Suns in firing the last two plus innings for his fifth save of the year. The righty added four punchouts of his own to help extend the club’s lead in the Southern League in strikeouts. Entering tonight, only the Visalia Rawhide of the California League had tallied more strikeouts overall this season than Pensacola’s total of 720.

Jacksonville relief pitcher Alan Oaks (3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO) suffered the loss after giving up the Blue Wahoos’ two runs on three hits in his three innings of work. RHP A.J. Ramos (2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 SO) tossed the final two innings for the Suns and allowed just one hit while striking out two.

Both teams were held quiet until the sixth when Pensacola got the only runs they would need. Cingrani helped his own cause by beginning the inning with a single to left and moved to second when 2B Brodie Greene was hit by a pitch before coming across on a run-scoring base knock from SS Didi Gregorius. Gregorius would subsequently score in the frame thanks to an infield base hit by C Brian Peacock.

Peacock has now recorded a hit 12 of his last 13 games with the Blue Wahoos dating back to April 29, with that span including a pair of stints with the Louisville Bats. During that period, the backstop has hit .340 (16-47) with five runs and six RBI.

By Andrew Green

Pictured: Tony Cingrani struck out nine & yielded just two hits in the Wahoos’ 2-0 win. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

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