Blue Wahoos Top Tennesee 6-1

August 3, 2012

Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Wirfin Obispo struck out a career-high ten batters and gave up just two hits, while third baseman David Vidal homered and shortstop Billy Hamilton stole two more bases as Pensacola topped the Tennessee Smokies 6-1 on Thursday night at Smokies Park in Kodak, Tennessee.

The victory snapped Pensacola’s four-game losing streak and improved their second half record to 21-19, while Tennessee fell to 19-21 since the All-Star Break. The win also ended the Smokies’ hopes of sweeping the five-game series.

Obispo (6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 SO) retired each of the first ten batters he faced and gave up the lone earned run on just two hits, along with just one walk. It was the first time the right-hander had last six innings, as he improved to 3-0 on the year.

The bullpen duo of Wilkin De La Rosa and Justin Freeman shut down the Smokies the rest of the way by combining for the final three perfect frames. De La Rosa (1.1 IP, 2 SO) received his fourth hold of 2012, while Freeman (1.2 IP, 2 SO) notched his 12th save.

The Blue Wahoos got the scoring started in the opening frame, plating two tallies. Hamilton began the inning with a walk before swiping both second and third to increase his total to 119 this year, moving him to within 26 of Vince Coleman’s single-season record of 145 set in 1983. Hamilton came home on RF Josh Fellhauer’s RBI double to left, while Fellhauer later came home when 1B Beau Mills reached on an error.

Pensacola then added an additional score in the third to extend the margin to 3-0. CF Bryson Smith reached on a base knock, subsequently stole second and took third on LF Donald Lutz’s single, before Vidal brought home Smith with a single to left.

The two clubs would then trade solo shots, with the Smokies getting on the board with a longball from 2B Logan Watkins, his fifth of the year. Vidal would then push Pensacola’s advantage back to three with a solo blast to left, his sixth roundtripper of the year.

Two insurance runs would then come plateward in the final frame for the Fish. 2B Miguel Rojas led off with a single, before Hamilton’s free pass and Fellhauer’s bunt single loaded the bases for Smith. The center fielder would drive in both Rojas and Hamilton with his two-run single into center, making it 6-1.

Vidal (2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI) and Fellhauer (2-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI) each recorded multi-hit efforts in the victory for the Blue Wahoos, while Watkins collected the only two hits for Tennessee in the defeat. In total, Pensacola stole a total of four bases, one shy of their single-game season-high.

Tennessee starter Jake Brigham (3.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO) suffered the loss in his Smokies debut after giving up three runs, two of which were earned on five hits in his three innings of work. RHP Zach Rosscup (5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO) fired five frames in relief, yielding a lone earned run on just two hits.

The Fish will now head to Huntsville to finish their 10-game road trip with a five-game series against the Huntsville Stars, the Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. RHP Chad Rogers, who was promoted from High-A Bakersfield earlier on Thursday is scheduled to make his Double-A debut for Pensacola, while RHP Johnnie Lowe is expected to get the nod for the Stars. First pitch is scheduled for 6:43 p.m. in Huntsville.

By Andrew Green

Pictured: Wirfin Obispo struck out a career-high 10 in his six innings on Thursday night for the Wahoos. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

Comments are closed.

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