Blue Wahoos Topple Lookouts 7-3 To Take Series

August 13, 2012

Blue Wahoos shortstop Billy Hamilton collected three hits, drove home three runs and stole three bases, while Brodie Greene and Bryson Smith recorded multi-hit efforts and starting pitcher Wirfin Obispo fired six strong innings as Pensacola topped the Chattanooga Lookouts 7-3 on Sunday afternoon at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.

The victory gave the Fish a 3-2 series win over the Lookouts, and improved their record to 26-24 in the second half to remain within two games of Jacksonville and Montgomery for the South Division lead, pending the final outcomes of their contests on Sunday evening. Chattanooga fell to 28-22 since the midpoint of the season with the defeat.

With his three thefts, Hamilton has now taken 139 bases this year and is now seven away from breaking Vince Coleman’s all-time single-season record of 145, which he set in 1983. Along with Hamilton (3-4, 2 R, 1 3B, 3 RBI, 1 BB), Smith (2-4, 1 RBI) and Greene (2-2, 2 R, 2 BB) also accumulated a multi-hit effort for Pensacola.

The Lookouts got on the board in the opening frame to snag an early 2-0 advantage. CF Anthony Jackson led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, before being sent in on 1B J.T. Wise’s run-scoring single to center. RF Brahiam Maldonado would then mash a solo blast to left later in the inning, his sixth of the year, to push the margin to two.

Pensacola however, would plate two tallies in the third, fourth and six frames to take a four-run lead. Hamilton walked, stole second and then third as part of a double steal with CF Ryan LaMarre, who also reached on a base-on-balls, before coming across on an RBI single off the bat of RF Bryson Smith. LaMarre later scored on 1B Beau Mills’ run-scoring base knock to left.

Hamilton would then bring home two runs in the fourth with a single to left, scoring Greene, who singled, and C Mark Fleury, who was hit by a pitch. The speedster would drive home Greene again in the sixth after Greene walked with a triple to center, before Hamilton was plated on LaMarre’s base hit to left, making it 6-2.

The two clubs would follow by swapping single scores in the seventh, with Pensacola keeping their four-run lead. Chattanooga SS Jake Lemmerman drew a leadoff free pass, got to second on a groundout and third on Luis Nunez’s single before coming home on Jackson’s RBI groundout. Mills was hit by a pitch while 3B David Vidal singled in the bottom of the frame, with both runners advancing a base on a groundout, before Mills scored on pinch hitter Tucker Barnhart’s run-scoring knock to left.

Obispo (6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO) earned his fourth consecutive victory after giving up just two earned runs on five hits while fanning five in six innings, while closer Justin Freeman (1.1 IP, 1 H) notched his 13th save for Pensacola. Lookouts starter Chris Reed (4.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO) suffered the loss to fall to 0-4 after yielding four earned runs on six hits in four innings of work.

Freeman extended his scoreless innings streak to 24.0 frames, tying LHP Tony Cingrani’s team-record. Freeman has not allowed a run in his last 19 appearances dating back to June 22.

Following an offday Monday, the Blue Wahoos will head to Mobile for a five-game series with the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Mobile BayBears. The next Blue Wahoos homestand begins on Sunday, August 19, with Pensacola hosting the Montgomery Biscuits, the Double-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays.

By Andrew Green

Wirfin Obispo earned his fourth straight win in the Wahoos’ 7-3 victory 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