Obispo Shines As Pensacola Beats Huntsville Stars 6-1

August 8, 2012

Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Wirfin Obispo earned his third straight win with seven shutout innings pitched, while catcher Tucker Barnhart and left fielder Donald Lutz each blasted homers to lead Pensacola to a 6-1 victory over the Huntsville Stars in the series finale on Tuesday night at Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville, Alabama.

With the win, the Fish improved their second half record to 23-22 to remain within two games of Jacksonville for first place in the South Division of the Southern League. The defeat dropped Huntsville to a 22-23 mark since the league’s All-Star break.

Obispo (7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 8 SO) was victorious for the third consecutive outing after yielding just four hits in his seven scoreless innings. Including tonight, the right-hander in his last three starts has accumulated a 1.50 ERA (3 ER in 18.0 IP) and struck out 25 while giving up just eight hits in that span.

Relievers Wilkin De La Rosa (0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 SO) and Curtis Partch (1.1 IP, 2 BB, 2 SO) joined forces to fire the final two frames in support of Obispo, holding the Stars to just one run. Huntsville starter Jimmy Nelson (5.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO) suffered the loss to fall to 1-2 on the year, while RHP R.J. Seidel (3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 SO) kept the Fish off the scoreboard in his three innings of relief for the Stars.

The Blue Wahoos got the game’s scoring started in the fourth, taking an early 1-0 lead. RF Josh Fellhauer drew a leadoff walk and then moved to third on a double to right from 1B Beau Mills, before coming across on a passed ball for the contest’s first score.

Pensacola would then power ahead to a 6-0 advantage in the next two frames to go up 6-0. 2B Brodie Greene began the fifth with a double, before Barnhart left the yard for his first homer at the Double-A level, which made it 3-0. Andrew Means and 3B David Vidal would then each reach on free passes in the next frame, before Lutz brought both in when he launched his third longball for the Blue Wahoos to right.

Huntsville plated their lone tally in the eighth to dash the Blue Wahoos’ shutout hopes. CF Josh Prince doubled to left and would move to third on a groundout, before coming across on 2B Scooter Gennett’s run-scoring single to center.

Greene (2-4, 1 R, 2 2B), Barnhart (2-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB) and CF Ryan LaMarre (2-5) each recorded multi-hit efforts for the Blue Wahoos in the victory, while Gennett (2-4, 1 RBI) collected two hits for the Stars. Greene continued his hot streak at the plate and has now compiled a .533 average (8-15) in his last four games after going hitless in his previous five contests.

The Fish now head back to Pensacola Bayfront Stadium for a five-game series with the Chattanooga Lookouts, the Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. First pitch of the series is set for Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m., with RHP Chad Rogers scheduled to get the nod for the Blue Wahoos, while the Lookouts are expected to counter with RHP Matt Magill.

Families Count will be holding a hygiene drive to benefit homeless veterans, and will be collecting new hygiene products such as soap, shaving cream, razors, deodorant and more at the main gate. It’s also Back to School Night at the bayfront stadium, with fans encouraged in addition to bring new school supplies to help “Cram the Van. All items will be donated to area families, while there will also be old fashioned carnival games set up around the concourse.

By Andrew Green

Pictured: Wirfin Obispo earned his third straight win Tuesday night for the Blue 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