Pensacola Rolls Past Mississippi

June 26, 2013

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos rallied from a 3-0 fifth-inning deficit, scoring seven unanswered runs over four straight at-bats in a 7-3 triumph over the Mississippi Braves on Tuesday night at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.

Pensacola won for the first time after trailing by three or more runs this season. Down 3-0 halfway through the game, the Wahoos started the comeback with a two-run double in the last of the fifth by Brodie Greene, cutting the Braves lead to one.

Travis Mattair provided the deciding blow in the contest for Pensacola, breaking out of a 0-for-16 skid in the sixth inning. With the Wahoos trailing 3-2, Yorman Rodriguez singled with one out in front of Mattair, who launched his team-leading ninth homer of the season to left-center field off Mississippi starter Michael Lee, putting Pensacola on top 4-3. Lee fell to 3-6 by allowing four runs on six hits in six frames for the Braves.

The Wahoos added two more runs in the last of the seventh inning against Major League rehabber Cristhian Martinez. Ryan LaMarre led off with a walk, stole second base, moved to third on a groundout and scored on a balk by Martinez to make it 5-3. Devin Lohman drove home Pensacola’s sixth run of the day with a two-out single scoring Greene.

In the eighth, Mattair led off with a single and came around on a LaMarre base knock to give Pensacola a four-run cushion. That was more than enough for Trevor Bell, who picked up his second save of the season by tossing the final two frames to shut the door on the Braves.

Wahoos starter Tim Crabbe retired the first 10 batters of the game before allowing a solo homer to Christian Bethancourt in the top of the fourth inning to give the Braves a 1-0 lead. An inning later, Mississippi had runners on second and third with one when Dan Brewer chopped a ball to Mattair at third. Mattair threw home to catcher Tucker Barnhart, who dropped the ball when he was run over by Barrett Kleinknecht. The ball trickled away allowing Kleinknecht and Mycal Jones to score, opening up a 3-0 lead.

Crabbe exited after five innings, not factoring in the decision. The right-hander allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits while striking out three. Josh Ravin (1-2) picked up the win for Pensacola out of the bullpen by firing two scoreless innings, facing the minimum six hitters in the sixth and seventh innings.

Winners of three in a row for only the second time all season, Pensacola looks for a season-long four-game winning streak and a series win against Mississippi on Wednesday night. Ryan Dennick (3-8, 3.23) will get the ball for the Wahoos against Braves southpaw Ian Thomas (3-4, 2.70). First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

story by Kevin Burke

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