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Lively Makes Debut As Huntsville Beats Wahoos 6-2 To Take Series

The highly anticipated pitching debut of Gulf Breeze High School pitcher Ben Lively for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos finally took place in front of an electric sellout crowd on Monday night.

The crowd oohed and ahhed at his strikeouts. They loudly booed the home plate umpire on what looked like a full-count, third strike to Huntsville’s Nick Ramirez that would have ended the third inning with no runs, instead of two. And when Lively walked off the mound trailing Huntsville 3-0 with two outs in the third inning after striking out eight – a record for a Blue Wahoos pitcher in his debut – the hometown fans gave their hometown prospect a standing ovation.

In the end, however, the Huntsville Stars captured the five-game series to open the second half of the season, 3-2, with a 6-2 victory.

The 22-year-old Lively was making a regular start for the first time in 16 days. Before getting called up to Pensacola from High-A Bakersfield with seven other players, Lively did throw the first two innings in the California League vs. Carolina League All-Star game, where he struck out two and got the win.

Despite the pressure and long layoff, he allowed only five of the 19 batters he faced to put the ball in play. However, he walked a season-high five batters, hit a batter and allowed three earned runs. He threw 97 pitches total, including 53 strikes.

Lively said he was grateful for the hometown fans support and ovation when he left the game.

“I kind of got goose bumps,” he said. “I’m just glad everyone has confidence in me. A little bad outing is not going to stop me.”

Wahoos manager Delino DeShields said after all the buildup to Lively’s start the past week, he wished his first start had come on the road. DeShields said in his long career he has never seen a starting pitcher get a standing ovation from the fans for a short outing.

“This was something special for Ben, his family and friends,” DeShields said. “It’s the kind of game you live for. But at the same time you want to play well. I’m glad it’s over. I think he’ll be fine moving forward.”

Despite taking the loss in his pitching performance, Lively wanted to talk about his first at bat since he was a senior in high school. He didn’t bat in college at Central Florida and in his first two seasons until now. He grounded out to the pitcher.

“I’m not going to lie. I felt pretty good up there,” he said. “I was ready to face the guy.”

Lively’s eight strikeouts started with a waist-high 96 mph fastball that he blew by Huntsville’s Ramirez in the first. Between the first and third inning, all the Wahoos outs came on Lively K’s. He leads the Cincinnati Reds organization with 103 total strikeouts on the year and is second overall in all of minor league baseball.

Lively, the Reds No. 12 prospect who was drafted in the fourth round last year, was named the starter of the California League All-Star game after leading the league in nearly every pitching category through the first half. He was the league leader in ERA (2.28), wins (10), strikeouts (95) and WHIP (0.92). He was among the leaders in opponent batting average (.201) and innings pitched (79).

It was the first time in Blue Wahoos history that a local product was playing for the team. Pensacola’s last sellout on a Monday night came Aug. 26, 2013 in the team’s last homestand of the season. In six Monday home games this season, the Blue Wahoos have averaged 3,291 in attendance.

Lively admitted being excited in front of the 5,038 cheering fans and his whole family.

“I was a little amped up,” he said. “I was expecting it to be a little emotional. I’m not upset about it. I got the first one out of the way.”

Fans, players, media and even coaches talked all week about Lively’s debut Monday night.

“How is he going to handle the pressure of being in his hometown?” DeShields said earlier in the week. “He’s going to have a lot of people pulling at him. One of his biggest challenges is going to be how he maintains his routine.”

For his part, Lively said he just plans to keep working hard to make it to the big leagues just like everyone else on the team.

“My mindset is to push myself more and keep doing what I’ve been doing,” said Lively, who told his mother the news first after hearing with his fellow Bakersfield teammates that he was being called up to Pensacola. “It’s a different stage but the same stuff.”

And when he’s at home and not pitching, you’ll likely find Lively, who once rode a whale shark, at Pensacola Beach surfing or “tearing up” his truck. His first stop after returning home was Pensacola Beach.

“I’m a beach bum, surfer boy or pier rat,” he said. “When I got here, I threw my clothes down and went to Flounders.”

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos travel to play a five-game series against Los Angeles Dodgers Double-A affiliate the Chattanooga Lookouts at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday. RHP Daniel Corcino (7-5, 3.47) is scheduled to start for the Wahoos and is opposed by the Lookouts RHP Nick Struck (1-4, 7.24).

by Joey Truncale

Photos by Michael Spooneybarger, Pensacola Blue Wahoos, for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.