Wahoos Ends Year At Home With 6-2 Win Over Montgomery

August 27, 2014

The Pensacola Blue s ended the 2014 season with a standing ovation from the packed stadium.

It was a heart-felt and electrifying moment to end the team’s 70 home games this year and deeply appreciated by the Blue Wahoos players and coaches. Plus, it was particularly gratifying going out with a victory, 6-2, over the Montgomery Biscuits Tuesday at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.

“It reminds me a lot of Wrigley Field,” said Pensacola Manager Delino DeShields. “The people keep coming back no matter what. The fans really make this place go. They are the best in the league by far in my opinion.”

Starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen admitted that the players joke that they like Pensacola so much, they don’t want to get called up.

“The atmosphere is always fun here, no matter the wins and losses,” said Lorenzen, who worked four innings and gave up two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out three. “We love it here. A lot of the players say we don’t want to go up. We want to stay because it’s so nice here.”

Pensacola’s closer Shane Dyer, who earned his franchise record 19th save Tuesday, was on the mound as the fans rose to their feet with two out and the last Biscuits player coming to the plate. Of course, Dyer struck out Montgomery’s Richie Shaffer, who has homered the past two games.

“It’s a great feeling,” he said of the loudly cheering fans. “That’s what guys in the bullpen thrive on. It’s always exciting to go out on top.”

The Wahoos ended their final game of the 2014 season with a sellout crowd of 5,038 to reach 311,687 total, which is the second highest total in the Southern League behind the Birmingham Barons.

It was the 33rd sellout in 70 home games this season for the Blue Wahoos, who averaged 4,453 fans a game. Pensacola had entered the final game 445 fans short of passing last season’s attendance total of 307,094.

The Wahoos are now 53,072 fans from reaching the 1 million mark in attendance in their fourth season in existence, which they will likely reach by the third homestand next season.

Jack-of-all-trades Brodie Greene came over from the Carolina Mudcats, which Quint and Rishy Studer bought and moved to Pensacola to start the 2012 season. Greene, who has played second base, shortstop and the outfield this season, has spent all three years in Pensacola. His season was cut short last year, when he broke his leg in July.

He ended his third season with the Blue Wahoos in fairy-tale fashion, belting a solo home run to deep leftfield – his third of the year and first at home.

“It was a good way to end a tough season,” Greene said. “I’ve been scuffling a little bit. I finally got one over the fence, though. It was great to see everyone behind us. It was like we were in the playoffs or something.”

The Wahoos have five more games on the road against the Birmingham Barons before the end of the Southern League season. They’re 56-78 overall and out of the playoff picture.

Many are making their plans for the offseason, such as playing in the Arizona Fall League, running a baseball academy in Europe, coaching a Wyoming and Colorado high school All-Star team, playing winter ball in Venezuela and returning home to their families, among other things.

One thing’s for sure. As they break for the winter, the Blue Wahoos fans’ standing ovation Tuesday will still be ringing in their ears.

The final five-game series for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos in the 2014 season is against the Chicago White Sox Double-A affiliate the Birmingham Barons. It gets underway after a day off Wednesday with a 7:05 p.m. start Thursday. LHP Tim Adleman (3-7, 3.00) takes the mound for the Wahoos and is scheduled to be opposed by the Barons RHP Tony Bucciffero (2-2, 5.59). The season concludes Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 1.

by Tommy Thrall

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