Blue Wahoos Lose Third Straight; Time Clock Added To Double-A Baseball

April 12, 2015

Pensacola Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Tim Adleman said he didn’t even notice the two 2-foot by 5-foot clocks on either side of the dugouts.

Third baseman Seth Mejias-Brean had a hard time seeing base balls hit by the Biloxi Shuckers because of the glare off the clocks.

All Double-A teams in the Southern League began using a clock for the first time Saturday to speed up a game that averaged 2 hours, 43 minutes in 2005 and 8 minutes more in 2014.

Last night, that meant the Blue Wahoos dropped their third straight game to the Biloxi Shuckers, 7-2, in 2 hours and 41 minutes.

In some instances, the new time-saving measures that allows 20 seconds between pitches and 2 minutes, 25 seconds between innings, could shave anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes from America’s pastime, baseball experts have said. For the first month, there will be no penalties enforced, such as assessing a pitcher a ball, if he fails to throw his pitch in time.

Adleman said he’s not sure what the effect of a clock will be on a game that’s never had one.

“Will it speed up the game and engage young fans or blow up too much and never work?” asked Adleman, who took the loss after leaving the game behind, 3-1, in the sixth inning. “Honestly, I did not notice (the clocks) at all. I was so focused on hitting my spots and getting out there and getting in a good rhythm.”

The first three games of the opening season series and the Blue Wahoos have managed three runs on 13 hits against Biloxi’s top-flight pitching staff. They are hitting just .153 against the Shuckers.

Pensacola’s Jesse Winker, at least, snapped his 0-7 slump with a single and double in four at bats. However, he was left on third base both times.

Kelly said he’s not worried about Winker or his other hitters in the middle of the lineup.

“I don’t worry about how Winker is hitting ever,” Kelly said. “I feel pretty comfortable with (Marquez Smith, Mejias-Brean and Kyle Skipworth). It didn’t work tonight and hasn’t worked so far this season. But I like my chances with those three guys.”

Adleman entered the game looking for his first Wahoos win as a starter after getting six starts the previous year. He was 0-3 with a 2.38 ERA in 2014.

After a shaky start in which he gave up three runs on seven hits in the first two innings, including muffing a bunt hit right to him that ended up costing him two runs, Adleman settled down. He allowed just three hits over the next four innings, benefitting from two double plays. On the night, Adleman allowed 11 men on base but left the game after six innings with Pensacola trailing, just 3-1.

One of the biggest Shuckers at the plate? Shortstop Orlando Arcia, the Brewers’ No. 2 prospect, has torn up Pensacola pitching, hitting .583, going 7-12 with two doubles, a triple, four runs scored and five runs batted in.

The fourth game of the five-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers Double-A affiliate Biloxi Shuckers is scheduled at 4 p.m. Sunday. LHP Wandy Peralta takes the mound for the Wahoos and is scheduled to be opposed by the Shuckers RHP Jorge Lopez.

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