Smokies Top Wahoos

May 7, 2015

For the past two seasons, pitcher Robert Stephenson earned the tab as top prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization.

With a fastball that can touch 100, it’s no wonder.

Part of being rated the No. 1 prospect by Baseball America is bouncing back from adversity. And that’s exactly what Stephenson did on Wednesday for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (8-19) against the first place team in the Southern League North Division, the Tennessee Smokies (15-11) in the first game of a doubleheader at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.

Even though Stephenson got the loss to fall to 0-4 on the year, he went 6.1 innings in the 2-1 loss. In his last game against the Jackson Generals, Stephenson couldn’t make it out of the first inning, lasting just 0.2 innings and giving up six runs.

“I made a lot of progress today, especially after that last start,” he said. “As long as I stay down (in the strike zone), it doesn’t matter who’s at the plate.”

Pensacola lost the second game of the doubleheader, 4-1, to Tennessee, chasing Blue Wahoos reliever Carlos Gonzalez with four runs on two doubles and three walks in the top of the last inning.

Meanwhile, Stephenson took the mound in game one sporting new black cleats with a pink stripe and Nike swoosh on the outside of the foot and the word, “Mom,” written on the inside for Mother’s Day this Sunday. Because the team is off on Sunday, they decided to wear its pink uniforms in honor of the day celebrating moms across the country.

His mother made the trip from Martinez, Calif., in the northern part of the state to watch her son pitch for the Blue Wahoos for the first time Wednesday night.

“She couldn’t make it last year,” explained Stephenson, who had yet to talk to her about his performance.

Stephenson walked shortstop Elliot Soto to start the seventh and a sacrifice bunt and wild pitch later, he was standing on third. Pin-Chieh Chen then singled sharply to right field to score Soto with the winning run, 2-1, and end Stephenson’s fifth outing of the year.

Things started out poorly for Stephenson, who has struggled with his control all season. He walked four in the first inning, including forcing in a run to put the Smokies up, 1-0. However, he got out of the first on an inning-ending double play. After throwing 28 pitches, including 11 for strikes, he stared down the home plate umpire as he walked to the dugout.

“There were some pretty close calls,” Stephenson said. “I had a lot of walks in that first inning but they were right around the zone.”

Pensacola Manager Pat Kelly called Stephenson’s performance “outstanding.”

“He settled down, kept his composure and got to the seventh,” Kelly said.

He then benefited again on the arms of his left fielder Jesse Winker, who threw center fielder Albert Almora out at second base when he tried to stretch his single. Tennessee catcher Kyle Schwarber, one of the top hitters in the Southern League, then hit into a double play when he flew out to right fielder Kyle Waldrop, who threw a strike to catcher Chris Berset to get leadoff hitter Jacob Hannemann out at the plate.

Stephenson settled down and threw just 21 pitches over the next three innings to the minimum nine hitters. He allowed four hits, walked seven and struck out four in the start and now has 26 Ks on the season.

Blue Wahoos first baseman Marquez Smith drove in Pensacola’s left fielder Jesse Winker with the only run of the game on a sacrifice fly to right field.

Pensacola, which has struggled at the plate as a team with a league low .223 batting average and 72 runs, has scored three runs or less in 17 of 27 games this year.

Comments

One Response to “Smokies Top Wahoos”

  1. Sage 2 on May 7th, 2015 4:33 pm

    Kill a chicken and spread the blood on home plate to keep the other teams from scoring. Get a snuff dipper to spit three times toward 3rd base and then step on the spit until it can be seen no more. This’ll break the jinx!!!

    Next, there is a snake in the dugout and is biting everyday. Get the snake!

    I’ll now offer $15, a six pack of beer, a ride in a new pick up truck and two moon pies for some consistency other than losing. Where is Robert Redford when we need inspiration, as in The Natural?

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News, Sports