Wahoos Win Over Mississippi, Even Series

May 20, 2015

Starting pitcher Daniel Wright (2-4) was able to get some run support as the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (17-22) drove in a season-high seven runs to beat the Mississippi Braves (20-18) by a score of 7-4 on Tuesday night.

Wright went 5.0 innings and gave up three runs while striking out eight batters in the process. Greg Ross (2-3) earned the loss for the Braves as he gave up nine hits and five earned runs. Kevin Shackelford earned his first save of the season as he finished the game with a pair of scoreless innings. Wahoos reliever Blaine Howell, a former pitcher for Pensacola State College, also worked a pair of innings in his Double-A debut.

Kyle Waldrop, who hit safely in his first three at-bats of the evening, led the Wahoos at the plate with two singles, a double and an RBI. He is now hitting .361 in the month of May. Marquez Smith and Juan Perez contributed a pair of hits, with Smith driving in a pair of runs. Seth-Mejias-Brean and Ray Chang drove in a pair of runs each, as well.

The Wahoos got off to a good start in the first with a single from Kyle Waldrop and a two-out RBI double from Marquez Smith to drive him home.

The Braves responded in the second with a broken-bat single for an RBI from Eric Garcia, but Daniel Wright got out of the inning with consecutive strikeouts with runners at the corners, leaving the score tied 1-1.

The Wahoos threatened in the fourth inning, with Kyle Skipworth drilling a ball off the wall in straightaway center for a standup triple with one out. Juan Perez was able to draw a walk with two outs to put runners at the corners, but they were unable to take advantage of the opportunity.

Mississippi took the lead on the top of the fifth with a single from KD Kang. Wright then hit Seth Loman with a pitch to load the bases with one out, and Chris O’Dowd drove in another run with a single to right. Wright ended the inning with a pair of strikeouts, but the Braves would lead 3-1 by the end of the frame.

With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Ryan Wright was able to beat a throw from third for a two-out infield single. It would prove to be crucial, as Waldrop would drive him home on a double the next at-bat. Marquez Smith would follow that up with a single to bring Waldrop home and tie it 3-3. Seth Mejias-Brean then ripped a line drive into left-center field to bring two runs home, giving the Wahoos a 5-3 lead.

Kang and O’Dowd struck again as Kang doubled and was eventually driven home from third on an RBI groundout from O’Dowd, bringing the Braves within a run.

Reliever Kevin Shackelford gave up a pair of singles and a walk to load the bases in the eighth, but was able to get out unscathed by forcing a groundout to end the top half.

After Mejias-Brean walked and Perez singled in the bottom of the eighth, Juan Silva put them both into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. That set the table for defensive substitute Ray Chang, who would drive them both in on a single to make it 7-4.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News