Mobile Beats Wahoos

June 22, 2015

Pensacola knocked two home runs Sunday while Mobile added five – which ties a franchise record – in an offensive explosion that saw ball flying out of Pensacola Bayfront Stadium like a disturbed flock of seagulls at rest on the beach.

Mobile defeated rival Pensacola, 11-4, in front of 4,005 fans and now have won eight of 10 games against the Blue Wahoos this season.

“We just couldn’t keep the ball in the park,” said Pensacola manager Pat Kelly. “This is a ballpark that’s not conducive to home runs. I didn’t expect to see a lot of balls in the air. I expected to see a lot of ground balls. It was as much of a surprise to me as the fans.”

Leading the way Sunday for the BayBears was centerfielder Gabriel Guerrero with a two-run and solo shot for three RBIs in his first two at bats. Guerrero, the nephew of nine-time All-Star Vladimir Guerrero, now has four homers on the season. Mobile shortstop Jack Reinheimer (2), left fielder Zach Borenstein (4) and third baseman Sean Jamieson (3) also knocked it out of the park.

This series, the BayBears hit 10 home runs in 25 innings off Pensacola pitching. For perspective, Pensacola only has 14 home runs at home this season.

Pensacola first baseman Marquez Smith clubbed his third home run of the month Sunday when he smashed a two-out, two-run line drive over the left field wall in the third inning that pulled Pensacola within one, 3-2. It was also the first hit of the game for Pensacola, which has seen its starting nine go hitless in their first appearances at the plate in the past three games against Mobile.

Few Blue Wahoos batters have hit as well as Smith has in June. The 30-year-old minor league veteran has driven in eight runs, while hitting .339 and earning a .405 on-base percentage.

Blue Wahoos second baseman Juan Perez then hit his first homer in Double-A just inside the left field foul pole in the fourth inning and Pensacola trailed Mobile, 4-3.

However, Mobile put the game away in the sixth inning with five runs to go up, 11-3. It got a three-run homer by Borenstein and a solo shot to the left-center gap to start off the inning by Jamieson.

Mobile jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning when Guerrero crushed a two-run homer high to left field. The BayBears are 23-13 when scoring first this season.

Mobile finished below .500 for only the third time in a half since 2009, going 34-35 in the Southern League.

Meanwhile, Pensacola finished the first half 25-43.

Kelly has a few goals to turn the Blue Wahoos season around in the second half—a better bullpen and better starting pitching.

Among the relievers, he would like to see Kyle McMyne, Ben Klimesh and Zach Weiss return to form.

“Our bullpen was our strength when you look at the first two months of the season,” Kelly said. “We got to solidify that bullpen. When we give them leads, they got to win them.”

Also looking into his crystal ball, Kelly would like to receive a starting pitcher or two. Currently, the Blue Wahoos have only four starters.

“Obviously, we’re short one,” Kelly said. “If we can get one or two guys to help solidify our staff, we’re good.”

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News, Sports