Wahoos Win Record Tying Five In A Row

July 13, 2015

Power has surged through Pensacola Blue Wahoos catcher Kyle Skipworth’s swing recently. The 25-year-old’s solo home run deep to right field in the fourth inning against the Montgomery Biscuits put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 3-0, at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.

Pensacola tied its franchise record by winning its fifth game in a row over Montgomery, 4-1, Sunday in front of 4,168 fans. It is now 10-7 in the second half of the Southern League season and 35-50 overall. The Biscuits fell to 8-8 and 42-42 and now have lost eight straight games on the road.

A bolt of lightning knocked out the score board Sunday and 1.5 inches of rain in about 45 minutes flooded downtown streets and delayed the start of the game from 4:05 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

It was Skipworth’s second dinger in two days and third in five games. His homer on Friday jump started a five-run inning. Skipworth now has five home runs on the season, tying him with Blue Wahoos right fielder Jesse Winker for the team lead.

“I just had to kick myself in the butt,” Skipworth said. “Sometimes I don’t bare down mentally enough. When I do bare down I get a good approach and get better at bats.”

Skipworth has also been a force behind the plate especially this series. He ended a Blue Wahoos victory Thursday by throwing out a runner trying to steal. He also received a Juan Duran throw to get a runner out at the plate against Montgomery.

He tore a ligament May 27 and was out of the lineup for a month and the Blue Wahoos went into a tail spin, going 4-18. In addition, the team’s ERA wen from 3.61 (third in the Southern League) to 3.86 (seventh).

Skipworth said the pitchers have just improved.

“A lot of it is just them,” he said. “They understand what they do well and what they don’t do well. They’re hitting their mid-season form.”

Pensacola starter Daniel Wright threw another strong game, using his fastball to get ahead in the count and then relying on his slider and changeup. He improved to 5-7 with a 4.87 ERA. He pitched seven innings, giving up five hits, two walks and striking out five. Wright gave up the run and three hits by the Biscuits in the seventh with right fielder Johnny Field Jr. scoring on a single by third baseman Patrick Leonard.

Wright has now completed seven innings in four of his last six starts, going 3-1 with a 1.29 ERA in those games. He blanked the Jacksonville Suns July 2 over seven innings.

Pensacola scored first in the second inning when third baseman Marquez Smith, who hit his third triple of the year, put the Blue Wahoos up, 1-0. He crossed the plate when Montgomery first baseman Cameron Seitzer couldn’t hold on to a throw by pitcher Ryne Stanek to get the charging Pensacola first baseman Seth Mejias-Brean out.

Blue Wahoos second baseman Ray Chang scored in the second inning when Smith knocked him in with a single to right field to put Pensacola up, 2-0.

Skipworth smacked his homer in the fourth and Pensacola tacked on another run in the sixth when center fielder Beau Amaral singled to score shortstop Juan Perez for a 4-0 lead. Amaral was 1-3 with a single and RBI and is now 5-8 or .625 in his last three games after entering the series against Montgomery in a 1-16 slump.

Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said he sat Amaral a few games to work on his hitting.

“He looks more aggressive at the plate to me,” Kelly said. “He has got to be aggressive, not tentative.”

The final game of the five-game series is scheduled at 6:35 p.m. Monday with the Tampa Bay Rays Double-A affiliate Montgomery Biscuits. RHP Timothy Adleman (5-6, 2.00) takes the mound for the Wahoos and is scheduled to be opposed by a Biscuits RHP Austin Pruitt (5-4, 2.99).

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