Wahoos Drop Second Game To Mississippi Braves

August 25, 2015

In its first playoff race in franchise history, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos have turned over sole possession of first place to the Mississippi Braves by dropping its first two games to the visiting club.

The Braves jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first and 7-0 after three innings and cruised to a 9-4 victory in front of 3,555 fans Monday at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.

Highlights for the Blue Wahoos tonight included first baseman Marquez Smith’s driving a double into the right center alley in the third inning that scored two runs, pulling Pensacola within, 7-2.

In addition, Pensacola catcher Kyle Skipworth also hit homer No. 11 of the year in the eighth inning — his first since Aug. 6 — as the Blue Wahoos trailed, 9-4.

Mississippi, which took back first place in the Southern League South Division Sunday, is now 32-24. Meanwhile, Pensacola dropped to 1.5 games behind Mississippi, falling to 31-26. The Mobile BayBears also fell back 1.5 games to the Braves at 30-25, after losing in 11 innings at MGM Park.

Pensacola has 12 games left this season and play both Mississippi and the Mobile BayBears at home.

Blue Wahoos Manager Pat Kelly said that Mississippi has been hard for Pensacola to defend this season. They knocked 14 hits Monday.

“We could have 18 guys on the field and couldn’t catch the balls that they hit,” Kelly said. “It was one of those nights where they shot the ball in the hole between first and second or blooped it into right field.”

Mississippi jumped in front, 3-0, in the first inning off of Pensacola starter Sal Romano. Leadoff batter shortstop Emerson Landoni doubled to the right field corner and center fielder Mycal Jones followed with a double to the right center field gap to score him for a 1-0 lead.

Braves third baseman Rio Ruiz then clobbered a ball deep to center field that Pensacola center fielder Phillip Ervin ran back on but the ball bounced off his glove. Ruiz reached third, driving in Jones and right fielder KD Kang, who had walked to put the Braves ahead, 3-0.

Landoni led the Braves by going 3-5 with a double and two RBIs and lifting his season average to .295.

Reds top prospect Jesse Winker now has a hit in 15 of his 20 games this month. Winker is hitting .347 (25-72) in August with six homers and 12 RBIs

He raised his average in the second half to .302 (55-182) with 10 home runs and 31 RBIs. Winker’s two walks Monday also raised his on-base percentage to .403 (85-211) in the second half.

Kelly said Winker has really come on down the stretch.

“He has been our most consistent hitter the last three months of the year,” he said.

Pensacola center fielder Phillip Ervin, the Reds No. 9 prospect, also played well Monday, going 2-3 with a double and RBI and walking twice. In five games with the Blue Wahoos, he is 6-15 or batting .400, with two doubles, two homers and four RBIs.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News, Sports