Wahoos Lose To Jacksonville 2-1 In Nine

April 14, 2016

On paper it was a matchup of the top pitching prospects in the Cincinnati Reds and Miami Marlins organizations.

Pensacola Blue Wahoos southpaw Amir Garrett and Jacksonville Suns lefty Jarlin Garcia delivered on the suggested pitching duel between the two No. 3 prospects in the Southern League Double-A match up.

In the end, though, the Jacksonville Suns pulled out a 2-1 victory Wednesday over Pensacola in a dramatic ninth inning when both teams scored all their runs at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Both teams are 5-2 on the season and tied with the Biloxi Shuckers for first place in the Southern League South Division.

Garrett struck out Jacksonville’s first four batters and got nine of the first 10 hitters out in his six shutout innings. He allowed only four hits and struck out seven.

Meanwhile, Jacksonville’s Garcia allowed a single in his 5.2 innings and struck out six Blue Wahoos before walking two batters in the sixth and being lifted for reliever Tyler Bremer.

Pensacola Manager Pat Kelly said the fireworks between the hurlers was to be expected.

“Garcia was good but Garrett was just as good, if not better,” Kelly said. “We had two pretty good lefties out there.”

Garrett said he has faced Garcia a few times during their minor league careers and was “pumped” to be facing him in his first game in front of the Blue Wahoos crowd.

“I was feeling really good tonight,” Garrett said. “I was pretty pumped up and wanted to make a statement.”

Long after the superb performances by Garrett and Garcia, Jacksonville first baseman Brady Shoemaker scored on a deep fly ball by third baseman Matt Juengel to Pensacola right fielder Tony Renda to make it, 1-0, in the top of the ninth inning.

Suns right fielder Moises Sierra then put Jacksonville up, 2-0, when he tagged from third on a line drive by second baseman James Roberts to left fielder Phillip Ervin, who barely missed throwing Sierra out at the plate.

The game looked over but Pensacola came back to load the bases. Blue Wahoos first baseman Ray Chang hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Ervin from third base, pulling the Blue Wahoos within one run, 2-1, with two outs.

Pensacola catcher Joe Hudson, who had a single, walk and double in his first three at bats, then hit a chopper to third that looked like it was heading to left field. However, the Suns third baseman Juengel cut it off, stumbled but made a force out at second in the nick of time to end the game.

“This team shows a lot of grit,” Kelly said. “They came right back at the end.”

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