Blue Wahoos Even Series With Victory Over Mississippi Braves

May 18, 2016

Pensacola Blue Wahoos starter Nick Travieso looked like his old self on the mound Tuesday night—the one who was the Cincinnati Reds’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2014 and the one who entered the season as the Reds’ ninth best prospect.

Travieso used his low-to-mid 90 mph fastball to pitch a season-high seven scoreless innings and gave up only one hit as Pensacola downed the pesky Mississippi Braves, 3-1, Tuesday in front of 3,875 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

A first round pick in 2012 — one of six first rounders on the Pensacola roster this season — Travieso threw seven scoreless innings to earn his sixth one hitter since 2013.

He admitted he has struggled his last three outings, posting an 8.30 earned-run average, allowing 13 runs in 12 innings pitched. He got knocked out in 2.1 innings May 7 at home against the Biloxi Shuckers, after giving up seven runs, including five earned.

“I’ve been struggling lately,” Travieso said. “I got into a groove. It’s something I’ve been working on all offseason.”

The last time Travieso, who threw 93 pitches, including a 95-mph fastball in the sixth inning, completed seven innings was in April 30, 2014 with the Low-A Dayton Dragons. He said he has been lifting weights to strengthen his legs this season, which has given him more stamina

“I’m feeling stronger every start,” Travieso said. “When I go after (the hitters) with my best stuff it turns out pretty well.”

Pensacola evened the series at 2-2 and improved to 23-16, while Mississippi fell to 17-22.

Pensacola manager Pat Kelly was pleased with Travieso’s dominating performance. Travieso also had a season-high six strikeouts.

“He’s always a guy who has pitched off his fastball better than anybody,” Kelly said. “He just felt out of whack. This time he said he really felt good.”

After three-one run games in a row, Pensacola held on to a 3-1 victory with two outstanding catches. Phillip Ervin dived and stretched out to rob a sure hit by Mississippi left fielder Dustin Peterson that would have scored a second run in the eighth inning.

Then in the ninth Tony Renda, who has rarely played the outfield in his professional career, chased down a deep fly ball at the wall in left field off the bat of Mississippi catcher Willians Astudillo.

Kelly said he was as amazed as Blue Wahoos fans watching Ervin make the spectacular diving catch in right center field.

“Ervin’s catch was fantastic,” Kelly said. “When it was hit, I didn’t think he had a shot. He just ran that ball down.”

Pensacola started the game off right with three straight singles to score Renda and go ahead, 1-0. Mississippi pitcher Rob Whalen, however, then struck out the next three batters looking.

In the third inning, Pensacola added two more when Brandon Dixon scored by twisting away from the tag at home plate on a Jeff Gelalich single to right field. Pensacola third baseman Eric Jagielo, who was celebrating his 24th birthday, then crossed the plate for a 3-0 Pensacola lead on a blooper to right field by Blue Wahoos catcher Joe Hudson.

In the first three innings, the Blue Wahoos got seven hits but stranded eight runners on base.

“In those situations you have got to put the ball in play,” Kelly said.

Mississippi’s Dansby Swanson earned the only other Mississippi hit in the game in the eighth inning off of Pensacola closer Carlos Gonzalez, who earned his third save this year. He’s hitting .375 or 6-16 off Blue Wahoos pitching, which has a Southern League best 3.09 earned-run average.

Kelly said if he was the Atlanta Braves general manager, he would leave the future superstar in the Southern League for the remainder of the 2016 season.

“There’s a lot to be said for staying in the Southern League and learning,” Kelly said. “Eventually they (Swanson and Ozzie Albies) will be the double-play combination (in Atlanta). It’s just a matter of when they want to do that.”

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