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Pensacola Wins Second Straight Over Biloxi
May 6, 2016
Pensacola Blue Wahoos third baseman Eric Jagielo came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs in an 0-20 slump and hitting .146.
All Jagielo did was launch a grand slam into the right field Hill-Kelly Dodge berm to lead the Blue Wahoos to its second straight victory, 8-1, over the Biloxi Shuckers in front of 4,065 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Jagielo, the Cincinnati Reds No. 14 prospect according to MLB.com, last got a hit 10 days ago on April 25 against the Jackson Generals.
His four RBIs were his first since he drove in two on April 11 against the Mississippi Braves in the Blue Wahoos home opener five-game series. Jagielo now has two homers and nine RBIs this season for Pensacola.
Jagielo, who was selected in the first round by the New York Yankees in the 2013 draft, played 58 games last year at Double-A before surgery to repair his right knee. The Yankees traded him to the Reds as part of the deal in December for closer Aroldis Chapman.
Jagielo said his talk with Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin before the game and hitting a bucket of balls helped him get in a groove Thursday.
“It was good to get a little time to work on my swing, especially with a guy like Barry,” he said. “It’s cool to learn stuff from guys like him and then apply it to my game.”
Pensacola leads Biloxi 2-0 in this five-gamehome stand and now is 16-11 on the season. The first-place Shuckers fell to 17-9 with Pensacola one a 1.5 game back.
Just like the night before, Biloxi scored first when right fielder Brett Phillips scored from third on a passed ball that rolled to the backstop, putting the Shuckers up, 1-0. With runners on second and third and one out, Pensacola right-hander Jackson Stephens then struck out the next two batters to get out of the inning.
Blue Wahoos Stephens worked six innings and retired the last 10 batters he faced. He gave up one run that was unearned and struck out five. He improved to 2-2 on the season with a 3.95 ERA.
In addition, Stephens also got his first professional hit in his fifth season in the minors with a grounder to left field to lead off the second inning.
“The first inning he had that little blip but he really did a nice job,” said Pensacola manager Pat Kelly.
Pensacola’s relievers Matt Magill and Wandy Peralta then held Biloxi hitless over the final three innings and struck out six batters.
Kelly was also impressed by Magill, who pitched two innings and struck out three.
“Magill looked really impressive and had really good stuff,” Kelly said. “He had a really sharp slider tonight.”
Pensacola also got production from second baseman Alex Blandino, who was 0-15 in his last four games, striking out seven times.
He also spoke with Larkin about hitting Thursday before going out and clobbering his first home run of the year a solo homer to left field. Blandino also hit a double and single in four at bats, scoring two runs and knocking in three. The two talked about getting back to basics at the plate.
“Whenever you can speak to a Hall of Famer on a daily basis, you’re bound to get better,” Blandino said. “He always has good, positive things to say.”
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