Wahoos Fall In 10 To Mississippi

May 17, 2016

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos had yet another chance to take back first place from the Biloxi Shuckers in the Southern League South Division.

However, Pensacola came up short as Mississippi Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson showed why he was the first overall pick in 2015, smashing a ball over the left field wall for the game winner, 4-3, at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Biloxi had lost, too, 1-0, to the Chattanooga Lookouts in 10 innings.

It was the third consecutive game between these two teams, so far, during this series decided by one run and second time they went into extra innings. Mississippi leads the five-game series, 2-1.

Pensacola dropped to 22-16, while Biloxi is 22-15.

The Blue Wahoos had runners on base in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings but could not capitalize. In the 10th inning, Swanson hit his solo shot, who went 2-4 with three runs scored Monday. Against Pensacola, he is now 5-12 or .417 with a homer, double, two walks, four runs scored and two RBIs.

Pat Kelly gave credit to Swanson who helped Vanderbilt win the College World Series title in 2014 and to runner-up in 2015.

“He’s a good player,” Kelly said matter-of-factly. “He’s definitely one of better players on the field.”

Pensacola kept the ball game close. Nick Routt threw 3.1 scoreless innings to increase his scoreless inning streak to 17.2—which is the longest this season for the team. Routt had three strikeouts and now has 20 in 22.1 innings.

Meanwhile, Alejandro Chacin threw a wild pitch with runners on first and third that allowed Swanson to score from third and tie the score, 3-3. Chacin, who hadn’t allowed a run to score all year, had his scoreless inning streak ended at 15 innings pitched.

Kelly said Routt has been “impressive” and is hard to hit because of his “spin rate” on his fastball that he keeps up with.

“He’s very intellectual guy,” said Kelly. “Nick (Routt) really tracks it and is aware of it. Hitters just don’t have a good swing at it.”

Mostly Kelly was upset with a call in the sixth inning when it appeared Pensacola shortstop Calten Daal beat out a slow roller to Mississippi first baseman Jordy Lara. It was a close play that would have extended Daal’s hitting streak to 15 games, the longest in the Southern League this season. It also would have scored right fielder Phillip Ervin with the winning run by giving the Blue Wahoos four for the game.

Instead the game went in to extra innings for the second time this series tied, 3-3.

Mississippi pitcher Sean Newcomb, the No. 2 pitcher in the Atlanta Braves organization and 20th best prospect in the Major Leagues, bounced back from his last start when he gave up five runs on six hits and two walks in six innings to the Mobile BayBears, who won 5-3.

The Mississippi southpaw gave up two hits and three walks to Pensacola allowing three runs, one earned, and struck out seven Blue Wahoos.

Pensacola right fielder Phillip Ervin led the Blue Wahoos offense going 1-3 with a double, two RBIs and his 14th stolen base of the season. He smacked a stand up double when he lined the ball down the left field line that drove in Pensacola second baseman Alex Blandino to put Pensacola on top, 3-2, in the sixth inning. Ervin also scored left fielder Tony Renda from third on a sacrifice fly to the warning track in the fourth inning, that pulled Pensacola within, 2-1, against Mississippi.

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