Wahoos Beat Biscuits

June 12, 2016

For the second night in a row, Pensacola second baseman Alex Blandino played a big role in the Blue Wahoos victory Saturday, earning a two-out bases loaded walk that scored Pensacola first baseman Kyle Parker with the winning run in the 11th inning.

Pensacola won its third straight game in its last at bat beating the Montgomery Biscuits, 3-2, in front of its 14th sellout crowd of 5,038 this season at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

On Friday night, Blandino scored the winning run in a 2-1 game when Pensacola catcher Joe Hudson hit a chopper deep in the hole at shortstop that Montgomery shortstop Willy Adames threw away for an error.

Blandino may be 3-31 in his last 11 games since May 26 but he has walked nine times, including twice Friday as well as getting a single to center field, as his family watched the game from the stands.

Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said Blandino, the Cincinnati Reds No. 8 prospect according to MLB.com, praised Blandino’s patience in the pressure-filled at bat. The Blue Wahoos have played two extra-inning games in its last three victories.

“He went through a little rough spot but he’s a much better player than he has shown the last couple of weeks,” Kelly said. “It was a 3-1 count and most players want to get a base hit but he was very patient. Blandino did a great job.”

Blue Wahoos catcher Kyle Skipworth and third baseman Eric Jagielo both hit solo home runs to left field in the fifth inning to give Pensacola a 2-0 lead, but Montgomery fought back.

For Skipworth, who’s recovering from breaking his left ankle in December, it was his first home run for Pensacola in his sixth game and 20th at bat. One out later, Jagielo jacked his fourth homer of the season.

But Montgomery came back in the sixth to score one, 2-1, when Biscuits third baseman Patrick Leonard hit a sacrifice fly ball to centerfield that scored first baseman Casey Gillaspie. Gillaspie upped his on-base streak to 27 games and has failed to get on base in only three of Montgomery’s 62 games this season.

The Biscuits tied the game, 2-2, in the top of the ninth when second baseman Tommy Coyle singled to right field past Blandino. Coyle then stole second base and Skipworth’s throw to second sailed to centerfield, allowing Coyle to reach third. Montgomery’s No. 9 hitter Pat Blair then doubled to left center to score Coyle.

Raisel Iglesias pitched two scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking two out in his first rehab start in Pensacola. Iglesias, the Cincinnati Reds opening day starter went on the disabled list with an impingement in his right throwing shoulder earlier this season.

Iglesias was efficient throwing up to 95 mph and fooling two Montgomery Biscuit batters in a row on breaking balls in the low 80s in the second inning. Iglesias even showed his sidearm pitch. He threw 30 pitches, including 22 for strikes.

The first hit by Biscuits leadoff hitter was a check swing single to third base. The other was a rip by right fielder Cade Gotta on a groundball under the glove of a diving Pensacola third baseman Eric Jagielo into left field.

Cincinnati Reds opening day starter had five starts and was 1-1 with a 3.49 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 28.1 innings.

“I thought he was crisp,” Kelly said of Iglesias, who is the third Reds starter to make a rehab appearance this season in Pensacola. Kelly said he joked with Iglesias, “He came into the dugout and I told him this is the Double-A, this isn’t the big leagues, you have to understand these guys can hit. But he was very effective and showed different looks.”

Amir Garrett, the normal starter, then pitched the next five innings, allowing one run on three hits, two walks and struck out three.

Kelly praised Garrett for coming in after Iglesias and pitching well. He did allow three runners to reach third base in his last three innings on the mound.

“Garrett did well but he had three high stress innings in a row and we were concerned about his arm speed,” Kelly said. “I have to credit Garrett. It’s not a situation a starter is used to. He pitched out of some big jams and did a nice job.”

Pensacola remained in sole possession of first place in the Southern League South Division with a record of 36-25. The Biloxi Shuckers also won and improved to 35-26 to remain one game behind the Blue Wahoos.

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