Wahoos Beat Jackson In 14 Innings

June 10, 2016

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos won a critical game against the Jackson Generals scoring five runs with two outs to pull out a, 10-5, victory in 14 innings Thursday at The Ballpark at Jackson.

The win in the 4-hour, 56-minute game moved Pensacola into sole possession of first place in the Southern League South Division with a record of 34-25. The Biloxi Shuckers lost, 17-2, to the Montgomery Biscuits earlier Thursday night to fall one game back of Pensacola at 33-26.

Pensacola returns home Friday to play its final 10 games at home to close out the first half of the Southern League season.

Jackson, which won the series, 3-2, had struck out seven in a row until inning 14 when Pensacola left fielder Tony Renda clobbered a one-out standup double high off the left field wall. The Generals’ six pitchers struck out 18 Blue Wahoos in the game.

Blue Wahoos right fielder Sebastian Elizalde followed by stroking a double to left field that appeared to score Renda, who beat the throw and seemed to slide over home plate. But Jackson catcher Steve Baron, who dropped the ball picked it up and tagged Renda, who was called out. Elizalde went to third on the throw home from the General’s Ian Miller.

However, with two outs Pensacola scored five runs. The first run came in when second baseman Brandon Dixon, who had struck out four times Thursday came up next and slapped a sharp grounder to third that was bobbled by Jackson’s Patrick Brady, allowing Elizalde to score the go-ahead run, 6-5. Dixon beat the throw to first for an infield single.

Pensacola first baseman Donald Lutz then hit a sharp ground ball to right field that second baseman Tim Lopes fielded a few steps on the grass in right field and threw it away, allowing both Dixon and pinch hitter Amir Garrett to score, making it an 8-5 Pensacola lead.

Pensacola center fielder Phillip Ervin, who had walked, moved to second and he scored on a passed ball by Baron to put the Blue Wahoos up 9-5.

Blue Wahoos third baseman Eric Jagielo then singled for the third time Thursday to right field to score Lutz, who reached second on the passed ball and went to third on a throwing error by Baron, for a 10-5 Pensacola lead.

Pensacola, which sent 10 batters to the plate, scored the five runs in the 14th inning on five hits, two walks and two Jackson errors.

Pensacola’s Renda hit two doubles in the game to lead the Southern League with 22 this season. He went 3-7 with an RBI and is batting .324.

After Pensacola first baseman Kyle Parker hit a two-out, two-run double in the seventh inning to tie Jackson, 5-5, the Blue Wahoos bullpen took over and threw 11 scoreless innings.

Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Nick Travieso lasted just three innings giving up five runs, four earned on seven hits and three walks and struck out one.

But the Pensacola bullpen stopped the bleeding after that beginning with reliever El’Hajj Muhammad, who worked 2.2 scoreless innings and gave up two hits and two walks and struck out three. Kyle McMyne followed and threw 2.1 scoreless innings and gave up three hits.

Pensacola reliever Kevin Shackelford entered the game in the ninth and threw 10 pitches and struck out Jackson right fielder Tyler O’Neill, second baseman Tim Lopes and retired DH Leon Landry on a fly out. Shackelford pitched 3.0 innings allowing three hits, one walk and striking out three. He got O’Neill out a second time with a runner on second base on a shallow fly ball to Ervin in center in the 11th inning.

Pensacola’s Alejandro Chacin entered in inning 12 and threw two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out two. He got the win, improving to 3-0, this season. Barrett Astin pitched the last inning and gave up two hits but no runs.

Dixon, who had singled in the seventh inning to end an 0-12 slump and drive in a run, went 2-7 and scored twice.

Jackson did have chances to win the game in extra innings. Generals shortstop Benji Gonzalez doubled off the right field wall with one out in the 13th inning. He had also doubled to lead off the 11th inning and has 17 doubles for Jackson this year. Both times Gonzalez was stranded on base.

Jackson scored first getting three runs in the first inning to take a 3-0 lead. First, center fielder Guillermo Heredia singled to center scoring Miller to put the Generals ahead, 1-0. Then, O’Neill hit a one-out, two-run homer to put Jackson on top, 3-0.

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