Wahoos Drop Game To Chattanooga

July 3, 2016

It looked like the Pensacola Blue Wahoos would send Chattanooga Lookouts pitcher Aaron Slegers to the showers early and end his four-game winning streak in Saturday’s game.

The 6-foot-10 Slegers gave up two runs on four hits to the first five batters, including Pensacola right fielder Juan Duran’s double that he rocketed off of the left field wall that scored center fielder Jeff Gelalich and third baseman Alex Blandino.

But Pensacola ended up losing to Chattanooga, 7-3, Saturday as Slegers struck out a career-high 10 batters in front of the 20th sellout of the season of 5,038 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

The Blue Wahoos are in danger of losing their first series at home with a 2-2 tie with the final game scheduled at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. The game will feature 20-plus minute fireworks show on July 3 for the Pensacola fans.

“It looked like we were going to get to him (Slegers) and knock him out,” said Pensacola manager Pat Kelly. “Duran hit that ball as hard as you can hit a ball. But I have to give Slegers credit. He had better stuff than we thought.”

Slegers ended up working seven innings, and giving up three earned runs on seven hits and a walk. He won his fifth straight game and is now 6-4 with a 3.41 ERA.

Meanwhile, Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Sal Romano struggled through five innings, giving up four runs, two earned in the third inning. The two unearned runs scored when Pensacola shortstop Calten Daal, who has had trouble making the throw to first base this series, threw a rocket past the first baseman.

Romano worked five innings, throwing 94 pitches total. He allowed five runs, three earned, on seven hits, two walks, while striking out five. Romano dropped to 1-9 with a 4.86 ERA.

“Nobody wants to be 1-9,” Kelly said. “He’s not giving up. He keeps going after the hitters.”

In the top of the second inning, Romano struck out the first two batters but then gave up a single to Chattanooga shortstop Leo Reginatto. Reginatto then scored from first when Lookouts catcher Stuart Turner hit a two-out double into the left field corner to pull within, 2-1.

Chattanooga scored four runs in the third inning to go up, 5-2. Lookouts first baseman Mitch Garver hit a deep fly ball to right field that scored second baseman Engelb Vielma to tie the game, 2-2. Lookouts third baseman Niko Goodrum scored on a wild pitch for a 3-2 Chattanooga lead.

Then with two outs Reginatto hit a routine grounder to Pensacola’s Daal who threw the ball away allowing both left fielder Travis Harrison and DH D.J. Hicks to score putting the Lookouts ahead, 5-2.

Pensacola pulled within, 5-3, when second baseman Zach Vincej hit a line drive into left field down the third base line to score Duran, who drew a walk.

Vincej continued his tear since the first of June, going 2-4 with a double and RBI. He is hitting .338 and now has eight of his 11 multi-hit games during that hot-hitting streak.

GAME NOTES

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