Wahoos Shut Out Biloxi

July 13, 2016

Pensacola Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Sal Romano walked into the clubhouse Tuesday with a different attitude.

Entering the game 1-9 this season and 1-14 over the past two seasons with the Blue Wahoos, he figured it was time for a change.

It worked. Romano threw seven scoreless innings, allowed three hits and struck out a season-high nine batters to help the Blue Wahoos blowout the Biloxi Shuckers, 9-0, Tuesday in front of 3,323 at Blue Wahoos Stadium. It’s the largest shutout victory in franchise history.

“I came to the ballpark not thinking about anything, or the fact that I was pitching,” said Romano, ranked the Cincinnati Reds No. 15 prospect by MLB.com. “The biggest thing I did tonight was having fun and relaxing. I’m not a heavy guy. That’s not who I am.”

He also changed his walkup song to Jason Aldean’s “Lights Come On” right before the game, instead of his usual rap music that pumps him up. And he changed lockers with Pensacola center fielder Jeff Gelalich storing his gloves in Gelalich’s locker, while Gelalich put his bats in Romano’s locker.

Blue Wahoos manager Pat Kelly said he has to remind himself every day that Romano is only 22. He improved his record to 2-10 and lowered his ERA to 4.45 this season.

“I have to remind myself he’s just 22-years-old,” Kelly said. “I have to keep reminding myself of that fact. As he matures, he will be able to refine his stuff.”

Speaking of refining, Romano, who has a mid-90s fastball, relies more and more on his changeup. It allowed him to cruise through the first three innings without allowing a hit and striking out the side in the first inning.

The first hit of the game came when Biloxi right fielder Tyrone Taylor’s double to leadoff the fourth inning. Taylor, the Milwaukee Brewers No. 12 prospect according to MLB.com, also clobbered a two-out triple to the right center gap in the sixth inning off of Romano.

“It has become a really good pitch for me,” Romano said. “I didn’t realize how good it was. I never trusted it in any games.”

Pensacola scored five runs on five hits in the first inning, sending all nine batters to the plate. Blue Wahoos center fielder Jeff Gelalich singled on a ground ball to right field and left fielder Phillip Ervin walked. Pensacola right fielder Sebastian Elizalde tripled deep into the left center gap to drive in both Gelalich and Ervin for a 2-0 lead. Blue Wahoos third baseman then hit a grounder to left field that allowed Elizalde to cross the plate, putting Pensacola up, 3-0.

Blue Wahoos shortstop Zach Vincej then smacked a line drive to center field moving Sparks to second base. Biloxi Jorge Ortega then threw a pitch past his catcher and Sparks and Vincej moved up a bag. With two outs, Pensacola catcher Joe Hudson then lined a single to center to drive in Sparks and Vincej to complete the first inning outburst, 5-0.

Pensacola is 14-1 at home when scoring first and 29-7 overall. The team has now won eight of its nine homestands.

“It’s always nice pitching with some cushion,” Romano said.

Biloxi pitcher Jorge Ortega settled down after Pensacola mugged him for five first inning runs, finishing up his start by allowing just two more hits and getting 10 outs in a row. Ortega allowed eight runs in one inning in his last start against the Jacksonville Suns, giving him an ERA of 19.50 in his last two starts. On the year, he has a 5.06 earned-run average and a 1-8 record.

But Pensacola hitters pounded left-handed submarine Biloxi reliever Brett Lee, who played at West Florida High School in Pensacola and was drafted in the 10th round in 2011. In his hometown, Pensacola hitters lit him up in the seventh inning for four runs and three hits in 0.1 innings.

Biloxi reliever Gage Smith didn’t do much better giving up three hits, including two doubles in 1.2 innings.

The heart of Pensacola’s lineup entered the game 0-26 against Biloxi pitching this series. But they more than made up for that Tuesday, driving in six of the Blue Wahoos’ nine runs and scoring four times. Phillip Ervin, the No. 3 hitter in the lineup, was 0-3 entering the game but went 2-4, scored two runs and drove in three with a double in the seventh inning. He also stole his 26th base of the season.

Sebastian Elizalde, batting in the cleanup spot was 0-9 before Tuesday’s game. He was 1-4 with a triple in the first inning that drove in two runs and he scored once.

Taylor Sparks, the No. 5 hitter had gone 0-11, but was 1-4 with an RBI single and a run scored.

“We’ve staggered the lineup a little bit,” Kelly said. “We’re going to swing and miss but we’re also going to get a lot of hits.”

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