Wahoos, Braves Go 16 Innings

August 21, 2016

Pensacola Blue Wahoos Sal Romano and Mississippi Braves Max Povse both threw eight scoreless innings and then their bullpens took over and continued the shutout for another seven innings.

In the 16th inning, left fielder Phillip Ervin scored the first run of the game when he doubled and scored on center fielder Brandon Dixon’s single to right field to give the Pensacola a 1-0 lead. The Blue Wahoos brought in closer Alejandro Chacin, the Southern League saves leader with 24.

Chacin, however blew his fifth save opportunity of the season, giving up a bases loaded walk to Mississippi’s leading hitter Dustin Peterson with one out to allow the Braves to earn a 2-1 victory in the bottom of the 16th inning at Trustmark Park. It was the longest game of the season for Pensacola.

The Braves came right in its half of the inning with a lead-off walk by center fielder Connor Lien and then a single by third baseman Levi Hyams to put runners on first and second with no outs. Mississippi right fielder Stephen Gaylor bunted and Pensacola’s Skipworth overthrew first base to allow Lien to score tying the game, 1-1.

Chacin intentionally walked Mississippi second baseman Ozzie Albies to load the bases with no outs. After a pop out, Peterson walked for the Braves win.

Pensacola had chances to score in both inning 14 and 15. Pensacola loaded the bases in the 15th with one out but Braves reliever Akeel Morris struck out the final two batters of the inning to end the threat.

In the top of inning 14, Pensacola second baseman Alex Blandino tried to score from second base on Dixon’s sharp line drive single to center field but Mississippi’s Lien nailed Blandino at home plate.

Before winning the game in the 16th inning, Mississippi’s Peterson had launched a deep fly ball in the 12th inning that Pensacola’s Ervin caught with his back against the left field wall.

Mississippi and Pensacola have a knack for playing extra-inning games this year, going extra innings seven times. The clubs have now played 16, 14, 13, 11, two 10-inning games and extra innings Friday in a seven-inning doubleheader. The Blue Wahoos won four of the seven games and is 10-6 in extra-inning games this season.

Pensacola longest game this season had been its 14 inning duel against Mississippi on Aug. 4. It also played 14 innings June 9 against the Jackson Generals.

The 16-inning saga Saturday got off to an excellent start by both Romano and Povse.

Povse threw a no-hitter against Pensacola through five innings, while Blue Wahoos starter Sal Romano allowed just four hits through six scoreless innings.

The 22-year-old Povse started his first game for the Braves July 9 against the Mobile BayBears and got one of his four wins July 31 against Pensacola when he worked six innings, allowing three runs on seven hits, while striking out six.

Romano broke up the no-hitter Saturday in the sixth with a ground ball to left field. It snapped Povse’s streak of retiring 12 straight hitters.

The second Blue Wahoos hit came on Dixon’s infield single to third base in the seventh inning. Dixon went 4-6 with an RBI to lead Pensacola at the plate Saturday.

In all, Pensacola put four runners on base off of Povse with Ervin reaching on an error in the first inning. Blue Wahoos shortstop Zach Vincej walked in the second inning.

Povse ended up pitching eight shutout innings allowing two hits, walking one and striking out five. The righty lowered his ERA from 2.91 to 2.45.

Romano not only used his bat but matched Povse’s goose eggs throwing eight scoreless innings, too. He gave up just four hits, no walks and struck out eight. The big righty has 127 strike outs on the year, which is second in the Southern League.

Jake Ehret relieved Romano and struck out the side in the ninth inning to send the two teams into their seventh extra-inning battle of the season.

Pensacola dropped to 27-27 and is in third place in the Southern League South Division, 6.5 games behind South Division frontrunner Mississippi, which improved to 33-20 in the second half.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News