Wahoos Snap Losing Streak With 4-2 Win Over Tennessee

August 14, 2016

Pensacola Blue Wahoos catcher Chad Wallach and left fielder Phillip Ervin each crushed home runs Saturday.

However, the loudest cheers from the sellout crowd of 5,038 were for Olympic golfer and club co-owner Bubba Watson telling them on the scoreboard from the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro that Pensacola would host the Southern League All-Star game next year.

Wallach smashed the first pitch he saw in the second inning over the left field wall for a two-out, three-run home run for a 3-1 Blue Wahoos lead. Ervin followed in the fourth inning with a rocket to left to put Pensacola up 4-1 and they hung on for a 4-2 victory.

Pensacola now has 81 home runs this season, which is behind only the Mobile BayBears (87) and Montgomery Biscuits (86).

Pensacola got only three hits Saturday with the only other one a double by third baseman Taylor Sparks.

Blue Wahoos manager Pat Kelly normally wouldn’t be happy with his lineup going 3-27, which is a .111 batting average.

“We definitely made the most of our hits,” Kelly said. “We’ve hit a bunch of homers and we’ve hit them in bunches.”

Wallach said after Tennessee starter Michael Wagner walked first baseman Eric Jagielo on four straight pitches, he went to the plate with an aggressive attitude.

“I just wanted to be aggressive, especially with runners in scoring position,” said Wallach, who hit .231 in the first half and is hitting .294 in the second half. “It’s nice when you can get two home runs and win the ball game.”

The win snapped a three series losing streak by the Blue Wahoos and improved their series record at home to 10-2. The victory also returned Pensacola to .500 in the second half at 24-24 in the Southern League South Division.

Tennessee had scored the first run of the game in the first inning when second baseman Ian Happ doubled and scored on third baseman Jason Vosler’s double to go up, 1-0.

The Smokies got its second run when Happ hit a high fly ball to right field to score shortstop Carlos Penalver, who started the inning with a single.

The 22-year-old Romano, the No. 17 ranked prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization, worked 6.1 innings, allowing two runs on six hits and three walks, while striking out three. He now has 119 strikeouts in the season, which is second best in the Southern League.

Romano has turned things around by relaxing more before his outings and trying not to think about pitching. He was 1-7 with a 4.84 ERA and 1.54 WHIP in the first half, but is 3-4 with a 2.65 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in the second half.

He earned the victory Saturday putting him at 5-11 with a 3.87 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP on the season.

Wallach, who caught Romano before moving to first base, said Romano’s new approach before pitching is making adifference.

“He’s really relaxed and has let the numbers go and just focused on pitching well,” Wallach said. “He’s doing really well.”

Kelly said he’s noticed Romano’s confidence on the mound improving, pointing out that he worked out of a jam in the first inning with runners on second and third base with one out and set down the next two batters on a fly out and K.

“It’s that age old question what comes first, success or confidence?” Kelly said. “That’s what we’re seeing with Sal. He’s pitching with confidence and he’s having success.”

Pensacola reliever Abel De Los Santos came into the game in the eighth inning and has allowed one earned run and three hits in 11.1 innings. Closer Alejandro Chacin earned his 23rd save which is his career high, surpassing the 20 he had in 2014 with the Class A Dayton Dragons.

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