Wahoos Take Home Series Over Mobile With 3-2 Win

August 27, 2016

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos bats sprung back to life at just the right time in the bottom of the ninth inning.

After scoring one run on three hits in the first inning, Pensacola got just one more hit and trailed, 2-1, in their last at bat of the game.

But with two outs Blue Wahoos left fielder Phillip Ervin blistered a ground ball down the third base line to drive in Jeff Gelalich with the second run of the ninth inning for a 3-2 victory Friday over the Mobile BayBears in front of 4,299 fans at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Pensacola extended its franchise record to 11 walk-offs this season.

Pensacola tied the game, 2-2, when Pensacola center fielder Jeff Gelalich hit a grounder to second base that forced out Blue Wahoos catcher Joe Hudson at second for the second out. But Gelalich hustled to first and beat the throw and allowed Taylor Sparks to score the tying run.

With two out, it was Pensacola second baseman Alex Blandino, who extended the inning with a bloop single to left field, allowing Ervin to be the hero Friday.

“I was just trying to keep it going and give us a chance,” Blandino said. “We battled back today and all year we’ve shown resilience, which is a lot of fun for the fans and a lot of fun for us.”

The victory was a big one for Pensacola with just 10 games left in the season. Not only did they win the series to improve to 11-2 in series at home this season, but they remained just three games behind Southern League South Division leader Mississippi Braves, which has lost 10 of its last 14 games.

The Braves are 33-25, while Pensacola, the first half champions, are 31-29. The BayBears dropped to 30-29.

“That’s the way we played all year,” said Pensacola manager Pat Kelly. “We’re very gritty down to the last out and we’ve gotten clutch hits.”

Going into the end of the season, all of the players at the top of the Pensacola order are on a tear.

Blandino, the leadoff hitter, is hitting .316 in August after struggling all year. Ervin is hitting .294 over the last 10 games with a homer and three RBIs. No. 3 hitter and right fielder Sebastian Elizalde has a 12-game hit streak and is hitting .442 (23-52). Center fielder Brandon Dixon, hitting in the cleanup spot, has his own six game hit streak and is batting .459 in the last 10 games with six RBIs. And finally shortstop Zach Vincej has been one of the hottest hitters in the Southern League in the second half, hitting .370 in July and .285 since the All-Star break.

“We’re solid one through five every day,” Kelly said. “We have to just keep playing and giving someone a day off every day.”

Blandino said the team is taking a positive approach to the final two series of the season.

“We’re already in the playoffs but it definitely would have been a blow to lost that game and lose that series.”

Pensacola scored first when Vincej stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in the bottom of the first inning and lifted a fly ball to short right field. But the speedy Ervin snuck past the catcher and threw his left hand back to touch home plate for the 1-0 Blue Wahoos lead.

John Omahen made his first start for Mobile since June 30 after spending July and August with Triple-A Reno. He gave up three hits and a run in the first and then retired 11 of the next 12 through the fourth inning and did not give up another hit or run.

The BayBears righty worked five innings and did walk three batters and strike out five in his outing.

The Mobile bullpen then kept Pensacola off the bases until the ninth.

Meanwhile, Nick Travieso worked five innings, too, as Pensacola’s starting pitcher. He gave up two runs in the fifth inning that put Mobile ahead, 2-1, when BayBears shortstop Domingo Leyba clobbered a two-run homer into the Hill-Kelly Dodge Hill also bringing home center fielder Evan Marzilli who leadoff with a walk. Travieso ended up giving two hits, four walks and striking out four.

The homer by Leyba gave Mobile its 100th home run of the season, which leads the Southern League.

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