Wahoos Fall 2-1 To Biloxi’s Shuckers In 10 Innings

July 30, 2017

Pensacola reliever Carlos Gonzalez entered the game in the 10th inning and struck out the first batter he faced. However, Gonzalez then walked the bases loaded, including throwing 10 straight balls.

Pensacola reliever Geoff Broussard replaced Gonzalez and catcher Jacob Nottingham hit a deep fly ball to center field that allowed Shuckers second baseman Blake Allemand to tag up and score the winning run, 2-1, in front of 5,038 at Blue Wahoos Stadium. It was the 14th sellout of the season.

Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said the game winning run was “very strange.”

“He’s been so good,” Kelly said of Gonzalez, who has three saves in 15 games for the Blue Wahoos. “He got into a rut, threw 10 straight balls. It’s something you don’t expect from him. Three walks and a sacrifice fly. You don’t envision it ending like that.”

However, former High-A Daytona Tortuga call ups, third baseman Nick Senzel and first baseman Gavin LaValley smacked back-to-back singles in the bottom of the ninth inning with one out.

In the first inning, Senzel smacked a double and LaValley followed with a single to drive him in to tie the score with the Biloxi Shuckers, 1-1.

The rally ended when Josh VanMeter, hitting .283 with 38 of his 41 RBIs with runners in scoring position, flew out to left field. Right fielder Aristides Aquino then bounced to third base into an inning-ending double play.

Kelly said he struggled with whether to have VanMeter bunt and give Aquino or second baseman Shed Long the chance to drive in the game-winning run in the ninth.

“The Tortugas are doing well,” Kelly said. “They get on in the ninth inning and you think you’re going to win it. We got Long, another Tortuga, maybe he could have won the game.”

Instead, Biloxi won in the 10th. The Shuckers scored in the opening inning of the game when speedy center fielder Johnny Davis got an infield single and stole his 30th base. He was driven in on a hard-hit single by shortstop Angel Ortega.

It looked like Biloxi would score more. However, with men on first and second and no outs, Pensacola spot starter Domingo Tapia struck out three Biloxi hitters in a row.

Biloxi had plenty of opportunities to score late in the game. Pensacola reliever Robert Stock replaced Tapia, the starter, to start the sixth inning and loaded the bases with one out, but worked out of the scoring threat with a strikeout and groundout. Again, in the seventh inning, Biloxi had a runner on second base with one out and failed to score. In the ninth inning, Biloxi blew another scoring opportunity with runners on first and second with two outs.

Tapia, making his seventh spot start this season, lasted five innings, gave up one run on six hits and a walk and struck out a season-high seven. He didn’t factor in the decision but is 1-3 with a 4.22 ERA in 32 innings. In 19 relief appearances, Tapia has a 3.77 ERA.

In the New York Mets organization, the hard throwing 6-foot-3, 250-pound Tapia made 87 starts in seven seasons before converting to a reliever after Tommy John surgery in May 2015.

“Those big guys you got to get them early before they settle in,” Kelly said.

Biloxi got another strong start from its right-handed ace Aaron Wilkerson, who was seeking his 10th win. He threw well enough to get it but left with a no decision. Wilkerson, chosen as a Southern League All-Star, worked six innings, gave up one run on three hits and a walk and struck out seven, including the side in his final inning.

In his last three starts, the 28-year-old is 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA, allowing three runs in 20 innings pitched, giving up seven hits and striking out 19.

The Blue Wahoos fell to 1-4 in extra-inning games this year. Two of those losses have come at the hands of Biloxi and Pensacola’s only extra inning win came against the Shuckers in 11 innings on April 15.

Photos courtesy Barrett McClean Photography/Blue Wahoos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

Comments are closed.

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