Jackson Downs The Wahoos

August 26, 2017

The Jackson Generals used three pitchers in the ninth inning and each pitcher struck out a Pensacola Blue Wahoos hitter to complete a, 1-0, shutout Friday at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

The game remained scoreless into the ninth inning until Jackson third baseman Marty Herum drilled a two-out solo homer, his first in Double-A, over the left field fence in the top of the ninth. Herum had five with High-A Visalia Rawhide before getting called up to the Generals July 19.

The Generals captured the series, 3-2, in front of the 15th sellout of 5,038 at the ballpark. Pensacola recorded its 14th shutout loss of the season.

Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said the loss was tough. With 10 games left in the second half, the Blue Wahoos fell to 28-31 and 5.5 games behind first place Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp who are 34-26. Friday’s loss hurts the ballclub’s chances of winning the second half and a Southern League record five straight halves.

Jackson put runners on first and second in the fourth and Pensacola pitcher Jose Lopez gave up a two-out single to right field to Herum. But Aristides Aquino fired the ball to catcher Joe Hudson to easily tag out first baseman Travis Denker at home to end the inning.

Both pitchers traded zeros most of the game. Through the first six innings, Lopez shut out the Jackson lineup on five hits, one walk and one hit batter, while striking out seven.

He is now 7-1 with a 2.34 ERA. The Pensacola righty has turned into one of the Southern League’s most dominating hurlers since July 6. He is 5-0 with a 1.23 ERA, allowing only nine runs in his last 66.1 innings over 10 starts.

Kelly said the key to Lopez mesmerizing hitters has been his aggressiveness in the strike zone after giving up 18 runs, 15 earned in his first four starts in Double-A.

“I thought he did a great job out there,” Kelly said. “He settled in about the third inning and pitched six scoreless. He could have easily pitched seven.”

Jackson starter Ryan Atkinson matched Lopez Friday. Atkinson blanked Pensacola’s hitters through seven innings, allowing two hits, five walks and striking out three. Reliever J.R. Bradley picked up the win to improve to 1-1 with a 4.05 ERA by tossing 1.1 perfect innings of relief with two strikeouts.

The Blue Wahoos’ Aquino singled to left field to lead off the second inning and reached second base on a ground out but was stranded. Pensacola wouldn’t get another batter past first base the rest of the game.

Pitcher Tyler Mahle, who started for the Blue Wahoos earlier this season, was called up from the Triple-A Louisville Bats to make his major league debut in a start against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday, the Cincinnati Reds announced.

For Pensacola and Louisville Mahle is 10-7 with a 2.06 ERA in 24 starts with 138 strikeouts in 144.1 innings pitched.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News