Wahoos Beat Jacksonville In Second Half Opener

June 21, 2019

The Blue Wahoos revamped their roster for the second half schedule, then reproduced elements which brought so much early-season success in a 4-3 road win Thursday night against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.

They received a strong pitching performance from Bryan Sammons, a late addition in the first half, played flawless defense, and got all their runs in the fifth inning from home run blasts.

Just as the Blue Wahoos opened the season in April with a road win, they started the Southern League’s second half division race in a desired way.

A crowd of 7,704 at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville, watched the Blue Wahoos beat the Jumbo Shrimp for the ninth time in 11 games. It’s the first time the Blue Wahoos have played this season in Jacksonville, the Miami Marlins’ Double-A affiliate.

Prior to the game, the Blue Wahoos made 11 roster moves during the league’s all-star break, including reactivating Alex Kirilloff, the Minnesota Twins No. 2 overall prospect and top 10-rated player by MLB.Pipeline, after he was on the injured list for the final two weeks of the first half.

Among the newcomers welcomed was first baseman Lewin Diaz, 22, a 6-foot-4 native of the Dominican Republic, who made his Double-A debut Thursday by going 2-for-4 in the game.

Diaz, the No. 9 rated first baseman prospects by MLB.Pipeline, batted .294 in the first half for the Fort Myers Miracle (High-A), smashing 13 homers and 36 RBI in being named to the Florida State League All-Star team.

Also joining the Blue Wahoos was relief pitcher Hector Lujan, who had six saves and a 2.18 for Fort Myers. He did not pitch Thursday.

The Blue Wahoos started Thursday’s game with Twins reliever Adalberto Mejia working a scoreless first inning on his injury rehab assignment. Sammons followed and earned his first Blue Wahoos win by going six innings, allowing four hits and two runs with eight strikeouts.

Jeff Ames pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Sam Clay got his six save in the ninth, after allowing a run. Clay got out of a two on, none out jam in the ninth by getting J.C. Millan to hit into a double-play, scoring a run. He then struck out Stone Garrett to end the game.

The Blue Wahoos run support was supplied in three swings, after two outs. Trailing 1-0 into the fifth, Brian Navarreto homered over the left field wall for the team’s first run. Travis Blankenhorn followed with a home run to right field.

After Kirilloff drew a walk, Ben Rortvedt hit a two-run, two-out homer to right center for the decisive runs.

Those three shots were three of the team’s seven hits. Rortvedt went 2-for-3 in the game. Blankenhorn went 2-for-4. Centerfielder Aaron Whitefield, an Australia native, who was signed by the Twins in 2015, made his Double-A debut and was 0-for-4 in the game.

The Blue Wahoos and Jumbo Shrimp will play four more times in the series. The Blue Wahoos will then return home Monday night to begin a five-game series on Tuesday against the first-half South Division winner Biloxi Shuckers.

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