Burdick Stays Hot In Wahoos Series Finale Win Over The Trash Pandas

May 24, 2021

This season had gotten off to rough start at the plate for Peyton Burdick, so the Blue Wahoos outfielder returned to a past approach.

“Just getting back to doing what I normally do as a hitter and staying the other way with it,” he said. “Seeing the ball and reacting to it.

“And there is no better feeling than putting the ball on the barrel. I think once you start feeling that more often, then your body naturally syncs up with your swing.”

Burdick was back in harmony Sunday, capping a big week and helping the Blue Wahoos to a 7-4 victory against the Rocket City Trash Pandas in a series finale that put the exclamation on Pensacola’s six-game performance at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

A capacity crowd (5,038) was entertained with another fast start, then stellar relief pitching in the final innings.

“Our bullpen, are starters have been absolutely shoving,” said Burdick, the Miami Marlins’ No. 12-rated prospect by MLB Pipeline.com, who went 2-for-5 with a triple, double and RBI. “They always give us a good start and give us a good chance to win. It was nice to see the bats come through.

“We have been sort of spotty in the lineup, and today we started syncing up one hit at a time and taking what the game was giving up.”

The Blue Wahoos (11-7) took five of the six games against Rocket City (8-10) putting a gap in a first-place, divisional lead among a twin set of four teams in the Double-A South.

Burdick was one of three players with multiple hits. Right fielder Lorenzo Hampton, the son of the former Florida Gators and Miami Dolphins running back, went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Devin Hairston went 2-for-4.

Connor Justus drove in three runs with a home run and a sacrifice.

The Blue Wahoos followed Saturday’s early-inning production with an even better offense Sunday.

They loaded the bases in the first inning on a leadoff triple by Burdick, followed by a walk to JJ Bleday and Nick Fortes reaching when hit by a pitch.

With one out, Tristan Pompey coaxed a bases-loaded walk for the first run.

Hampton followed by lacing a two-run single to right. Justus’ sacrifice fly scored Pompey and gave the Blue Wahoos a 4-0 lead.

In the second inning, after Hairston led off with a single, he scored on a Burdick’s double into the left field corner. In the series, Burdick also hit three home runs.

“I think what started clicking for me was our last game of our series at home,” he said. “I think I had a couple lineouts the other way and that’s when I felt my body and my swing started to sync up a little bit and just being able to drive the ball the other way. It just opens everything.”

The bats were matched by a solid start from Jose Mesa Jr., who worked the first three innings, struck out three, walked none and the only run was a home run.

Brian McKenna earned his second win by pitching scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh. Colton Hock earned his third save in the ninth.

The game ended a two-week, 12-game homestand for the Blue Wahoos. They went 2-4 against the Birmingham Barons a week ago.

The Blue Wahoos have Monday off, then will travel to Biloxi, Miss. for a six-game series starting Tuesday against the Biloxi Shuckers, the Milwaukee Brewers Double-A affiliate.

Just like Friday and Saturday, the Sunday crowd created a special atmosphere. And the fifth-inning “Roach Run” that Burdick gets to witness as a left fielder was filled with hundreds of kids.

“It just reminded me of when I was a little kid,” Burdick said. “You just want to get out there and see what the other guys see. All those little kids, you see their smiles when they are running. It’s just great seeing the energy from the fans. They create a lot of energy in the game. It’s a great environment to play in.”

by Bill Vilona, Blue Wahoos senior writer

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