Every Wahoos Starter Knocks A Hit In Wahoos Win Over Biloxi

July 1, 2021

A capacity crowd at Blue Wahoos Stadium was standing, clapping in anticipation.

Zack Leban took a quick pause, gassed up a 97-mph fastball, then pounded his glove amid the cheers.

With all the festivities Wednesday – specialty uniforms, dogs on parade, the debut of Watson the service dog, even a police dog demonstration – Leban’s closing effort in relief completed the Blue Wahoos winning night in a 4-3 victory against the Biloxi Shuckers.

Oh yeah, plus there were post-game fireworks lighting up the sky, too.

The combination fan entertainment and the Blue Wahoos continued knack for winning one-run games created another special experience.

Their win in the season’s 50th game put the Blue Wahoos (30-20) back into a first-place tie in the Double-A South with the Mississippi Braves. The Wahoos, who collected 12 hits, are now 14-6 in one-run games, which is why they’ve climbed 10 games above .500.

Every Blue Wahoos batter in the lineup had at least one hitter – the first time that has occurred this season.

The Shuckers (15-34), meanwhile, dropped their ninth straight game.

And all of this happened Wednesday despite the Blue Wahoos touted pitcher Edward Cabrera struggling at times through his five-inning start.

But even without his A-game, Cabrera picked up his first win as a Blue Wahoos pitcher. The 23-year-righthander gave up three runs – only one of which was earned, striking out three and walking three. The Miami Marlins’ No. 4 overall rated prospect allowed just two earned runs in his three starts.

In this game, however, Cabrera, never seemed comfortable. He had one clean inning in the fourth, and got out of a two-on situation in the fifth inning by striking out Biloxi’s No. 3 hitter Louis Castro.

Biloxi took a 2-0 lead after a second-inning home run by Tristen Lutz, then a third inning single by Bruce Turang.

The Blue Wahoos erased that lead with a three-run rally in the fourth inning on four consecutive hits.

Jerar Encarnacion started the production with his leadoff double. Run-scoring singles from Demetrius Sims, Riley Mahan and Galli Cribbs Jr. put the Blue Wahoos ahead.

After Biloxi tied the game in the fifth, designated hitter Nick Fortes had the game’s biggest hit with his two-out single in the bottom of that inning to score Peyton Burdick, who reached on an error.

From that point, the Blue Wahoos bullpen shined again. Alberto Guerrero (2 innings), Dylan Bice (1 inning) and Leban combined to allow just two hits, no walks in scoreless relief.

Leban gave up a two-out single in the ninth, but stuck out Gabriel Garcia on a 2-2 fastball to end the game.

by Bill Vilona, Pensacola Blue Wahoos senior writer

Comments

One Response to “Every Wahoos Starter Knocks A Hit In Wahoos Win Over Biloxi”

  1. Rufus Lowgun on July 1st, 2021 11:10 am

    Love the Paw Patrol jerseys. Do they have those available in the gift shop?

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