Blue Wahoos Get 10th Straight Win

May 18, 2023

The way Patrick Monteverde has produced superlatives in prior starts, it was fitting the team’s left-handed ace would deliver the Blue Wahoos a 10th consecutive win.

Monteverde, named the Southern League’s pitcher of April for his first four stellar outings, worked out of two innings Wednesday with baserunners, while upping his league-best record to 5-0 in the Blue Wahoos 7-4 victory against the Tennessee Smokies at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

A crowd of 3,678, which included middle school bands from Shoal River and Davidson schools in Crestview combining to perform the National Anthem, watched the Blue Wahoos catch a break from weather and power their way to a record-extending win total.

It was Pensacola’s 18th win in 19 games, continuing the best stretch of success in the team’s 11-year history.

One common element of the first two months this season has been Monteverde’s dominance on the mound.

The 25-year-old Pittsburgh native, who entered the 2023 season as the Miami Marlins’ No. 30 rated prospect, has now allowed just six runs in seven starts. His earned run average has dropped to 1.29. He allowed just one run on two hits and struck out eight in five innings. He’s now had 57 strikeouts and just 12 walks in 42 innings.

His night Wednesday had two pivotal moments. After allowing a walk and double to start the second inning, he got a line-out double play on a spectacular catch from third baseman Cody Morissette. In the third inning, he again allowed a double and a walk, but retired the next three batters on a pair of strikeouts and flyout.

That all proved decisive.

After Victor Mesa Jr. manufactured a second-inning run with a walk, moving over on a ground out and scoring on a throwing error while stealing third, the Blue Wahoos slugged their way to the other six runs in the game.

The biggest smash was Morissette’s 2-run homer into the right field berm in the fourth inning. José Devers led off the inning with a double and scored on Will Banfield’s single.

The Blue Wahoos tacked on two more runs in the sixth inning on Griffin Conine’s RBI sacrifice fly and Troy Johnston’s two-out single to make it 7-1.

The Smokies scored three runs in the ninth off reliever Austin Roberts before he ended the game on a force out.

Eight of the Blue Wahoos lineup reached base. Banfield had the team’s multi-hit night, going 2-for-4 with a run scored.

The game was delayed 27 minutes to get the field ready, following the off-and-on light rain all day. The Blue Wahoos kept the field tarp on from Tuesday night to ensure the game could get played.

Remarkably, the heavier rain which hit other parts of Pensacola, never materialized at the ballpark.

The series now heads into Thursday with Blue Wahoos newcomer Jonathan Bermudez, a lefthander, making his pitching debut with a new organization. He was released during spring training from the Sacramento River Cats, the San Francisco Giants’ Triple-A affiliate.

He was signed by the Miami Marlins on April 26 and spent the past couple weeks with the Florida Complex League (FCL) Marlins, the rookie league team. Tennessee will throw right-hander Kohl Franklin (0-1, 13.50 ERA).

The game is part of “Mullet Thursday” with the Blue Wahoos wearing their Pensacola Mullets uniforms.

by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos

Comments

One Response to “Blue Wahoos Get 10th Straight Win”

  1. uncle rico on May 18th, 2023 9:43 pm

    18 out of 19 is pretty darn good

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