Johnson’s Strong Start Spoiled In Wahoos 10-4 Defeat

July 7, 2023

The Blue Wahoos had a prime, third-inning opportunity for more runs and a padded lead.

They came up empty.

It became a prelude to a game-ending feeling as well, after the Biloxi Shuckers exploded against Pensacola’s bullpen for a 10-4 win Thursday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

The Shuckers flipped a 4-2 deficit with a four-run, eighth inning, then tacked on three more runs in the ninth for the blowout win.

All this followed a start that went well for the home team on Mullet Thursday. The players wore new Pensacola Mullets uniforms with a blue-pink design, as part of a second-half changeup for the routine identity change on Thursday games.

The Mullets quickly jumped to a 2-0 lead. Nasim Nuñez led off the bottom of the first inning with a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Troy Johnston and scored when Cody Morissette’s grounder became a run-scoring throwing error on Shuckers starter Tobias Myers.

Will Banfield’s double then drove in Morissette. Pensacola expanded its lead to 3-0 after Johnson’s RBI single in the second inning. In the third, Banfield reached on a wild pitch on a third-strike swing, then advanced to third on José Devers’ double with none out.

But Myers struck out Griffin Conine and Jose Mesa Jr. and got Norel González out on a flyout.

That missed chance was part of six runners left in scoring position in the first seven innings.

Pensacola starter M.D. Johnson had a strong outing, working into the sixth inning, allowing just two runs and three hits. From there, however, three relievers combined to yield eight runs. It started when first reliever Josan Méndez was tagged for a leadoff homer in the seventh from Zavier Warren.

Matt Pushard, who had not allowed a hit or a run in two previous appearances since being elevated to Double-A, had a rough night.

He gave up a leadoff homer in the eighth to the Shuckers’ outfielder Jackson Chourio, the No. 3 rated player in Minor League Baseball, then a single, walk and two-run double by Freddy Zamora that gave the Shuckers their first lead. A run-scoring sacrifice fly provided a three-run lead.

The Shuckers added three more against Brady Puckett in the ninth to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

The series continues on Friday through Sunday.

by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos

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