Mesa’s Walk-Off Grand Slam Caps Festive Wahoos Win

July 23, 2023

The fireworks show Saturday at Blue Wahoos Stadium played out in the most literal way.

After Rocket City rallied from an 8-4 deficit with one big hit in the ninth inning to tie the game, Blue Wahoos centerfielder Victor Mesa Jr launched a two-strike fastball like a roman candle, deep into the night sky for the first walk-off grand slam in franchise history that lifted Pensacola into a 12-8 victory.

One grand finale led into another on a night fittingly-themed “Christmas in July” with the Blue Wahoos wearing blue Christmas-style jerseys.

After Mesa Jr. touched the plate in a spray of water and bucket-dousing from teammates in celebration, the postgame pyro show immediately followed, sponsored by Pen Air Credit Union. That completed the night amid another sellout crowd (5,038) at the bayfront park.

So much happened in this wild game, which started an hour late due to weather issues.

The Blue Wahoos surged to an 8-0 lead in the third inning. They batted around and chased two Rocket City Trash Pandas pitchers with a six-run rally in that inning.

But they couldn’t finish the game smoothly.

Closer Jefry Yan, normally reliable for a save, walked the bases loaded with one out in the top of the ninth. He then gave up a run-scoring single. With two outs, on a 3-2 pitch, Yan threw a fastball across the plate that the Trash Pandas’ Sonny DiChiara hit off the wall in right-center – just missing a grand slam – to tie the game.

That sent Blue Wahoos manager Kevin Randel out to replace Yan with Brady Puckett, whose two-strike pitch to Tucker Flint was fielded on a good stop by Cobie Fletcher-Vance at third base and thrown across the diamond to end the inning.

More theatrics followed in the bottom of the ninth.

Avisaíl García led off with a pop double down the right field line. Troy Johnston, who has crunched Rocket City pitching all week, was intentionally walked. Will Banfield followed with a sacrifice bunt attempt that pitcher Kenyon Yovan threw wide enough at third to allow pinch runner Dalvy Rosario’s slide to be safe on the play and load the bases.

Mesa Jr. followed off several pitches in a battling at-bat. But he made perfect contact on the next one he saw that carried over the straightaway center wall for the electrifying walk-off slam.

The Blue Wahoos clinched the series with their fourth win of this homestand. It was also their 14th win in 15 games against Rocket City in Blue Wahoos Stadium. The consecutive streak ended with the Trash Pandas’ win Friday night.

Besides the 20 runs, this game featured a combined 25 hits. The Blue Wahoos took advantage of four Rocket City errors early in the game to build the lead.

Banfield and Johnston both had three hits apiece among five multi-hit batters for the Blue Wahoos.

Earlier in the game, Blue Wahoos starter Jake Eder produced a strong outing in his comeback from two injuries. Making his fifth start this season at the Double-A level, Eder continued progression by working five innings, giving up five hits with a season-best eight strikeouts and three walks.

He committed two pitch clock violations, one of which led to a run when Eder followed by yielding a balk that became a run with a two-out RBI single by Jose Gomez.

The event-filled homestand concludes Sunday afternoon with the Blue Wahoos trying for a fifth win against the Trash Pandas in the six-game series.

by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos

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