Wahoos Drop Number Eight In A Row

August 17, 2023

One of the fastest games of the season Wednesday only accelerated the Blue Wahoos’ near-record slide.

Typifying the team’s current woes, it also ended a few feet short of walk-off heroics.

With teammate José Devers on first, Paul McIntosh drove a two-out, 3-2 pitch in the ninth inning that initially teased a dramatic finish, but instead it was caught at the base of the centerfield wall to seal the Montgomery Biscuits’ 2-1 win and the Blue Wahoos’ eighth consecutive loss.

The Blue Wahoos will need a win Thursday at Blue Wahoos Stadium to avoid matching the longest losing streak (9 games) in team history. Earlier this season, back in May, this team set the longest win streak (10 games) in the midst of winning 18 of 19 games.

Right now, any win has become elusive.

Wednesday, designated hitter Will Banfield provided the lone Pensacola jolt when he blasted a fourth-inning home run in that halved the Montgomery lead. Banfield’s homer was the 127th hit this season by the Blue Wahoos, passing the 2019 team for the most in a single season.

But that became the last Blue Wahoos hit in the game. They had just three. McIntosh followed by reaching on error. From that point, however, Montgomery pitchers retired the next 15 batters in succession, before Devers coaxed a one-out walk in the ninth inning.

Biscuits reliever Antonio Menendez recorded his second save by getting Banfield to pop out, then escaping a potential game-winning homer by McIntosh.

Blue Wahoos starter Luis Palacios gave up nine hits in six innings, but pitched out of worse damage and allowed just two runs.

Miami Marlins reliever Tommy Nance, pitching on an injury rehab assignment, looked strong when following with two scoreless innings. Dylan Bice ended the top of the ninth with a strikeout to strand two Biscuits runners.

Had McIntosh’s ball carried just a few more feet, it could have been the right kind of end.

The Blue Wahoos (20-21) dropped under .500 for the second half of the season and are 61-47 overall.

The third game of the series with Montgomery is Thursday.

by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos

Comments

One Response to “Wahoos Drop Number Eight In A Row”

  1. Well on August 17th, 2023 7:17 am

    Come Yahoos… get back on track.

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