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Blue Wahoos’ Eighth-Inning Lead Evaporates In 6-3 Loss To M-Braves
June 5, 2024
written by Bill Vilona
First pitches quickly became outs. Innings flew by in minutes. There was still sunlight during the seventh-inning stretch.
And then, the Blue Wahoos had a potential record-speed win fade into darkness of a laborious eighth inning and loss.
The Mississippi Braves followed a leadoff out into a six-run rally for an eventual 6-3 victory against the Blue Wahoos to start an intriguing Tuesday night of their six-game series at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
The Blue Wahoos led 1-0 into the eighth inning.
This game on “Doggone Tuesday” with fans bringing their beloved dogs to the ballpark, featured a repurposed, veteran Major League infielder David Fletcher continuing his bizarre buzz in the baseball world as a knuckleball pitcher.
Making his M-Braves debut, his second minor league start, Fletcher raised attention by throwing six, solid innings with his fluttering, 60-something, miles-per-hour knucklers. He allowed just two hits, both in the first inning, as the Blue Wahoos couldn’t get solid contact with his pitches.
Fletcher was recently acquired in a December trade with the Atlanta Braves. When joining the Braves, Fletcher mentioned his desire to become a knuckleball pitcher.
He is being paid $6.1 million this season, part of a $25 million contract extension he signed with the Angels following his best MLB season in 2020 when he garnered American League MVP votes as a second baseman.
Fletcher, who turned 30 on May 31, made his first mound start last week with the Gwinnett Braves, the Atlanta Braves’ Triple-A affiliate. He is scheduled to start twice this week in Pensacola with the M-Braves. He’s down to be the starter on Sunday to close out the series.
In the first inning, Fletcher’s flutterers were hit the hardest. Blue Wahoos catcher Joe Mack hit a one-out double and Nathan Martorella followed with an RBI single. Zach Zubia flew out deep to left for the second out and from that point, Fletcher retired 11 of the next 13 batters he faced.
Meanwhile, Blue Wahoos starter Jonathan Bermúdez dazzled with a no-hitter through five innings. He gave up an infield single in the sixth, then pitched out of a two-on, one-out jam to match his longest start this season.
But in the eighth inning against reliever Patrick Murphy, the M-Braves batted around the order following a leadoff strikeout. The next six batters reached base – four of those on hits – as the Blue Wahoos’ 1-0 lead became a five-run deficit. The rally earned a second win for former Pensacola State College pitcher Patrick Halligan, who threw a scoreless seventh inning.
The Blue Wahoos got a pair of runs back in the eighth and had two more runners on base when the M-Braves’ bullpen ended the threat.
The Blue Wahoos (27-24) will have Luis Palacios start Wednesday’s second game of the series against M-Braves ace and rising prospect Ian Mejia (5-0, 1.45 ERA) who tossed a seven-inning, no-hitter win earlier this season.
GAME NOTABLES
— Recent UWF graduate Tris Weeks sung the National Anthem while playing her guitar as she continues pursuit of her musical career.
— The Blue Wahoos had a 20-0 success rate when leading in the seventh inning before Tuesday’s loss.
WANT TO GO?
WHO: Mississippi Braves vs. Blue Wahoos
WHEN: Wednesday, 6:05 p.m.
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium
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