Blue Wahoos Outlast Barons For Doubleheader Sweep, Series Win

June 17, 2024

written by Carter Bainbridge

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos (35-27) swept a doubleheader from the Birmingham Barons (39-24) on Sunday and kept pace in the South Division with one week remaining in the Southern League’s first half.

In Game One, the Wahoos jumped out to a first-inning lead against Birmingham starter Noah Schultz (L, 0-1). Center fielder Jakob Marsee was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning before a single from catcher Paul McIntosh placed two runners in scoring position. With two outs in the inning, right fielder Jacob Berry singled to left to score both runners and give the Wahoos a 2-0 lead.

Blue Wahoos lefthander Luis Palacios (W, 4-4) made the early pair of runs stand up with another sparkling performance. Palacios tossed his second quality start of the week against the Barons with a 6.0-inning, one-run outing. Birmingham did not log a hit until left fielder Terrell Tatum singled with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Barons eventually scored their lone run of the game in the sixth, but Pensacola righthander Austin Roberts (S, 10) locked down the seventh inning to preserve a 2-1 Blue Wahoos win.

After a low-scoring victory, the Wahoos’ pitching showed out again in Game Two. Pensacola used five different pitchers to get through seven innings, including left-handed starter Cade Gibson, who tossed three shutout innings in his Double-A debut. On the other side, Birmingham starter Ky Bush proved overpowering across seven shutout innings. At the end of seven, Pensacola and Birmingham headed to extra innings tied 0-0.

In the eighth, Pensacola finally broke through for its first run of the game. Right fielder Jacob Berry began the inning at second as the ‘ghost runner’, but promptly stole third base with nobody out. Third baseman Sean Roby then drove home Berry with a sacrifice fly to right field off Birmingham righthander Eric Adler (L, 0-1).

The Blue Wahoos did not score again, but righthander Raffi Vizcaíno (S, 6) handled a turbulent bottom of the eighth. After a strikeout to begin the frame, Birmingham second baseman Jacob Gonzalez hit a deep drive to left-center field. Pensacola left fielder Tanner Allen ran down the ball to make an impressive catch, then watched as the Blue Wahoos infield doubled up Birmingham third baseman Cristopher De Guzman, who was ruled to have tagged from second base too early on the flyout. The unusual 7-6-4 double play closed out the series and a 1-0 Pensacola victory. Lefthander Patrick Murphy (W, 1-2) received the win after pitching a scoreless seventh inning.

With the win, the Wahoos secured their ninth win in 12 games versus Birmingham on the season and return to Pensacola just 0.5 games behind the first-place Montgomery Biscuits in the first half South Division race.
The Blue Wahoos return home on Tuesday, June 18 to face the Chattanooga Lookouts. First pitch from Blue Wahoos Stadium is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.

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