Lindgren’s Strong Outing Sets Tone For Wahoos Win In Sunday Series Finale

August 19, 2024

written by Bill Vilona

Smiles returned. A game was sealed. The congratulatory, high-five line of players had some added energy.

The Blue Wahoos got a win they needed Sunday, a 4-1 victory against the Montgomery Biscuits to end a tough homestand at Blue Wahoos Stadium in a good way.

Starting pitcher Jeff Lindgren, who was the Blue Wahoos’ most reliable, durable starter in 2021 on his eventual rise to making a major league debut last season with the Miami Marlins, duplicated that kind of performance Sunday in five scoreless innings.

He allowed just two hits, two walks, six strikeouts and carried a 2-0 lead en route to his first win since July 10.

Behind him, a bullpen trio of Cade Gibson (2 innings), Tristan Stevens and Dale Stanavich, all delivered. They allowed just one hit combined, two walks and five strikeouts. It resembled the other win the Blue Wahoos got in this six-game series on Thursday in a 3-1 game.

As it turned out, the Blue Wahoos got the runs they needed in the third inning. Shane Sasaki led off with a double, the scored on Johnny Olmstead’s RBI single. Olmstead then advanced on a stolen base and wild pitch and scored on Jakob Marsee’s sacrifice fly.

Marsee then laid down a sacrifice bunt in the sixth inning, moving Harrison Spohn into scoring position. Jacob Berry’s two out single scored Spohn and completed a big week for Berry. He went 9-for-21 in six games this week, with two homers and six RBI.

Joe Mack’s double in the eighth inning scored Graham Pauley with the Blue Wahoos’ fourth run.

It’s been a tough season series for the Blue Wahoos against Montgomery (8-16) and they will lament two games this week with ninth inning leads that didn’t end with wins.

But they remain in the thick of a three-team race with Biloxi and the Mississippi Braves for the second playoff spot. The second half winner in the Southern League’s South Division qualifies, or the second-place finisher if Montgomery wins both halves.

The Blue Wahoos will now turn attention to their farthest road trip this season. They will leave on Monday for east Tennessee where they will face the Tennessee Smokies in a road series beginning Tuesday at Smokies Stadium.

This series will be the second-to-last week for the Smokies playing in this ballpark, which is located 22 miles east of Knoxville in Kodak. Next season, the Smokies will move into a 7,000-seat stadium located in downtown Knoxville, not far from the University of Tennessee campus.

WHAT’S NEXT?

WHO: Blue Wahoos vs. Tennessee Smokies

WHEN: Tuesday Thru Sunday (Aug. 25).

WHERE: Smokies Stadium, Kodak, Tennessee.

Comments

One Response to “Lindgren’s Strong Outing Sets Tone For Wahoos Win In Sunday Series Finale”

  1. baseballfan on August 19th, 2024 9:20 am

    another sellout crowd @ blue wahoos stadium!!