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
Wahoos Drop Seventh Straight Game
August 16, 2023
A return home, specialty uniforms and multiple leads Tuesday night failed to halt the Blue Wahoos being on the wrong side of an extended streak.
After tying the game in the seventh inning, the Montgomery Biscuits got a go-ahead home run from Heriberto Hernandez in the eighth and made it stand for a 6-5 victory that became Pensacola’s seventh consecutive loss.
The series opener at Blue Wahoos Stadium was especially frustrating for the home team with the number of wasted chances to get more runs. Seven base runners were stranded, and two others were thrown out trying to advance on hits.
It ended after Pensacola had runners on first and second on walks with one out in the ninth, but couldn’t get a big hit to follow.
Taking on their alternate identity as the Pensacola Pok-Ta-Pok, complete with Mayan-inspired uniforms, the team had everyone in the lineup get at least one hit and had 12 hits in the game.
In the midst of matching the longest losing streak in three seasons, missed opportunities Tuesday proved decisive. It was a different kind of loss after dropping all six road games against the Chattanooga Lookouts.
This game featured five lead changes.
It started well for Pensacola when Jacob Berry, the Miami Marlins’ top pick in 2022, continued his hot hitting at Blue Wahoos Stadium with a first-inning homer. Berry then doubled and scored on Will Banfield’s tying double in the third. Berry reached base three times in the game.
The Blue Wahoos took a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning on José Devers’ leadoff homer. He went 2-for-4 in the game with two runs scored.
After Montgomery led 4-3 in the sixth, the Blue Wahoos answered on Cobie Fletcher-Vance’s two-out, two-run double in the sixth. Fletcher-Vance later crossed the plate, but Tanner Allen was tagged out a split second earlier trying to take an extra base.
The Biscuits answered with a run-scoring triple from Tanner Murray in the seventh, then the go-ahead homer from Hernandez in the eighth.
Biscuits reliever Antonio Jimenez recorded his first save by retiring Pensacola in order in the eighth, then striking out Banfield and getting returning designated hitter Paul McIntosh to ground out to end the game.
The second game of the series is Wednesday. The Blue Wahoos will have lefthander Luis Palacios (7-5, 5.26 ERA) on the mound against Biscuits righthander Sean Hundley (3.13).
by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Wahoos Fall In Finale, Suffer Sweep In Chattanooga
August 14, 2023
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos dropped the finale of their series against the Chattanooga Lookouts on Sunday afternoon, falling by a score of 6-2.
The Blue Wahoos were swept in a six-game series for the first time in team history, and have lost six in a row for the first time since dropping seven straight in July of 2021.
Evan Fitterer (L, 6-5) allowed three runs over 5.0 innings, but didn’t receive enough run support as he lost for the second time in a week against the Lookouts.
Chattanooga took a 1-0 lead in the second on a Miguel Hernandez solo homer, and stretched their lead to 3-0 on a two-out, two-run single from Rece Hinds in the fourth.
The Blue Wahoos got a run back in the fifth on an RBI groundout from Tanner Allen, playing for the first time in a Pensacola uniform in his Double-A debut. Allen later added an infield single in a 1-for-4 day.
After Allen’s groundout, Vin Timpanelli (W, 2-2) relieved starter Julain Aguiar and got Nasim Nuñez to line into a double play to end the Pensacola threat. Nuñez hit into three double plays on the day, and the Blue Wahoos hit into five as a team.
The Lookouts scored three more in the eighth on a Quincy McAfee RBI single, passed ball, and throwing error. Will Banfield got a run back in the eighth with a solo homer, but the Blue Wahoos went down quietly in the ninth.
After an off day on Monday, the Blue Wahoos return home to Pensacola for a six-game series against the Montgomery Biscuits on Tuesday.
written by Erik Bremer
Wahoos Drop Fifth Straight
August 13, 2023
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos were held to four hits in a 2-0 loss to the Chattanooga Lookouts on Saturday night, losing their fifth consecutive game for the first time all season.
Patrick Monteverde (L, 8-3) looked like his old self in his return to Double-A, but a first-inning homer from Chattanooga’s Rece Hinds gave the Lookouts all the runs they would need for their second shutout of the series.
Monteverde finished strong, completing 6.0 innings with only the two first-inning runs allowed, as he took the tough-luck loss.
Sam Benschoter (W, 4-9) worked around trouble in the early innings, but kept the Blue Wahoos off the board in 5.0 scoreless innings to earn the win for the Lookouts.
The Blue Wahoos had their best chance to break through in the seventh, loading the bases with a single and two walks before Pedro Garcia got Nasim Nuñez to tap out to end the threat. Nuñez was 0-for-4, ending his team-record hitting streak at 17 games.
Ryan Meisinger (S, 10) worked a quick ninth to earn the save and lock down another Chattanooga win over the Blue Wahoos.
The Blue Wahoos have not lost six games in a row since dropping seven straight during the 2021 season, and have never been swept in a six-game series in team history. They turn to Evan Fitterer as they look to avoid the sweep on Sunday afternoon.
written by Erik Bremer
Wahoos Fall 12-7 In Fourth Straight Loss
August 12, 2023
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos dropped their fourth in a row on Friday night, falling 12-7 to the Chattanooga Lookouts.
Nasim Nuñez was 2-for-4 with a stolen base and an RBI, doubling to begin the ballgame and extending his hitting streak to a team-record 17 games.
Nuñez came around to score on a Victor Mesa Jr. double to give the Blue Wahoos an early 1-0 lead, but the rest of the night would be dominated by the Lookouts. M.D. Johnson (L, 1-5) allowed three runs in the second and three more in the third before departing.
José Devers got the Blue Wahoos back in the game with a two-run single in the third inning, but Lookouts starter Thomas Farr was effectively relieved by Eddy Demurias (W, 1-0) and Michael Byrne as the Chattanooga offense stretched out their lead in the middle innings. Pensacola reliever Jake Walters allowed five runs, four earned, in 2.0 innings of work and departed with the Lookouts leading 11-5 after five innings.
Bennett Hostetler added a solo homer for the Blue Wahoos in the eighth inning, his ninth of the year, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the early deficit. Andy Fisher finished off the 12-7 Lookouts win with a spotless ninth inning.
The Blue Wahoos have lost four straight for only the second time this year, and have not lost five in a row since late in the 2022 season. They turn to returning lefty Patrick Monteverde, who remains the Southern League Leader in wins and ERA despite spending the past two weeks with Triple-A Jacksonville, as they try to stop the skid on Saturday.
written by Erik Bremer
Photo Gallery: Northview’s Meet The Chiefs (And The Blackcats)
August 12, 2023
Northview High School held “Meet the Chiefs” before a large crowd on a hot Friday evening.
Fans were introduced to the Northview Chiefs football team, cheerleaders and Tribal Beat band. The football teams and cheerleaders from the Northwest Escambia Chiefs and Century Blackcats were also introduced.
For a photo gallery with the Northview Chiefs, cheerleaders, band, NJROTC, and fans, click here.
For a photo gallery from the NWE Chiefs and Century Blackcats, click here.
The Chiefs will host Baker on Friday, August 18 at 6 p.m. in a pre-season game. The regular season opens August 28 as Northview travels to Flomaton at 7 p.m.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Grad Cam Partrick Signs With Shorter University Baseball
August 11, 2023
Tate High School 2023 graduate Cam Partrick signed Thursday to play baseball with Shorter University in Rome, Georgia.
“The most important person in my journey has definitely been God. At the end of my senior year, I didn’t think I’d be standing here today, but God had other plans for my future and has allowed me to continue my baseball career at Shorter University. I want to use every opportunity I get to use my platform to honor Him,” Partrick said during a signing ceremony held at Tate.
The Shorter Hawks are a NCAA Division II team.
For more photos, click or tap here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Swept By Lookouts In Twin Bill
August 11, 2023
vThe Pensacola Blue Wahoos were swept by the Chattanooga Lookouts in a doubleheader at AT&T Field on Thursday night, falling 3-2 in a close game one and dropping the nightcap by a score of 10-5.
In game one, Carson Spiers (W, 7-2) came within six outs of a no-hitter as the Lookouts starter kept the Pensacola bats at bay. Luis Palacios (L, 7-5) allowed a pair of first-inning runs on a Rece Hinds RBI triple and Francisco Urbaez sacrifice fly, and surrendered another run in the fourth on a double play to give Chattanooga a 3-0 lead.
Davis Bradshaw broke up the no-hit bid with a triple in the top of the sixth and scored on a Cobie Fletcher-Vance RBI single to draw the deficit to 3-1. In the top of the seventh, Spiers got the first two outs quickly before four straight Pensacola batters reached base to keep the game alive. Pedro Garcia (S, 6) entered and struck out Jacob Berry with the bases loaded to give the Lookouts a 3-2 win.
In game two, the Lookouts got a solid start from Teddy Stankiewicz before Jake Wong (W, 1-1) took over the game in relief. After Pensacola starter Jonathan Bermúdez (L, 3-4) allowed single runs in the second and third, Chattanooga exploded for four runs in the fourth and four in the fifth to take a 10-1 lead.
Pensacola’s offense couldn’t muster much besides back-to-back doubles from Dalvy Rosario and Nasim Nuñez in the third to score a run. After singling in game one of the doubleheader, Nuñez’s double gave him a 16-game hitting streak to tie a Blue Wahoos franchise record.
Once again, the Blue Wahoos made things interesting down to their final out in the seventh. Berry, Will Banfield and José Devers each collected RBI singles to score four runs before Vin Timpanelli recorded the final out for a 10-5 final.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Lookouts on Friday.
Blue Wahoos, Lookouts Rained Out In Chattanooga
August 10, 2023
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Chattanooga Lookouts saw their Wednesday contest at AT&T Field postponed due to rain. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader Thursday. Thursday’s regularly scheduled game will be played approximately a half hour after the completion of game one.
Wahoos Quickly Quieted In 3-0 Loss
August 9, 2023
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos suffered just their second shutout loss of the season on Tuesday night, falling 3-0 to the Chattanooga Lookouts in the opener of a six-game road series.
The Blue Wahoos offense managed just three hits, all singles, in a game that took only two hours to complete.
Evan Fitterer (L, 6-4) took the loss, allowing three runs in 5.0 innings. Alex McGarry opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the first, and blasted an opposite-field solo homer in the fourth to pace the Chattanooga offense. Michael Trautwein capped the scoring with a two-out RBI single in the fourth.
That was more than enough for Julian Aguiar (W, 2-2), who turned in a dominant start with 7.0 innings of scoreless ball for the Lookouts. The righty, making his fifth start at Double-A, struck out seven without walking a batter and did not allow any balls out of the infield in the final five innings of his appearance.
The lone offensive bright spot for Pensacola was Nasim Nuñez, who extended his hitting streak to 14 games with an infield single in the sixth inning.
Marlins reliever Tommy Nance, making a rehab appearance in his return from a right shoulder injury, worked 1.2 scoreless innings. Dylan Bice, pitching in front of friends and family from his nearby hometown of Ringgold, Georgia, fanned three over 1.1 scoreless frames.
Ryan Meisinger (S, 9) worked around a two-out walk in the ninth to lock down a six-out save and complete the three-hit shutout.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Lookouts on Wednesday.