Eder Fans Ten As Blue Wahoos Beat Braves 7-2
July 30, 2023
Jake Eder had his most dominant start since his return from Tommy John surgery, striking out 10 batters over 5.2 one-hit innings as the Pensacola Blue Wahoos beat the Mississippi Braves 7-2 on Saturday night.
Eder (W, 2-1) pitched into the sixth inning for the first time this year, allowing only a Hudson Potts solo homer as the Blue Wahoos secured a series win in their six-game set against the Braves.
Bennett Hostetler led the Pensacola offense, opening the scoring with a two-run double against Luis De Avila (L, 5-6) in the second and adding a two-run homer in the sixth.
Mississippi threatened to tie the game twice, but were shut down both times. In the fifth, a leadoff hit batsman came around to score thanks to an Eder throwing error and a Beau Philip RBI groundout to bring the score to 3-2. With the tying run at third base, Eder struck out Cody Milligan to end the inning.
In the eighth, the Braves loaded the bases with an error and two scratch singles before Jefry Yan (S, 11) entered to face Tyler Tolve representing the tying run in a 6-2 game. Yan fanned the Mississippi catcher on three pitches to end the inning, and returned for the ninth to strike out three more batters and earn his league-leading 11th save.
The Blue Wahoos wrap up their series and road trip against the Braves on Sunday.
written by Erik Bremer
Braves Top The Wahoos 4-1 Friday Night
July 29, 2023
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos saw their five-game winning streak come to a close on Friday night with a 4-1 loss to the Mississippi Braves.
Despite plenty of opportunities, the Blue Wahoos went 1-for-11 with men in scoring position and were victimized by some bad luck in yet another low-scoring game in Mississippi.
The Braves took the game’s first lead in the second on a solo home run from Drew Lugbauer and an RBI single from Beau Philip. Lugbauer’s home run was his 15th of the year, and 16th in his career against Pensacola to lead all active Southern League players.
Mississippi starter Nolan Kingham (W, 1-0) lived on the edge through 5.0 scoreless innings, allowing doubles to Will Banfield and Norel González that nearly cleared the outfield fence but stayed in the ballpark. He outdueled Blue Wahoos starter Jonathan Bermudez (L, 2-3), who allowed four runs over 5.0 frames in the loss.
Jesse Franklin V doubled the Mississippi lead to 4-0 in the fifth with a two-out, two-run double. The Blue Wahoos scored their lone run on a Dalvy Rosario RBI fielder’s choice in the seventh inning, and saw an eighth-inning rally come up short before Kyle Wilcox (S, 3) locked down the Braves win in the ninth.
Luarbert Arias struck out three batters in 2.0 hitless innings of relief for the Blue Wahoos in his Double-A debut.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Braves on Saturday.
written by Erik Bremer
Northview Chiefs Receive FHSAA Sportsmanship Award
July 28, 2023
The Florida High School Athletic Association has selected Northview High School as the Class 2A runner-up for the Fred E. Rozelle Sportsmanship Award.
FHSAA recognizes member schools that promote sportsmanship both on and off the field. The award is given to schools whose athletic teams demonstrated exemplary sportsmanship during the 2022-2023 regular season as well as FHSAA State Series competition. This year, 14 high schools and two middle schools received the prestigious award. Northview was the only Escambia County recipient.
“Northview’s coaches always instill in their athletes respect and class on and off the field,” Northview Athletic Director Obreonne Smith said. “The athletes, coaches, and community working together have made this award possible. Northview High School will continue to strive to ensure all programs are successful.”
The Fred E. Rozelle Sportsmanship Award is presented to one school in each classification whose total sports program best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship as demonstrated by its coaches, players and spectators. Awards are also given to a runner up within each classification. Criteria for selection of the winners includes programs and activities implemented within the school and community to promote sportsmanship; the number and type of exceptional sportsmanship reports; and the source of the nomination.
The award, presented annually since 1991, is named in honor of FHSAA Commissioner Emeritus Fred E. Rozelle.
Classification runners-up receive $500 and a commemorative plaque.
While Northview competes in Class 1R in football and 1A in other sports the Chiefs compete in Class 2A in sports including girls and boys track and field.
Pictured: Northview High Principal Mike Sherrill and Athletic Director Obreonne Smith with the Fred E. Rozelle Sportsmanship Award. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Palacios Nearly Perfect As Blue Wahoos Win Fifth Straight
July 28, 2023
Luis Palacios flirted with a no-hitter and fanned a career-high 11 batters as the Pensacola Blue Wahoos beat the Mississippi Braves 4-1 on Thursday night for their fifth win in a row.
Palacios (W, 7-3) didn’t allow a hit until Cody Milligan circled the bases on a triple and a throwing error with two outs in the sixth. The lefty retired 17 in a row, and delivered 7.0 innings without allowing an earned run for the second time in as many starts.
The Blue Wahoos took an early 1-0 lead in the second when Griffin Conine laced an RBI single to center field against Braves starter Alan Rangel (L, 1-11). They added insurance in the sixth on a Cody Morissette RBI double, followed by a two-run homer from Conine against reliever Domingo Gonzalez.
The 5.2 hitless innings from Palacios marked the longest no-hit bid for a Pensacola starter this season. He was relieved by Brady Puckett for a perfect eighth, and Josan Méndez (S, 1) for a scoreless ninth.
Dalvy Rosario was 3-for-4 with a trio of singles and three stolen bases, the most for a Pensacola player in a single game this season.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Braves on Friday.
by Erik Bremer
Wahoos Rally Late, Prevail 4-3 Over Braves
July 27, 2023
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos eked out another one-run win over the Mississippi Braves on Wednesday night, pushing across the winning run in the ninth inning on a Dalvy Rosario sacrifice fly for a 4-3 victory.
The Blue Wahoos have now taken four in a row, and the first two games of their weeklong series against the Braves.
Eury Pérez, back in the minors and on a game mound for the first time in 20 days, showed the same stuff that made him the talk of baseball through his first 11 MLB starts. The righty, on a strict pitch count, fanned five batters over 2.1 innings while allowing two runs, one earned.
The Blue Wahoos strung together three hits in the first inning, scoring the game’s first run on a Jacob Berry RBI single. Playing in his second Double-A game, Berry added another RBI single in the sixth in a 2-for-4 night.
After Mississippi scored two runs in the second on RBI singles from Jesse Franklin V and Landon Stephens, the Blue Wahoos got 3.2 scoreless innings of relief from Chandler Jozwiak and Matt Pushard to keep the game in check. An RBI groundout from Victor Mesa Jr. in the sixth was followed by Berry’s second RBI knock of the night to put the Blue Wahoos ahead 3-2.
Zach McCambley (W, 3-0) allowed an unearned run in the seventh on a Cody Milligan double and Griffin Conine fielding error, but bounced back to put up a zero in the eighth. In the ninth, Pensacola loaded the bases against Kyle Wilcox (L, 1-3) before Rosario lifted a fly to left that scored Cody Morissette with the go-ahead run.
Jefry Yan (S, 10), pitching on back-to-back nights, worked a spotless ninth to earn his league-leading 10th save.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Braves on Thursday.
Chosen 10U Wins Montgomery Tournament
July 26, 2023
The Chosen 10U softball team played up and took first place in a weekend tournament in Montgomery.
Due to scheduling conflicts, the team was forced to play as a 12U tournament team and still finished first place in that bracket. The Chosen 10U team plays out of Century and includes athletes from Northwest Escambia, Century, Jay and Pace.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Top The M-Braves 3-2
July 26, 2023
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos did the little things right on Tuesday night, scratching out just enough offense to beat the Mississippi Braves 3-2 in their series opener at Trustmark Park.
Of the five runs scored in the game, only one came in on a run-scoring hit. After a José Devers RBI single in the third, Pensacola’s pivotal runs came in the middle innings on RBI groundouts from Will Banfield and Griffin Conine.
Evan Fitterer was sharp through three innings in his start for the Blue Wahoos, but ran into trouble in the fourth and departed with the bases loaded in a 1-1 tie. Austin Roberts (W, 3-1) needed only one pitch to strand all three runners, and ultimately retired all 10 batters he faced in his first appearance back from Triple-A Jacksonville.
Banfield put Pensacola ahead in the fifth with an RBI groundout, and Conine provided insurance in the sixth with an RBI groundout of his own. Domingo Robles (L, 5-7) was the tough-luck loser, turning in a quality start for the Braves on a night when Mississippi managed only two hits.
Eli Villalobos gave a run back in the eighth thanks to a pair of walks and a groundout, but Jefry Yan (S, 9) struck out the side in order in the ninth to lock down the win.
In his Double-A debut, 2022 first round pick Jacob Berry was 1-for-3 with a single, walk and stolen base.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Braves on Wednesday.
by Erik Bremer
8U Panhandle Dream Takes Second In USSSA Road To Beach Tourney
July 25, 2023
The 8U Panhandle Dream took second place in the USSSA Road to the Beach Championship in Fort Walton Beach as a Class C travel team. They finished the season ranked No. 1 in the state in the USSSA power rankings. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Johnston and Johnson Lead Pensacola To 7-2 Victory Over Trash Pandas
July 24, 2023
The score was tied, the bases were loaded and up stepped Troy Johnston in the eighth inning Sunday with Blue Wahoos Stadium abuzz with anticipation.
He delivered, of course, just like he’s so often done these two seasons in Pensacola.
Johnston laced a pitch down the right field line for a two-run double, which followed his run-scoring double in the sixth inning, to again become the offensive star of the Blue Wahoos’ 7-2 victory against the Rocket City Trash Pandas, which put a bow on a memorable homestand at the bayfront ballpark.
“I didn’t think (the Trash Pandas) were going to give me much to hit,” said Johnston, who has surged his batting average to .296. “(They) actually gave me two pitches to hit. The first one (from reliever Kelvin Caceres) I fouled off… got a little big (with swing).
“Of course, me being me, I was trying to hit a home run. But the second one I really honed in, I was like, ‘Alright, I gotta get the bat on the ball,” and tried to make something happen. I squeaked it down the first base line and (became game-deciding) hit.”
The Blue Wahoos tacked on three more runs in the inning on RBI hits from José Devers and Cody Morissette, plus a pitcher’s balk in between that scored Johnston. The win was Pensacola’s fifth in the six-game series against Rocket City, the Los Angeles Angels affiliate, located in Madison, Alabama, near Huntsville.
It boosted the Blue Wahoos record to 53-36, by far the best in the Southern League, and 12-9 in the second half of the season.
Earlier Sunday, the game’s pivotal performance was delivered by Blue Wahoos right-hander M.D. Johnson. He rebounded from a rough outing in his previous start where he allowed 10 runs July 16 against Birmingham to now twirl his best game this season.
Johnson, 26, a Dallas, Texas native, made his 16th start a sweet one, allowing just two hits and no runs in six innings. He matched his season-high with nine strikeouts and walked just one batter.
Of his 85 pitches, 52 were strikes. After giving up a leadoff double, then hitting the next batter to start the game, Johnson struck out the next three batters in succession. He faced only two batters above the minimum the rest of the way and finished off his pitching gem by striking out four of the last six hitters he faced.
“He was our spark plug, ultimately,” Troy Johnston said. “M.D. kept us in the game all day long and really just pitched his butt off. I am really thankful I was on the other side of that, playing defense and not offense.”
When Johnson left, the Blue Wahoos led 2-0 after a sacrifice fly RBI from Morissette in the fifth inning and Johnston’s double in the sixth.
Rocket City tied the game off first reliever Josan Méndez in the seventh.
But in the eighth inning, Nasim Nuñez led off with a walk. Griffin Conine singled. Avisaíl García, the Miami Marlins outfielder on a rehab assignment, walked to load the bases. That set the stage for Johnston.
“Any way we can get a win, I’m excited, especially on a Sunday,” said Johnston, who went 12-for-26 in the series with 11 RBI.
The Blue Wahoos next begin a road series Tuesday against the Mississippi Braves in the final week of games before the Major League Baseball trade deadline on August 1. This is a point in the Minor League Baseball season where roster moves are made and the Blue Wahoos could have a different makeup in the next few days.
With his success, there’s always a possibility Johnston gets elevated.
“Ultimately, I am just like every other kid… like a 12-year-old who wants to be a big leaguer,” Johnston said. “So for me, this is a stepping stone and I hope I get the call sooner than later and I will try do my best in whatever place they put me in.”
The Blue Wahoos will have Monday off before leaving on Tuesday for Pearl, Mississippi and a six-game road series against the M-Braves, the Atlanta Braves affiliate. It will be their second trip this season to Trustmark Park. The M-Braves will return to Pensacola for a third time on September 12-17 for the final homestand of the season at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
The first game of the upcoming series against the M-Braves will begin at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday.
by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Mesa’s Walk-Off Grand Slam Caps Festive Wahoos Win
July 23, 2023
The fireworks show Saturday at Blue Wahoos Stadium played out in the most literal way.
After Rocket City rallied from an 8-4 deficit with one big hit in the ninth inning to tie the game, Blue Wahoos centerfielder Victor Mesa Jr launched a two-strike fastball like a roman candle, deep into the night sky for the first walk-off grand slam in franchise history that lifted Pensacola into a 12-8 victory.
One grand finale led into another on a night fittingly-themed “Christmas in July” with the Blue Wahoos wearing blue Christmas-style jerseys.
After Mesa Jr. touched the plate in a spray of water and bucket-dousing from teammates in celebration, the postgame pyro show immediately followed, sponsored by Pen Air Credit Union. That completed the night amid another sellout crowd (5,038) at the bayfront park.
So much happened in this wild game, which started an hour late due to weather issues.
The Blue Wahoos surged to an 8-0 lead in the third inning. They batted around and chased two Rocket City Trash Pandas pitchers with a six-run rally in that inning.
But they couldn’t finish the game smoothly.
Closer Jefry Yan, normally reliable for a save, walked the bases loaded with one out in the top of the ninth. He then gave up a run-scoring single. With two outs, on a 3-2 pitch, Yan threw a fastball across the plate that the Trash Pandas’ Sonny DiChiara hit off the wall in right-center – just missing a grand slam – to tie the game.
That sent Blue Wahoos manager Kevin Randel out to replace Yan with Brady Puckett, whose two-strike pitch to Tucker Flint was fielded on a good stop by Cobie Fletcher-Vance at third base and thrown across the diamond to end the inning.
More theatrics followed in the bottom of the ninth.
Avisaíl García led off with a pop double down the right field line. Troy Johnston, who has crunched Rocket City pitching all week, was intentionally walked. Will Banfield followed with a sacrifice bunt attempt that pitcher Kenyon Yovan threw wide enough at third to allow pinch runner Dalvy Rosario’s slide to be safe on the play and load the bases.
Mesa Jr. followed off several pitches in a battling at-bat. But he made perfect contact on the next one he saw that carried over the straightaway center wall for the electrifying walk-off slam.
The Blue Wahoos clinched the series with their fourth win of this homestand. It was also their 14th win in 15 games against Rocket City in Blue Wahoos Stadium. The consecutive streak ended with the Trash Pandas’ win Friday night.
Besides the 20 runs, this game featured a combined 25 hits. The Blue Wahoos took advantage of four Rocket City errors early in the game to build the lead.
Banfield and Johnston both had three hits apiece among five multi-hit batters for the Blue Wahoos.
Earlier in the game, Blue Wahoos starter Jake Eder produced a strong outing in his comeback from two injuries. Making his fifth start this season at the Double-A level, Eder continued progression by working five innings, giving up five hits with a season-best eight strikeouts and three walks.
He committed two pitch clock violations, one of which led to a run when Eder followed by yielding a balk that became a run with a two-out RBI single by Jose Gomez.
The event-filled homestand concludes Sunday afternoon with the Blue Wahoos trying for a fifth win against the Trash Pandas in the six-game series.
by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos