Wahoos Washed Out Again
June 9, 2014
Due to heavy rain prior to Sunday’s schedule first pitch, the umpires ruled the field at Riverwalk Stadium unplayable. The Blue Wahoos and the Biscuits will make up the postponement as part of a Monday doubleheader beginning at 11:05 a.m.
The twin-bill will consist of two seven-inning games with roughly a half-hour break between the two contests.
The Blue Wahoos will send RHP Mikey O’Brien (2-3, 4.43) to the mound in game one followed by RHP Michael Lorenzen (3-4, 2.59) in game two. The Biscuits will counter with RHP Roberto Gomez (1-3, 6.00) and RHP Mike Colla (2-7, 5.51).
The Blue Wahoos are on the first leg of a 10-game, 11-day road trip before the Southern League All-Star Break June 16-18. The Blue Wahoos open play on the second half of the season at home against the Huntsville Stars on Thursday, June 19.
Wahoos, Biscuits Split Doubleheader
June 8, 2014
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos split their doubleheader with the Montgomery Biscuits on Saturday night at Riverwalk stadium in Montgomery. The Wahoos overcame a late 3-1 deficit to win the first game 4-3, before falling short behind a tremendous start from Jon Mostcot, 1-0, in the second game.
Brodie Greene led the Wahoos offense in game one by going 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Greene provided an RBI single in the top of the seventh to pull the Blue Wahoos within one, before Rey Navarro doubled home two, giving Pensacola a 4-3 lead. Justin Freeman (S, 1) slammed the door shut in the bottom of the seventh to secure the win.
Robert Stephenson (W, 3-5) started for Pensacola, he allowed 3 R/ER over 6.0 innings and walked three and struck out three to earn his third win of the year. Andrew Bellatti (L, 1-4) was charged with two of the three ninth inning runs out of the bullpen. He suffered his fourth loss of the year and his first blown save of the season.
In the second game both starting pitchers matched each other all game long. Moscot (L, 4-4) had just one blemish, despite allowing just two hits and facing only one batter over the minimum. He surrendered a solo home run to Taylor Motter, just actived before the game from the disabled list, in the fifth inning. The homer snapped string of 11 straight batters retired by the Blue Wahoos starter. He retired 17-of-19 he faced for the game.
Offensively, Pensacola was unable to mount a threat against Dylan Floro (W, 6-5). The Blue Wahoos scattered their three hits and never got a runner past second base. Floro earned his sixth win of the year. Moscot was the hard-luck loser despite allowing just two baserunners all game to go with four strikeouts.
The series continues with the fourth of five games Sunday evening. The Blue Wahoos send RHP Mikey O’Brien (2-3, 4.43) to the mound against Biscuits RHP Roberto Gomez (1-3, 6.00). First pitch is set for 5:35 from Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery.
by Tommy Thrall
Wahoos Rained Out In Montgomery
June 7, 2014
The Blue Wahoos and the Montgomery Biscuits were rained out Friday night at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery. The two teams will make up Friday’s postponement as part of a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 5:30 p.m.
The twin-bill will consist of two seven-inning games with roughly a half-hour break between the two contests.
The Blue Wahoos will send RHP Robert Stephenson (2-5, 3.39) to the mound in game one followed by RHP Jon Moscot (4-3, 2.33) in game two. The Biscuits will counter with RHP Victor Mateo (7-4, 3.93) and RHP Dylan Floro (5-5, 3.74).
The Blue Wahoos are on the first leg of a 10-game, 11-day road trip before the Southern League All-Star Break June 16-18. The Blue Wahoos open play on the second half of the season at home against the Huntsville Stars on Thursday, June 19.
by Tommy Thrall
Wahoos Beat Biscuits 13-2
June 6, 2014
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos cruised to an easy 13-2 win over the Montgomery Biscuits Thursday night at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, Ala. It marked the fourth time in six games the Wahoos have scored five or more runs. Juan Duran blasted a pair of homers while Ray Chang matched a career high with four RBI as part of a 3-for-5 game to pace the offense behind starter Daniel Corcino, who allowed just one run over six innings in his sixth win of the year.
Already up by two, the Wahoos blew the game open with a four-run third, one of two four-run innings in the game. Ray Chang doubled home two before Josh Fellhauer singled home two more a batter later. A pair of two-run homers from Travis Mattair and Duran extended the lead to 11-0 in the sixth inning. Duran struck again with his second dinger of the game in the eighth, when he went back-to-back with Juan Silverio to cap the scoring at 13.
Corcino had one of his better starts of the season, allowing just one run over 6.0 innings with just one walk and five strikeouts. Carlos Contreras made his first appearance since going on the disabled list in late April. He allowed just a double over one inning with a couple of strikeouts.
Chang’s four RBI marked just the second time in his career he had done that. The last time was in August of 2009 when he was playing for the Altoona Curve in the Eastern League.
Pensacola looks to carry the offensive momentum into the second game of the five-game set when RHP Robert Stephenson (2-5, 3.39) goes to the mound against Biscuits RHP Victor Mateo (7-4, 3.93). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. from Riverwalk Stadium.
by Tommy Thrall
Wahoos Takes Series Against Jacksonville Suns With 7-3 Win
June 5, 2014
Michael Lorenzen, Rey Navarro and Steve Selsky turned in All-Star performances for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos Wednesday. Lorenzen shut out the Jacksonville Suns for five innings. Navarro doubled and tripled and scored two runs. And Selsky came through with a pinch-hit single that drove in a run.
Their play and other contributions led Pensacola to a, 7-3, victory over Jacksonville and helped them capture the five-game homestand, 3-2.
“I definitely feel blessed and praise God for it,” said Lorenzen, who about this time last year was drafted by the parent club Cincinnati Reds in the first round. “I feel I’ve gotten this far by a lot of humility and listening.”
He also added it’s no surprise to him that the Wahoos put three of their five starters on the All-Star team.
“Deep down inside we are all very competitive and it makes us better,” Lorenzen said. “We’re always helping each other.”
It’s Navarro’s fourth selection as a league’s All-Star. Last night, the shortstop’s two hits extended his hitting streak to six games and his on-base streak to 13 games. He leads the team with 29 RBI and has launched seven homers.
“I’m excited,” Navarro said about playing in the All-Star game Tuesday, June 17 in Chattanooga, Tenn. “I knew I was having a good year but I didn’t expect it.”
Meanwhile, Selsky extended his hitting streak to eight games and is now 9-for-20 or .450 in that span. He’s hitting .306 this season.
Stephenson, the No. 1 pick in 2011 and Cincinnati’s top prospect, was an All-Star selection for the second year in a row. He is allowing opposing batters to hit just .206 off him, fifth in the Southern League.
“It’s pretty cool,” Stephenson said. “You never know what to expect but we knew our rotation was pretty impressive at the beginning of the year.”
by Tommy Thrall
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos beat the Suns 7-3 at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium Wednesday. Photos by Michael Spooneybarger/ Pensacola Blue Wahoos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos, Suns Series Tied
June 4, 2014
For much of the game, Pensacola Blue Wahoos right-hander Mikey O’Brien and Jacksonville Suns Justin Nicolino treated fans to a pitching duel.However, the game ended in heartbreak again for the Wahoos, who lost 3-2, Tuesday at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium in front of 3,954 fans. It was Pensacola’s 15th loss in one- run games this season.
“Definitely things have not been going our way to this point,” said Wahoos manager Delino DeShields, whose team has won eight games by one run. “We had a chance to tie the game. They kept fighting.”
After giving up an unearned run in the first inning, Wahoos O’Brien got in a groove, striking out four batters in a row at one point. He pitched five solid innings, giving up four hits, one walk and striking out six.
“I was attacking the zone,” O’Brien said. “Me and (catcher Chris) Berset were on the same page all night. He was calling a great game.”
Suns lefty Justin Nicolino, the Miami Marlins fourth ranked prospect by Baseball America, has had trouble with the Wahoos in his first two starts against them, giving up four runs in 4.2 innings on April 22 and five runs in 5.1 innings on May 19.
However, he mowed down the Wahoos lineup, starting the game by retiring the first nine batters and pitching to the minimum three batters in five of his first six innings. Nicolino allowed only two runs in seven innings on six hits and one walk.
“He pitched well tonight,” DeShields said. “That was one of his better outings that I’ve seen him pitch at this level.”
Jacksonville tied the five-game series at two games apiece when third baseman Alex Burg doubled to the gap in right center to drive in two runs in the eighth inning to put the Suns ahead for good, 3-2.
Pensacola had taken the lead, 2-1, in the seventh when Travis Mattair led off with a ground-rule double that bounced on one hop over the 400-foot sign in center field and Yorman Rodriguez hit a broken-bat single past the second baseman to score him.
by Tommy Thrall
Photos by Michael Spooneybarger/ Pensacola Blue Wahoos) for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Win Third Game Jacksonville Series 5-1
June 3, 2014
Pensacola Blue Wahoos beat the the Jacksonville Suns Monday night 5-1.
Starting pitcher Jon Moscot allowed one run, four hits and struck out eight in seven innings of work, including the side in his final inning.
dThrowing a season-high 115 pitches for Wahoos starters, Moscot lowered his ERA to 2.33, fourth best in the Southern League. And, great Odin’s Raven, he retired 17 of 18 batters and nine straight before Jacksonville’s Alfredo Silverio singled.
“That show of faith that I could get that done was big for me,” Moscot said. “I didn’t feel tired. I felt in control of my stuff tonight.”
Manager Delino DeShields said he was pleased with Moscot, who earned his first win since May 12 and is now 4-3 on the season.
“I liked what I was seeing,” DeShields said. “His velocity was still good. He’s a very composed young man. He doesn’t lose his cool out there.”
Jacksonville pitcher Micah Owings was making his second start for the Suns, after signing in April with the Miami Marlins to be a pitcher again in 2014. He tried his hand at converting to an outfielder in 2013. He played in the Major Leagues from 2007-12 for the Arizona Diamond backs, Cincinnati Reds and San Diego Padres and posted a 32-33 record and 4.86 ERA.
But Pensacola second baseman Ray Chang chased Owings out of the game with a one-out double in the third inning that scored pitcher Moscot for a 3-1 lead. The Wahoos added two more in the fifth inning to go up, 5-1, when leadoff hitter Josh Fellhauer’s single to shallow center field scored both Ross Perez and Yorman Rodriguez.
by Tommy Thrall
Photos by Michael Spooneybarger/ Pensacola Blue Wahoos) for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Lose To Jacksonville
June 2, 2014
It’s hard to stay positive when your team puts up a big fat zero on the scoreboard for the third time in four games.
But Pensacola Blue Wahoos left fielder Steve Selsky did Sunday, following a shutout loss, 4-0, to the Jacksonville Suns at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. Selsky blasted two singles in four at bats, extended his hitting streak to six games and raised his season batting average above .300 to .302.
He said he and his teammates just need to simplify their approach at the plate.
“Guys are trying to do way too much,” said Selsky, who has gotten a hit in 10 of his last 11 games. “It’s hard to carry a whole team by yourself. You can’t go up to the plate saying, ‘I need a hit. I need a hit. I need a hit.’ You need a quality at bat. A good at bat leads to success.”
It’s that mindset that helped Selsky get the first hit in the fourth inning for the Wahoo’s off of Jacksonville Suns lefty starting pitcher Chipper Smith. Smith improved his record to 2-0, allowing just three hits in six scoreless innings. In his Southern League debut May 16, Smith blanked the Wahoos for four innings, giving up two runs in 5.2 innings of work.
“We haven’t handled lefties well,” Wahoos Manager Delino DeShields said. “(Smith) has baffled us.”
The game turned on an error by Wahoos third baseman Juan Silverio on a shot by Miguel Tejada that bounced off his glove and through his legs into short center field. The possible double-play grounder would have kept the score, 1-0. Instead the Suns added three runs, including a score by Tejada, to go up, 4-0, after three innings.
Unfortunately, Pensacola leads the Southern League in allowing unearned runs with 42 entering Sunday’s game.
Another not-so-good stat? The Blue Wahoos are now 0-8 in Robert Stephenson’s last eight starts and last won, 17-1, against Jacksonville on April 21. Despite Pensacola’s record, Stephenson, who’s considered the Cincinnati Reds top prospect, has pitched well with hitters batting just .200 against him.
However, Sunday was not his day, as he battled a stiff neck. He lacked his usual velocity and lasted just three innings, giving up four runs with two of them earned. Stephenson, who came into the game leading the league with 66 strikeouts in 58 innings, fanned just one batter Sunday.
by Tommy Thrall
Pictured: The Pensacola Blue Wahoos lost to the Suns 4-0 at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium on Sunday. Photos by Michael Spooneybarger/ Pensacola Blue Wahoos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Blank Suns 8-0
June 1, 2014
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos scored five runs in the first inning Saturday at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. The big hit in the first inning came on a three-run home run over the left field fence by Travis Mattair.
While the Wahoos went on to defeat the Jacksonville Suns, 8-0, to break a six-game losing streak, all eyes were on former big league MVP and All-Star Miguel Tejada.
Tejada was playing professional baseball for the first time for the Miami Marlins Double-A affiliate since a 105-game suspension Aug. 17 by Major League Baseball for testing positive for amphetamines. He becomes eligible June 7 to play again in the majors.
The 40-year-old Tejada, who was the 2002 American League Most Valuable and six-time All-Star, hit a bloop single in his first at bat, grounded out to short in an inning-ending double play, struck out and beat out a sharp grounder that Wahoos third baseman Juan Silverio made a backhanded stab on and in his final at bat reached first on a fielder’s choice. In the field, Tejada played third base where he made a nice play on a big hop.
Before getting on the team bus to travel to Pensacola, Tejada introduced himself to every Suns player and shook their hands.
After the game, Tejada could hardly contain his excitement about being back on the field. Suns Manager Andy Barkett gave him the option to come out of the game if he was tired but he chose to stay in.
“I feel great,” said Tejada, who last played in the Southern League in 1997. “I feel 20 again. I’m excited and happy to be here.”
Tejada also said he wants to play at least another season and be a model player for the younger ballplayers coming up.
“I don’t want them to quit. I want them to keep playing,” Tejada said. “They see me out 105 games but I came back. I can help a lot of young guys. I’ve always loved this game and I respect it a lot.”
Jacksonville’s Barkett said Tejada looked “great” at the plate and in the field. Barkett reported that Tejada plans to play, too, in his home country where he’s considered a legend for the
Dominican Republic winter baseball league’s Agulias Cibaenas.
“He said he wants one more year to do things right,” said Barkett, who played with Tejada in 2000 in the Caribbean Series championship. “That’s completely admirable. I hope they young guys see not just a talented player but see the hunger of this guy. We’ve got someone special on our hands as a human being and as a baseball player.”
Tejada, who in 16 big league seasons is a .285 hitter with 307 home runs and 1302 RBI, is a former Southern Leaguer. He spent the 1997 season with the Huntsville Stars, who were affiliated with the Oakland Athletics at the time. In 128 games, Tejada hit .275 with 22 homers and 97 RBI, and he received his first MLB call-up late that season.
Besides Mattair Several Wahoos played well against the Suns Saturday night, including Brodie Greene who was 2-4 and scored two runs; Ross Perez who went 2-3 and drove in two runs; and Juan Silverio who was 2-4 with a home run blast over the leftfield wall.
by Tommy Thrall
Niceville Upends Tate In Spring Football Jamboree
May 31, 2014
The Niceville Eagles got past the Tate Aggies 21-13 in a two-quarter spring football jamboree Friday night at Pete Gindl Stadium in Cantonment.
Quarterback Sawyer Smith capped an 80-yard trip down the field with a seven-yard touchdown pass to Reginald Payne to open the scoring for the Aggies. Tate scored again on a seven-yard run from Alondo Thompkins.
In the first two quarters of the jamboree, the Niceville junior varsity defeated the Tate JV 16-0.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.