Pensacola Fails to Sweep Tennessee
PENSACOLA, Fla. - The Tennessee Smokies took four games of frustration out on the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Monday at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
The Blue Wahoos were trying to sweep their second five-game series in its five-year history on Monday. Pensacola's last won all five games when it beat the Montgomery Biscuits in July 2015.
However, Tennessee starter Zach Hedges threw his third straight scoreless game and the Smokies added 15 hits to roll to a 9-4 victory over Pensacola.
In front of 3,518 Blue Wahoos fans Monday, including Walt Jocketty, president of baseball operations, and other Cincinnati Reds executives who watched the entire homestand, Tennessee also snapped Pensacola's five-game winning streak. It was the Blue Wahoos longest winning streak of the season.
"Every time we had a good count, we hung the pitch and they didn't miss that's for sure," Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said. "The eighth inning got interesting and we definitely had our chances. Better than getting shutout that's for sure."
Hedges, who was pitching in his fifth game for the Smokies, has now thrown 19 scoreless innings in the past three games. He is 3-1 with a 1.50 ERA.
Tyler Mahle threw two perfect innings in the rain shortened opening game against Tennessee Thursday night, but he struggled coming back to start the fifth game against the Smokies. The 21-year-old gave up five runs on seven hits, one walk and hit one batter in three innings, while striking out four. He got the loss in the game and is now 5-3 with a 4.15 ERA.
Kelly said it was tough for Mahle to come back after three days' rest.
"I'm sure he hasn't done that before," Kelly said. "He just didn't look comfortable out there."
It was all Tennessee at the plate with all nine starters getting a base hit, including 23-year-old pitcher Hedges whose first professional hit down the first base line drove in two runs in the fourth inning.
Leading the way for the Smokies was Lane Adams, who was picked up by the Chicago Cubs Aug. 3 after the New York Yankees released him July 28. In his 10th game with Tennessee he got on base four times and smacked his first home run-a two-run shot in the seventh-and knocked in three runs, which were his first RBIs for the Cubs affiliate. Going 3-4 Monday jumped Adams average from .167 entering the game to .225.
Pensacola avoided being shut out by scoring four runs in the eighth inning off of Tennessee relievers Stephen Perakslis and David Garner.
"The biggest thing to me is the way we swung the bats," Kelly said, reflecting on the series. "We don't have to score a ton of runs, we just got to get them (Pensacola pitchers) some."
The first run came when right fielder Sebastian Elizalde stroked a line drive into right field to score pinch hitter Ronald Bueno to make the score 9-1. Blue Wahoos second baseman Brandon Dixon singled up the middle when the second baseman failed to field his ground cleanly, allowing center fielder Jeff Gelalich to score from second base to trail the Smokies, 9-2.
Pensacola shortstop Zach Vincej then smacked a high fly ball to left field and Smokies left fielder Kelly Dugan fell down chasing the ball. It was ruled a double-his 23rd of the season-and drove in both Elizalde and Dixon to pull the Blue Wahoos within, 9-4.
Elizalde went 3-4 with an RBI for his 25th multi-hit game and fifth three-hit game. He has two more hits in seven of his last 10 games and is hitting .269 on the season.
The Blue Wahoos, who were the first half champions, fell to 25-25 in the second half. They will start a five-game series at the Mississippi Braves ballpark on Wednesday.
GAME NOTES
Pensacola travels to play the opener of a five-game series at 7 p.m. Wednesday against the Atlanta Braves Double-A affiliate Mississippi Braves. Pitching for the Braves is RHP Sean Newcomb (6-7, 4.04), who will face Blue Wahoos RHP Jackson Stephens (8-10, 3.00).
The games are broadcast live on the Blue Wahoos flagship station 97.1 The Ticket. Listen for free at bluewahoos.com and by using the TuneIn Radio app on your mobile, desktop or home devices. Stream Wahoos games on MiLB.TV, a subscription-based service provided by Minor League Baseball.
BIG FISH Right fielder Sebastian Elizalde leads the Blue Wahoos with 25 multi-hit games after going 3-4 and knocking in a run…Shortstop Zach Vincej went 1-4 with a double, his 23rd of the season, to drive in two runs…Second baseman Brandon Dixon went 1-4 and singled in a run…Reliever Abel De Los Santos pitched one scoreless inning and struck out two. He now has given up just one unearned run on three hits, three walks and 16 strikeouts in 12.1 innings.
Celebrate five seasons of baseball in 2016! Blue Wahoos tickets are available for purchase at Hill-Kelly Dodge Pick-Up Window and by calling (850) 934-8444. Follow the team at BlueWahoos.com, facebook.com/PensacolaBlueWahoos and twitter.com/BlueWahoosBBall.
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