Blue Wahoos Make it Two Straight, Best Braves 8-4

Pearl, Miss. - For the second straight night the Blue Wahoos put up a crooked number in the first inning and score eight runs on the night. Pensacola scored five runs in the first on the way to an 8-4 win over the Mississippi Braves on Tuesday night at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss.
The Blue Wahoos took advantage of a costly first inning error by the shortstop Luis Valenzuela on a groundball by Shed Long to start the inning. Four hits and five runs later, Luiz Gohara (L, 0-1) was out of the inning. Gohara got the start as his first appearance of the season on a Major League rehab assignment after getting injured early in Spring Training for the Braves.
Gohara pitched well after that, exiting the game after allowing the five runs, only one earned, over 3.1 innings. The Braves top pitching prospect struck out four and walked three in the losing effort.
Keury Mella (W, 2-0) was brilliant on the mound for the Blue Wahoos. He surrendered one unearned run in the first inning, one of two runs the Braves scattered against him over his six innings. He finished with a season-high seven strikeouts with three walks and five hits allowed in his second win of the season.
At the plate, Josh VanMeter maintained his excellence. He finished 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI. He also walked twice more after drawing four free passes in Monday's series opener. He's 3-for-3 in the series and has reached safely in nine of his 10 trips to the plate. His only out was a first inning sacrifice fly to the right fielder.
Gabriel Guerrero stayed hot at the plate with a 2-for-5 game. He hit his sixth double of the season and scored twice with another RBI. Taylor Sparks and Luis Gonzalez each collected two hits in the Wahoos win. Sparks is now 4-for-9 in the first two games of the series. Scott Schebler was held hitless in four at bats in his second start in right field for Blue Wahoos as part of his rehab assignment.
The M-Braves loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth with one out but Alex Powers (S, 1) shut the door on the threat with a strikeout and a flyout to centerfield to earn the save and secure the win.
The series continues Wednesday morning when the Blue Wahoos send RHP Vladimir Gutierrez (0-2, 6.52) to the mound against RHP Touki Toussaint (0-1, 5.87). First pitch is set for 10:35 a.m. at Trustmark Park.
- Pensacola Blue Wahoos -
 
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos are the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. The 2018 season is underway at beautiful Blue Wahoos Stadium on Pensacola Bay. Group packages, season tickets, mini plans and single-game tickets are available for the 2018 season by calling (850) 934-8444 or online. Follow the Blue Wahoos at bluewahoos.com, facebook.com/PensacolaBlueWahoos, and twitter.com/BlueWahoosBBall