Pearl, Miss. - The Blue Wahoos dropped their second straight to the Braves falling 3-2 despite a fine performance on the mound from Jesús Reyes (L, 0-3).The Braves opened the scoring with a run in the first inning. Luis Valenzuela led off with a double and scored two batters later
Pearl, Miss. - The Blue Wahoos dropped their second straight to the Braves falling 3-2 despite a fine performance on the mound from Jesús Reyes (L, 0-3).
The Braves opened the scoring with a run in the first inning. Luis Valenzuela led off with a double and scored two batters later on an Austin Riley double. They made it 2-0 in the third inning, taking advantage of a leadoff hit by pitch. Reyes hit Travis Demeritte to start the frame and he came home on an RBI groundout by Tyler Neslony. The Braves added, what proved to be, a key insurance run in the seventh. Daniel Lockhart led off with a hustle double and scored later in the inning on a sacrifice fly by Alex Jackson.
Pensacola was held hitless until Shed Long singled with one out in the sixth inning, but the Blue Wahoos couldn't break through for a run until the eighth inning. C.J. McElroy led the inning off with a pinch-hit single ahead of another single from Major League rehabber Scott Schebler. The Blue Wahoos loaded the bases with nobody out ahead of Gavin LaValley, who lifted a deep sacrifice fly to right field. McElroy came home for the first Wahoos run of the game. Schebler scored later in the inning on a wild pitch before the tying run was stranded at second.
Pensacola had another chance in the ninth inning. Taylor Sparks ripped a one-out double and advanced to third on a wild pitch with one out, but the next two batters struck out to end the game.
Despite taking the loss, Reyes struck out a season-high nine batters over five innings. He surrendered just two runs on five hits without allowing a walk. Kevin Shackelford continued his rehab assignment by working 1.2 innings. He was charged with one run on just one hit. He walked two and struck out one. Devon Watts earned the win for the M-Braves out of the bullpen. He worked two scoreless innings and Jacob Webb pitched a scoreless ninth for the save.
The two teams wrap up the series with the rubber match Friday night. Wyatt Strahan (1-1, 5.00) starts for the Wahoos against Enderson Franco (0-0, 4.32) of the Braves. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.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
