Will Stewart Dazzles Early And Blue Wahoos Explode Later In Beating Biscuits  

The putouts were happening with rapidity, innings were flying Thursday and both pitchers were exchanging zeroes on the scoreboard.

It’s just the kind of game Blue Wahoos pitcher Will Stewart craves.

The left-hander was dealing in a grand way, throwing five shutout innings in a special duel against Montgomery Biscuits touted prospect Taj Bradley, giving time for the Blue Wahoos to seize a late-inning opportunity in their 7-0 victory at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

“I love games like this,” said Stewart, part of the Blue Wahoos starting rotation for a second year since being acquired by the Miami Marlins in a 2019 trade with the Philadelphia Phillies. ‘I think everyone in the clubhouse loves games like this.

“I think it keeps your outfielders, your infielders, catcher, everyone in the game. Whenever you have two guys (starting pitchers) going back and forth like that, it picks up your energy.”

The first six innings of this game were played in 90 minutes before a crowd of 4,102 on Pensacola Mullets night. The wore Mullets’ uniforms like a year ago and the game also had a Thirsty Thursday promotion and Escambia County teachers being honored.

The Biscuits’ Bradley, the Tampa Bay Rays’ No. 3 overall prospect and their minor league pitcher of the year in 2021, had limited the Blue Wahoos to two hits, no walks, five strikeouts in his five innings.

Stewart, meanwhile, worked five complete innings, allowing three hits, two walks. And no runs.

His perfect scenario game.

“You are never sitting down for too long when I have time to think,” Stewart said. “I feel if you don’t give me time to think, you are not hitting me. If you keep me on my pace and I can keep myself on that pace, you are not getting to me.”

That’s what happened. With the game turned into a bullpen battle, the Biscuits blinked.

The Blue Wahoos (5-7) loaded the bases with none out in the seventh against Montgomery reliever Nathan Witt. Troy Johnston led off by reaching on a two-base throwing error by Witt. Jerar Encarnacion followed with a single. Paul McIntosh walked.

The Biscuits (5-6) next reliever, Alan Strong, walked Griffin Conine to force in a run. Cobie Fletcher-Vance then laced a second-pitch slider down the third base line to score two runs.

“I only saw one slider until that at-bat and then I saw two of them,” Fletcher-Vance said. “The first pitch he threw it, and honestly it kinda hung and I thought, ‘Man, if he hangs it again, it is a really good pitch to hit.’

“And he threw it again, but it was a group effort. The guys loaded the bases up and set me up in a pretty good position. He just gave up a walk and with bases loaded, he had nowhere to put me, so I just got a good pitch.

“It’s fun. It’s fun to hear the stadium get loud like that. It was nice to get the crowd involved.”

In the eighth, the Biscuits went from having a top-tier pitching prospect on the mound to having to summon backup catcher Erik Ostberg to finish the inning, following more relief woes. The first two Pensacola batters walked; the next two were plunked by pitches from reliever Evan Reifert.

Ostberg faced five batters and the Blue Wahoos finished with a four-run rally.

For Stewart, the performance was significant. He began in spring training being used as a reliever. He was rocked in relief during the Blue Wahoos season-opener, but came back with a solid performance in his past outing against Rocket City, near his hometown of Huntsville.

Thursday, was a delight.

“I think tonight was one of the bigger starts for me,” Stewart said. “I had a good one in Rocket City, my hometown, so that was cool, but (Thursday) I actually honed in all night.

“(Thursday) was the guy (Marlins) traded for. I haven’t been able to show the Marlins who they traded for yet… I think tonight just reiterated that I am good enough to be here. I’m good enough to be on that mound with all the stuff I have.

“I think moving forward it is going to be a very good year.”

GAME NOTABLES

The Blue Wahoos showcased area collegiate and high school athletes on NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) Night. Four finalists were introduced and a fan vote to select the winner will be announced Friday.

The winner will receive a $500 NIL deal from the Blue Wahoos in exchange for promotion by the athlete on social media. Each of the contestants threw out a first pitch.

Escambia County Teacher Night was headlined by new superintendent of schools Timothy Smith, who threw out a first pitch, along with Allison Link of A.K. Suter Elementary School, named teacher of the year for Escambia County.

WANT TO GO?

WHAT: Blue Wahoos weekend homestand

WHO: Montgomery Biscuits vs. Blue Wahoos

WHEN: Friday through Sunday

WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium.

PROMOTION; Friday is Women in Sports Night featuring a pregame seminar with panelists Michelle Snow, Beth Barr and Melissa Miller-Schubeck, three of the all-time greatest athletes in Pensacola history. The event begins at 4:30 p.m. The cost is $14 which includes a ticket to the game, the seminar, and opportunity for women to visit with the three former star athletes.

INFO: www.bluewahoos.com.