Blue Wahoos Complete Night With Win On Brooks Bobblehead, Blue Angels Visit
The Blue Wahoos honored two of Pensacola’s greatest connections Friday night. In a fitting way, the team followed in the game with a combo of big blasts and strike-pounding pitching. The weather finally broke and the large crowd atmosphere returned, as Blue Wahoos applied the exclamation with a 6-1 victory
The Blue Wahoos honored two of Pensacola’s greatest connections Friday night.
In a fitting way, the team followed in the game with a combo of big blasts and strike-pounding pitching.
The weather finally broke and the large crowd atmosphere returned, as Blue Wahoos applied the exclamation with a 6-1 victory against the Montgomery Biscuits on Derrick Brooks Bobblehead Night, plus an on-field salute to the visiting Blue Angels famed flight demonstration team.
It was that kind of special with layered attractions at the ballpark. There was also a pregame engagement following a ceremonial first pitch.
“I don’t know if there is anybody who has a football bobblehead and a baseball bobblehead all at once, so I am going to just take that honor and enjoy it in the most humble way,” said Brooks, now a Blue Wahoos’ co-owner, who rose from high school stardom in Pensacola to NFL immortality with placement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“It’s unique,” said Brooks, laughing, about the bobblehead duo. “I hope people enjoy it. And I hope we win (Friday) too. I want to get a win on Derrick Brooks Bobblehead Night. That is most important.
“I know people love the bobblehead. But to me it’s all about the competition and winning,” said Brooks whose 14-seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers led to a Super Bowl win and one of just 31 linebackers in the NFL’s 100-plus seasons to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
Brooks got to see the win happen.
After a festive pregame that included Brooks greeting season-ticket holders in their lounge, while Blue Angels pilots and support personnel were signing photo posters on the concourse, the Blue Wahoos produced an all-encompassing win.
Left-hander Patrick Monteverde wowed with his best start since being elevated Aug. 2 from High-A Beloit Sky Carp.
The 24-year-old, an eighth-round pick by the Miami Marlins in 2021 out of Texas Tech, allowed just two hits and a walk, produced six strikeouts to earn his first Double-A level win.
Monteverde’s teammates provided run support with 10 hits, including three home runs. Norel Gonzalez launched two bombs over the right field. He tied the game with a solo blast to begin the fourth inning, then followed in the same way in the eighth inning.
Catcher Paul McIntosh provided the Blue Wahoos a bigger lead with his 2-run homer as the second batter in the fifth inning.
Nunez started the rally with his RBI single. Relievers Patrick Martinez and Dylan Bice finished game with Bice earning his third save.
The win pushed the Blue Wahoos to a 3-2 edge in the series against a team they will likely face next month in the Southern League divisional playoffs.
The series continues Saturday night with Dax Fulton, a lefthander who is rated the Miami Marlins' No. 9 prospect by MLB Pipeline, will make his Double-A debut with the Blue Wahoos.
GAME NOTABLES
--- After signing autographs for hundreds of fans, the entire Blue Angels team of pilots and support personnel was honored on the field, including a first pitch. They stood with the Blue Wahoos players in a poignant scene during the National Anthem.
The Blue Angels visit and meet-and-greet with fans was a rare opportunity for the community to see the flight squadron team together. They passed out a special photo poster that fans were able to get signed.
--- Derrick Brooks addressed the crowd before the game, as well as met with season-ticket holders and Hancock-Whitney Club members during his visit.
BLUE WAHOOS WEEKEND
WHO: Montgomery Biscuits vs Blue Wahoos
WHEN: Saturday and Sunday
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium
GAMETIMES: Saturday’s game starts at 6:05 p.m. and Sunday’s game at 4:05 p.m.
RADIO: ESPN-Pensacola (99.1 FM and 1330 AM and WYCT 98.7 HD4).
TV: YurView (check provider) and MILB.tv (streaming) through www.milb.com/live-stream-games with subscription discount using BLUE WAHOOS.
PROMOTIONS:.
SATURDAY : Post game fireworks night.
SUNDAY: Family Sunday with kids able to run the bases and families able to toss baseballs in the outfield. Plus, fans will receive a team photo of players from the second-half roster.