Blue Wahoos Rally Late Once Again for Dramatic 8-6 Win
Biloxi, Miss. – For the second night in a row, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos overcame a late deficit to beat the Biloxi Shuckers on Thursday. Trailing three different times, the Blue Wahoos scored eight runs in the final four innings on their way to a thrilling 8-6 win. After tying
Biloxi, Miss. – For the second night in a row, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos overcame a late deficit to beat the Biloxi Shuckers on Thursday. Trailing three different times, the Blue Wahoos scored eight runs in the final four innings on their way to a thrilling 8-6 win.
After tying the game twice on home runs from Dane Myers and Norel González in the sixth and seventh innings, the Blue Wahoos took the lead for good with a three-run eighth. Will Banfield delivered the eventual game-winning hit, a go-ahead two-run single with two outs in the inning.
Pensacola starter Evan Fitterer labored through 4.0 innings, allowing nine hits and a walk, but only allowed three runs. Tristen Lutz and Ethan Murray went deep in the second inning to give the Shuckers an early 3-0 lead.
The Blue Wahoos managed just a single over their first five innings against Biloxi starter Christian Mejias, but broke through in the sixth when Myers launched a game-tying three-run homer off the batter's eye in center field.
Biloxi quickly responded to claim the lead back in the bottom of the sixth, as Carlos Rodriguez scored on an Isaac Collins double play grounder. Norel González tied the game back up in the seventh at 4-4 with a solo homer, his second in as many nights, but once again Biloxi pushed a run across in the bottom of the seventh on a Lutz RBI single against Cristian Charle (W, 2-1) to claim a 5-4 edge.
The Blue Wahoos got a pair of baserunners in the eighth as Zach Vennaro (L, 1-2) issued walks to Nasim Nuñez and Victor Mesa Jr. José Devers tied the game with a two-out RBI double, and Banfield delivered the big blow with his two-run single.
Troy Johnston added some insurance with an RBI single in the ninth, and Zack Leban (S, 1) struck out the side in order in the ninth to lock down the save.
The Blue Wahoos increased their lead in the South Division to 6.0 games ahead of second-place Biloxi and Montgomery with 21 games to play in the first half.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Shuckers on Friday. First pitch from MGM Park is scheduled for 6:35, with a live broadcast beginning at 6:30 on BlueWahoos.com, the MiLB First Pitch app (radio), Bally Live and MiLB.tv (video).For more information, visit BlueWahoos.com or contact the box office at (850) 934-8444.