Capacity Crowd, Suspenseful Finish, As Blue Wahoos Fall Short On Bobblehead Night
A three-game scoring drought had just ended, a two-run deficit halved, suddenly giving the Blue Wahoos hope Friday that something grander could occur. A 2-1 score. Bases loaded. Two outs. A good contact batter, J.D. Osborne at the plate. The remainder of a capacity crowd at Blue Wahoos Stadium fully
A three-game scoring drought had just ended, a two-run deficit halved, suddenly giving the Blue Wahoos hope Friday that something grander could occur.
A 2-1 score. Bases loaded. Two outs. A good contact batter, J.D. Osborne at the plate.
The remainder of a capacity crowd at Blue Wahoos Stadium fully engaged.
On this night, however, the suspense stopped there.
Biloxi reliever Ryan Middendorf earned his first save by getting Osborne to swing-and-miss on a high slider, thwarting the rally and ending the game with the Shuckers’ 2-1 win becoming their eighth in a row. The Gulf Coast rivals have taken all four games, so far, in the final week of regular-season play.
Osborne took a deep breath before heading into the clubhouse tunnel by tapping the top pole of netting with his bat. For a playoff-bound team, this has been a tough quartet of home games for the Blue Wahoos this week.
They left 11 runners on base, couldn’t take advantage of nine walks issued by Biloxi pitchers and hit into three double-plays.
The Blue Wahoos began the game in an uplifting way. Star pitcher Eury Perez, whose last start for the Blue Wahoos was August 5, returned from a minor injury and rehab assignment in Jupiter to pitch again at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
He was greeted by a loud ovation as he ran out smiling with a group of youth baseball players before the National Anthem. On a tight pitch count, Perez escaped damage in his two innings of work by matching his strikeouts (4) to walks.
He struck out the Shuckers power-hitter Tristen Lutz with the bases loaded to end the first inning. Perez struck out the final two batters he faced in the second inning. Three relievers followed Perez with quality outings.
Dax Fulton absorbed a hard-luck loss after giving up two runs on two hits in the third inning. A leadoff walk was followed by a single, then a two-run double by Xavier Warren that proved decisive.
Fulton had clean innings through the seventh-inning stretch and finished with nine strikeouts.
Demetrius Sims was the Blue Wahoos’ only multi-hit player, going 2-for-4, including a ninth inning double that moved Marcus Chiu to third base. Thomas Jones followed with an RBI, sacrifice fly.
The Blue Wahoos had their leadoff batter on base in six of the nine innings,but were unable to capitalize.
GAME NOTABLES
--- One win for the Blue Wahoos on Friday was the crowd. With the monthly Gallery Night happening only blocks away on Palafox Street, along with high school football throughout the region, the Blue Wahoos attracted a large Friday crowd in mid-September.
It included Florida State fans, who chose to watch the Blue Wahoos in their final home weekend, rather than follow the Seminoles in their Friday night game and win against Louisville.
--- The first 2,000 fans Friday received a “Watson and Watson Bobblehead,” featuring pro golf star Bubba Watson, a Blue Wahoos investor, along with Watson the service-dog-in-training. The giveaway was sponsored by Canine Companions.
--- Prior to the game, the Blue Wahoos players took a team photo holding a “Thank You Pensacola” banner to salute fans for support this season.
--- There were a large contingent of groups attending Friday’s game, including the winning team from the Blue Wahoos inaugural kickball league during the summer.
BLUE WAHOOS WEEKEND
WHO: Biloxi Shuckers vs. Blue Wahoos
WHEN: Saturday and Sunday
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium
GAMETIMES: Saturday’s game is 6:05 p.m. and Sunday is 4:05 p.m.
TICKETS: Available online at www.bluewahoos.com. Or by visiting Blue Wahoos main box office at stadium during normal business hours.
RADIO: ESPN-Pensacola (99.1 FM and 1330 AM and WYCT 98.7 HD4).
TV: MILB.tv (streaming) through www.milb.com/live-stream-games with subscription discount using BLUE WAHOOS.
PROMOTIONS:. Saturday: Fireworks Saturday. The final fireworks show of the 2022 season at Blue Wahoos Stadium begins the 10th anniversary weekend.. In addition, the Blue Wahoos will have an in-game auction for their Sunday pink jerseys worn the last two years.
Sunday: Family Sunday.. There will be special presentations in honor of the 10-year history of the franchise, along with children able to run the bases following the game and family toss in the outfield for 30 minutes after the game ends.