Pensacola Mullets Rally Falls Short

PENSACOLA, Fla. - After the game, Pensacola manager Pat Kelly wanted to know if its 6-4 loss to the Birmingham Barons counted against the Blue Wahoos.

On "What If" night Thursday, the Pensacola players sported Mullet jerseys, instead of its regular Blue Wahoos uniforms and they played in Mullet Stadium.

"The Mullets are 0-1," Kelly said jokingly. "I don't think it counts against our record."

Unfortunately, the loss does go in the Blue Wahoos loss column. The team fell into a first place tie with the Biloxi Shuckers at 27-20.

The logo for the Mullet name sported the fish with a mullet leaning up against the letter "P" for Pensacola. In 2012, the fish was one of six finalists for the name of the Cincinnati Reds Double-A affiliate.

The loss spoiled a strong outing by big righty Sal Romano.

Romano got the first five outs of the game on strike outs. He finished with a season-high nine strikeouts and lasted 7 innings for the second time in three games. He walked just one batter. Romano still got a K on a 94 mph fastball in the seventh inning when he struck out Birmingham center fielder Adam Engel.

Kelly said the 21-year-old Romano, the Cincinnati Reds No. 9 prospect, is slowly turning into a pitcher, instead of a thrower.

"The seventh inning might have been his best inning," Kelly said of Romano, who set the Barons down in order. "It's small baby steps but he's not rearing back and throwing as hard as he can. Harder is not always the best."

Romano said when he takes the mound his goal is to reach the seventh inning. That's much easier to do with his increasing confidence in his changeup that he has been developing the last few seasons.

"That's a big thing for me," he said. "I just said, 'Let's bear down here.' I'm trying to make pitches, not just be a big kid throwing hard."

Pensacola came back in the bottom of the eighth to make it a one-run game, 5-4, against the Barons, who tied the series, 1-1.

The Mullets loaded the bases on two walks and a single. Pensacola center fielder Phillip Ervin scored on DH Sebastian Elizalde's ground out and then Mullets first baseman Kyle Parker scored on a wild pitch. Pensacola catcher Chad Wallach, who entered the game in an 0-12 slump, then singled in Mullet's second baseman Brandon Dixon. Wallach was 2-3, walked and knocked in a run.

Birmingham scored an insurance run in the ninth, however. The Barons added another run in the ninth when Engel singled in Barons shortstop Eddy Alvarez with no outs. With runners on first and third for Birmingham, Pensacola center fielder Bryson Smith caught a fly ball by right fielder Eudy Pina and then threw a perfect strike to Wallach to get Engel out at the plate and prevent more runs from scoring.

"Bryson did a nice job staying back on the ball," Kelly said.

Also playing well for the one-time Mullets Thursday, was Pensacola first baseman Kyle Parker, who made up for his error by slicing a solo shot over the left field wall just inside the foul pole in the fourth inning to pull the Mullets within, 2-1. Parker got on base three times and scored twice.

Birmingham first baseman Jake Peter also hit his fourth home run of the season on a solo blast in the fifth inning to put the Barons up, 3-1.

GAME NOTES

Pensacola hosts the third game of a five-game series at 6:30 p.m. Friday against the Chicago White Sox Double-A affiliate Birmingham Barons. Pitching for the Barons is RHP Carson Fulmer (3-4, 5.79), who is going against Blue Wahoos RHP Barrett Astin (3-1, 4.74).

The games are broadcast live on the Blue Wahoos flagship station 97.1 The Ticket. Listen for free at bluewahoos.com and by using the TuneIn Radio app on your mobile, desktop or home devices. Stream Wahoos games on MiLB.TV, a subscription-based service provided by Minor League Baseball.

BIG FISH Pensacola first baseman Kyle Parker went 1-2, hitting his third home run of the year, walking twice and scoring two times…Catcher Chad Wallach broke an 0-12 slump by going 2-3 and getting a critical single and RBI in the Mullet's eighth inning rally…Tony Renda's five game hitting streak ended with an 0-5 night…Second baseman Brandon Dixon went 1-3, walked and scored a run.

MULLETS TAKE OVER Eddie Rodriguez predicted victory after launching a mullet 145 feet - the first time he ever threw the fish - outside Mullet Stadium. It was the longest qualifying throw of nearly 30 contestants before the game.

In front of the crowd along the third base line after the fifth inning, Rodriguez did just that beating Jacob Bertman (130 feet) and Clif Quiggins (114 feet).

"I've watched my girlfriend do it the last three or four years at the Flora-Bama," Rodriguez said. "I thought I'd give it a try this time."

Some players and staff also took a turn throwing a mullet with first baseman Donald Lutz heaving one 176 feet and outfielder Phillip Ervin covering 117 feet.

In addition, Joey turned in the longest mullets at 14 inches to win that contest. Fans also celebrated by getting mullet haircuts on the concourse.

Throwing out the first Mullet was Pensacola News Journal columnist Troy Moon, who did a trick underhanded pitch that pitcher Amir Garret caught with a fishing net.

The Cincinnati Reds Double-A affiliate also sported special Pensacola Mullets jerseys that featured the fish with a mullet leaning against the letter P. The jerseys were auctioned off during the sixth inning of the game to benefit Chain Reaction, which is a local Pensacola teen leadership organization with a character education program that uses volunteerism as a teaching tool.

Celebrate five seasons of baseball with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos this season! Blue Wahoos tickets are available for purchase at Hill-Kelly Dodge Pick-Up Window and by calling (850) 934-8444. Follow the team at BlueWahoos.com, facebook.com/PensacolaBlueWahoos and twitter.com/BlueWahoosBBall.

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