Holmberg's Gem A Key To Clinching Victory

PENSACOLA, FL - In the midst of the Mobile BayBears first half Southern League South Division clinching victory over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, pitcher David Holmberg tossed a complete game one-hitter to send the BayBears back to the Southern League playoffs for the third straight season.

The Blue Wahoos were the first team to strike with a solo home-run by Travis Mattair in the second inning, but that was the only run and only hit that Pensacola would be able to collect against Holmberg. The left-hander tossed an outstanding complete game (9 IP, 1H, 1ER, 1BB, 8K) while throwing just 94 pitches to defeat the Blue Wahoos 11-1.

"Early on I didn't know if I had the command I needed, but I figured it out in the mid-innings and really stuck with that approach and kept it close for us for a long time and we exploded for some runs."

After Mattair's homerun in the second inning, the Blue Wahoos would see only two runners reach base the rest of the game. Holmberg retired 13 straight Blue Wahoos to finish off the playoff clinching victory, while tossing the second complete game of his career.

"I know they're very aggressive hitters and one way to combat that is by throwing good first pitches and I believe I did that tonight."

Needing a victory versus the Blue Wahoos or a Mississippi Braves loss against the Tennessee Smokies to clinch a playoff berth, Holmberg knew the BayBears controlled their own destiny and left nothing to chance by shutting down Pensacola.

"I wouldn't say I was relieved that Mississippi lost, but we were going to win anyways and it feels pretty good that we busted it open late."

A Garrett Weber solo homerun tied the game in the 5th, and the BayBears would then plate a combined ten runs across the 6th, 7th, and 8th innings to make it an 11-1 ballgame. Mobile had 9 hits in those three innings, eventually outhitting Pensacola 13 to 1. The win was the BayBears 11th victory in 15 chances against the Blue Wahoos in the Bay to Bay Series and concludes the first half of play in the Southern League.

Holmberg's only other complete game came back in 2011 where he shutout the Quad Cities River Bandits as a member of the South Bend Silver Hawks. 

"I think this is better because considering the stage that it was on and the meaning of the game, we're going back to the playoffs and it feels pretty good."

The BayBears are now guaranteed a spot in the 2013 Southern League Playoffs, and will begin their second half of play on Wednesday against the Jackson Generals in Jackson, Tennessee.