Pensacola Crushes Five Home Runs

PENSACOLA, Fla., - The Pensacola Blue Wahoos lineup erupted Monday with five home runs by five different hitters to tie the franchise record.

Pensacola's a five-homer game, it's fourth since its inaugural season in 2012, gave the club a, 9-1, victory over the Mobile BayBears and a bit of revenge for Sunday's loss.
Blue Wahoos shortstop Blake Trahan blasted the first homer in the fifth inning when he hit a solo shot to left field that put the Blue Wahoos on top, 2-1, for good.
The 4,333 fans at Blue Wahoos Stadium were then treated to four more blasts.
Pensacola achieved the feat three times before in games that were all on the road. The club did it twice last season on May 10 against the Chattanooga Lookouts and July 14 against the Jacksonville Suns. It hit five homers in a game for the first time in team history on Aug. 19, 2014 against Jacksonville.
The victory helped Pensacola clinch the series, 3-2, and its record improved to 25-20, and are tied again with Biloxi atop the Southern League South Division.
Trahan, ranked the 24^th best prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization by MLB Pipeline.com, crushed his first homer in Double-A. In his third season in professional baseball, he has six homers.
Pat Kelly jokingly said he worries Trahan will begin swinging for the fences.
"I have to remind him offensively he's 5-9, not 6-4," Kelly said. "Now, he thinks he's a home run hitter again."
Trahan said he knows that he is not a power hitter. But the Cincinnati Reds 24^th best prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.com, admitted it felt good after getting dropped from the top of the batting order to seventh after hitting .231 this season.
"It's not my game," Trahan said. "I'm a line drive hitter. Baseball is a game of consistency. I have to continue to try and improve my game."
Trahan liked right fielder Aristides Aquino's two-run home run to left field in the eighth inning that put Pensacola ahead, 8-1. Aquino pulled a low, outside slider over the fence and now has seven homers and 24 RBIs this season.
Kelly's favorite was left fielder Tyler Goeddel's solo bomb to left center in the sixth inning. It was Goeddel's second homer in 13 games with the Blue Wahoos and put them ahead, 3-1.
"In this ballpark that's a long way," Kelly said. "It had the right spin and just kept on going."
After Goeddel's homer, center fielder Brian O'Grady hit a two-run homer to right field for his sixth homer of the season. It gave the Blue Wahoos a 6-1 lead. First baseman Eric Jagielo followed Aquino's home by scorching his second homer in two games and third of the season to cap the scoring, 9-1.
Kelly said the conditions were just right for an exhibition of home run hitting. There was no wind blowing in toward home plate.
"Going into the season we thought we had a lot of power," he said. "Up until today, we really haven't."
Pensacola starter Deck McGuire's scoreless inning streak was snapped at 14.2 innings by Mobile, when McGuire gave up the only run to the BayBears with two outs in the third inning.
BayBears third baseman Andrew Daniel, who tripled to the right center gap to lead off the third inning, crossed the plate to put Mobile ahead, 1-0. Daniel came in when Pensacola catcher Joe Hudson threw to second base trying to catch Mobile shortstop David Fletcher stealing second.
McGuire has won three straight starts after Chattanooga Lookouts beat him with two outs in the sixth inning. McGuire is now 4-2 with a 2.73 ERA.
"He got ticked," Kelly said. "His last three outings have been really good."
Mobile starter Jake Jewell lost his perfect game and shutout in the bottom of the fourth inning. The 29^th best prospect in the Los Angeles organization retired the first 10 batters of the game before second baseman Alex Blandino ripped a doubled to the left center gap. Blandino scored to knot the game, 1-1, when the next batter third baseman Josh VanMeter laced a single to right field.
The Mobile righty ended up giving up six runs in 6.2 innings, including three homers. He dropped to 2-3 with a 5.12 ERA.
GAME NOTES
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos travel to play a five-game series against the Atlanta Braves Double-A affiliate Mississippi Braves at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 24. The Braves starter is RHP Mike Soroka (4-3, 3.14) against the Blue Wahoos RHP Tyler Mahle (5-1, 1.59). The next five-game homestand begins Tuesday, May 30 against the Miami Marlins Double-A affiliate Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
Because Pensacola scored more than five runs Monday, Papa Johns offers 50 percent off regular priced pizzas ordered online with the promo code WAHOOS.
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.
You can watch the home games delayed on Cox Sports Television Monday through Thursday on Channel 319. Friday, Saturday and Sunday games are broadcast live on BLAB-TV.
BIG FISH Shortstop Blake Trahan hit the game-winning homer in the fifth inning and was 2-4 with two runs scored…Second baseman Alex Blandino was 2-4 with his 11^th double of the season and scored twice…Third baseman Josh VanMeter was 2-4 and drove in a run…Right fielder Aristides Aquino was 1-4 with a two-run homer, his seventh of the season…Center fielder Brian O'Grady was 1-3 with a two-run homer, his sixth of the season.
Tickets to the 2017 Southern League All-Star Game are on sale now! Purchase tickets online at bluewahoos.com or visiting the Box Office. Orders can also be placed over the phone by calling 850-934-8444. The Pensacola Blue Wahoos are the Double-A Affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds and a member of the Southern League. Follow the Pensacola Blue Wahoos at BlueWahoos.com, facebook.com/PensacolaBlueWahoos and twitter.com/BlueWahoosBBall.
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