Blue Wahoos Showcase Another Saturday Win, Amid Big Blasts And Festive Sellout Crowd 

The Blue Wahoos continue to make Saturday home games special, starting with the scoreboard.

Wearing special-designed jerseys created by children, the Blue Wahoos entertained another sellout crowd (5,038) at Blue Wahoos Stadium with a 15-hit barrage and 10-2 victory against the Birmingham Barons that led into a fireworks display to crown the night.

This was Pensacola’s sixth Saturday win in their last seven homestands, each amid a festive atmosphere.

”It’s electric,” said catcher Will Banfield, who helped lead the party by going 2-for-3, including his first home run in Double-A and driving in three runs. “Especially weekends here, but even during the week with great crowds. It always seems like the fan base here is pulling for us, whether we lose or win.

“I feel like some of those come-from-behind wins when we were down just one or two runs, we feel the energy of the crowd and it kinda gets us going in the dugout. Feel like that helps at all levels when having a crowd like that.

“It’s really nice to see everyone coming out (Saturday). Being able to look around when you’re on the field and see how many people are cheering or standing on their feet, it’s such a nice feeling.”

It was another Saturday with a lot going on.

Outside the ballpark, people were test-driving electric cars of all models, courtesy of Florida Power & Light, one of the game sponsors. Inside the season-ticket holders lounge, world renown economist John List – a Blue Wahoos investor and University of Chicago professor -- was greeting fans and signing copies of his new best-seller book, “The Voltage Effect.”

On the field before the game, there were 11 ceremonial first pitches from people of all ages. Also honored, winners of the CivicCon Awards on CivicCon Night.

The Blue Wahoos jerseys were designed by children at a local hospital on Do It Yourself (D.I.Y,) NIght,

And then, immediately after the Blue Wahoos win, a young boy who has overcome incredible hardships with loss of legs and parts of his hands, helped push the artificial switch to start the fireworks display, which was sponsored by Covenant Care.

The game itself started with some blasts.

The Barons’ leadoff batter Jose Rodriguez smashed the game’s first pitch over the left-center wall. But from that point, Blue Wahoos starter Patrick Monteverde, who was making his second appearance since being elevated from High-A Beloit Sky Carp, settled into a good rhythm.

The Blue Wahoos answered in their first inning by gaining the lead with one swing. Griffin Conine launched a fastball offering from Barons’ starter Garrett Davilla deep over the left field wall in a 420-foot, 2-run homer.

Conine then came up in the fifth and barreled a slider 457 feet beyond the right-center berm for a solo homer.

Banfield’s two-run homer in the seventh inning was part of 6-run surge to blow the game open. It followed his sacrifice fly RBI in the third inning and his near-miss homer in the fifth inning that became an off-the-wall double.

“I just felt comfortable,” he said. “I had a couple fastballs early that I was able to take advantage of. I was chugging away (on his double) trying to get to second base, or third base. Next at-bat, I got that hanging slider. I was trying to keep the same approach as with the fastball… staying to right center and I got it. That felt really good.”

Monteverde just missed completing a quality start by lasting 4.2 innings on 92 pitches. He struck out seven and did not give up a walk.

“It was really nice to see him throw all of his pitches for strikes and with authority,” Banfield said. “He’s a bulldog on the mound He wants to get after it and it’s always nice to have a guy like that on the mound when I’m back there catching.”

Justin Evans got the final out in the fifth inning, then worked a clean sixth and seventh inning to earn the win.

“When he throws everything with authority, it’s unreal,” Banfield said. “I will put his stuff up against anyone. When he came in, being able to shut that (fifth) inning down and we stay in that 1-run lead …it’s nice to have a guy in there who wants to make those big pitches.”

The win was the Blue Wahoos (54-48 overall) fourth victory in five games against the Barons and evened their second-half record to 19-19. This pushes the Blue Wahoos record against the Southern League North Division to 26-9.

The teams close out the series Sunday with Miami Marlins starter Trevor Rogers back on the mound for his second injury rehab start. He was solid on Tuesday at Blue Wahoos Stadium and his next outing provides fans to see a guy who was a National League All-Star a year ago.

Since the Blue Wahoos roster had a makeover following the MLB All-Star break, this revamped team has shown its own qualities.

“All of us are ready to win. It’s really fun to see the group of us who have been together before get back at it on the field here (in Pensacola with Blue Wahoos),” said Banfield.

*GAME NOTABLES *

--- The Blue Wahoos are believed to be the first minor league team to create a D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) Night featuring special home jerseys created by children. The children at a local hospital used a variety of colors within the Blue Wahoos pattern to create different jerseys for all the players. There was an online auction as well for charity.

--- It may have been a team record when the Blue Wahoos had 11 ceremonial first pitches in a game. Included were economist John List and two beauty pageant winners, Miss Walton County and Miss DeFuniak Springs, who were part of a group outing as well.

--- Pregame sponsor Florida Power & Light, which organized test drives of various electric cars before the game, also presented a check for $250,000 to Pensacola Habitat For Humanity.

--- The Daphne (Alabama) 7-Under All-Stars who won the Cal Ripken League-Alabama state title were honored on the field and had playerrs run out with Blue Wahoos players for the National Anthem.

--- Covenant Care, which sponsored the post-game fireworks, also had a group outing of 100 people. Terrezza Optical had a group outing of 225-plus on the Winn Dixie Party Deck.

BLUE WAHOOS HOMESTAND FINALE

WHO: Birmingham Barons vs. Blue Wahoos

WHEN: Sunday, 4:05 p.m.

WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium

TICKETS: Available online at www.bluewahoos.com/tickets. Or at stadium box office during regular business hours Monday through Friday or by calling 850-934-8444.

RADIO: ESPN-Pensacola (99.1 FM and 1330 AM and WYCT 98.7 HD4).

TV: YurView (check provider) and MILB.tv (streaming) through www.milb.com/live-stream-games with subscription discount using BLUE WAHOOS.

PROMOTIONS: – Sunday: Family Sunday – Kids can run one lap around the bases following the game and families can toss baseballs in the outfield for 30 minutes following the game.