Wide Open Race As Blue Wahoos Seek Home Boost 

The Blue Wahoos were cresting in early July with the league’s best record and coming off a dominant homestand performance when last facing the Mississippi Braves.

So much has changed. For both teams.

An opportunity to regain desired position awaits the Blue Wahoos when facing the M-Braves this time. They close out July with a six-game home series, which opens Tuesday night and features a variety of fan activities at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

Tuesday’s game is themed as “Putt in the Park” with a variety of golf-related contests for fans to win prizes. Wednesday’s game includes the last mid-week, fireworks show, before area schools return to classes in early August.

On Friday, the Blue Wahoos are giving Hawaiian designed shirts to the first 1,000 fans ages 21-up. Saturday’s game will be followed by the traditional weekend fireworks show.

On the field, the Blue Wahoos seek to recapture their edge.

Since celebrating the Fourth of July with a walk-off win against the Biloxi Shuckers, which pushed Pensacola’s record to 33-21 that day, three consecutive series losses have followed.

The first was going 1-5 on the road against Mississippi. But the M-Braves have since struggled as well.

They just lost all six home games against Biloxi – the team with the worst record in the Double-A South – and the M-Braves are 1-9 in their last 10 games.

The Montgomery Biscuits, who took five of six games from the Blue Wahoos last week, have ascended into first place in the division at 38-30. Birmingham leads the other side at 39-32.

The top two overall teams in the Double-A South, regardless of division, will make the post-season playoffs Sept. 21 in a best-of-five series.

And the Blue Wahoos (37-35) are right in the mix among seven teams vying for those spots. They are among five teams within three games-or-less of second place.

Only Mississippi and Pensacola have played the full amount of games (72) at this point. The others have makeup doubleheaders dotting the final two months of the schedule.

Righthander Kyle Nicolas, a second-round pick in 2020 by the Miami Marlins out of Ball State University, will make his first Double-A start Tuesday in Pensacola for the Blue Wahoos. He was promoted following his last start July 20 for the Beloit Snappers – the Miami Marlins High-A affiliate.

Tuesday will also be the home debut for Blue Wahoos outfielder Griffin Conine, whose 24 home runs lead all levels in Minor League Baseball. He broke out of a rough start last week in Montgomery with his latest home run last Saturday night.

Bill Vilona is a retired Pensacola News Journal sports columnist and current senior writer for Pensacola Blue Wahoos. He can be reached at [email protected]

BLUE WAHOOS HOMESTAND

WHO: Mississippi Braves vs. Blue Wahoos

WHEN: Tuesday through Sunday (Aug. 1).

WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium

GAMETIMES: Tuesday through Friday games start at 6:35 p.m., Saturday is 6:05, Sunday is 4:05.

TICKETS: Available for all games at www.bluewahoos.com, the stadium box office or calling 850-934-8444.

RADIO: ESPN-Pensacola (99.1 FM, 1330 AM), Chris Garagiola on play-by-play.

TV: Livestream on MILB-TV (subscription required).

PROMOTIONS: Tuesday -- Taste of Pensacola and Putt In The Park; Wednesday – Winning Wednesday (cash prize), plus post-game fireworks; Thursday -- Thirsty Thursday (adult beverage specials), plus Pensacola Mullets Night. Friday – Giveaway Friday (Hawaiian design Blue Wahoos shirts for first 1,000 fans 21-up). Saturday – Fireworks after game. Sunday – Military Sunday and Family Day with kids able to run bases and family toss in outfield.