Blue Wahoos Lindgren Sensational In First Pro Start, Sellout Crowd 

As a later-round draft pick from Illinois State in 2019, pitcher Jeff Lindgren knew he had to prove himself quickly.

A performance like the one he delivered Friday night for the Blue Wahoos certainly helps.

Making his first professional start, Lindgren, 24, a Champagne, Illinois native, produced the longest outing by a Blue Wahoos starter, so far this season, tossing a 2-hitter in seven innings to lead Pensacola’s 3-2 win against the Birmingham Barons.

Lindgren did this in front of the first sellout crowd (5,038) of the opening homestand.

“It’s always playing with a chip on your shoulder,” said Lindgren, chosen in the 24th round by the Miami Marlins as a college senior and signed for a few thousand dollars. “When you have that kind of motivation it helps get to where you want to be in my situation right now.”

On the first night since a mask ban was lifted for fans at Blue Wahoos Stadium, Lindgren got through a rough first inning then found a groove that let him breeze through innings.

He threw 86 pitches, striking out seven and not allowing a walk. He worked five innings and allowed four runs in his first Double-A start a week ago at Mississippi.

“I just continued to follow the game plan that (pitching coach Tim Norton) and (catcher Rick Fortes) put together before the game,” said Lindgren, who made all his prior appearances in relief, including his 2019 rookie season in Jupiter. “It really was working for me in the first game and things just got away from me. I settled back in and ran (Friday).”

When he exited after the seventh, he saw many in the crowd standing.

“It was awesome,” Lindgren said. “Especially after taking so much time off (not playing last year). I didn’t really realize the crowd until the end but my team had my back all day.”

Lindgren got the run support he needed when Demetrius Sims jumped on a first pitch to deliver a 2-run, 2-out single in the sixth inning.

That lead was saved by Anthony Maldonado, who pitched two scoreless, hitless innings. to record his third save.

Lindgren overcame a rocky opening inning. He plunked consecutive batters with one out, then yielded a bloop, 2-run single to Barons’ catcher Carlos Perez.

From this point, Lindgren was sensational.

He retired 16 batters in a row, before Ti’Quan Forbes reached on a two-base throwing error in the seventh inning to move into scoring position. But Lindgren ended the inning by getting Craig Dedlow to fly out to left on the first pitch.

Birmingham starter Konnor Pilkington was equally effective. After the Blue Wahoos got a run back in the first inning on Fortes’ 2-out single, Pilkington retired the next 12 batters he faced.

Nick Lovullo broke the string with a one-out single. It was one of just four hits the Blue Wahoos had in the game. But they made the most of them.

The Blue Wahoos (6-4) evened the series at 2-2 heading into Saturday’s fifth game against the Barons (7-3).

WANT TO GO?

WHAT: Blue Wahoos Opening Weekend Series

WHO: Birmingham Barons vs. Blue Wahoos

WHEN: Saturday and Sunday.

WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium.

GAMETIMES: 6:05 p.m. on Saturday, 4:05 p.m. on Sunday.

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

PROMOTIONS: Halfway To Halloween NIght With Special Activities. Plus, the first, post-game fireworks show of the season follow’s Saturday game. Sunday is Military Family Sunday and Kids Run The Bases.

TICKETS: Single game tickets are available online at www.bluewahoos.com or at the stadium box office.