Blue Wahoos Split Series Finale Doubleheader In Biloxi

Powered by a blowout win in the first game, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos won another series, splitting Friday night's doubleheader against the Biloxi Shuckers and became the first Southern League team in 2019 to record 10 wins.
The Blue Wahoos beat the Shuckers 9-1 in the rescheduled game Friday at MGM Park in Biloxi, Miss. Pitcher Griffin Jax delivered his third strong start to pick up his first win. The Shuckers broke a tie game with a fourth inning run in Game 2 and held on for a 4-3 win. Both games were seven innings, following Thursday's rainout.
The Blue Wahoos (10-5) returned to Pensacola late Friday with wins in three of the five games and more momentum heading into a Easter weekend homestand Saturday night (6:05 p.m.) against the Mobile BayBears.
GAME ONE
In the first game, the Blue Wahoos scored six runs on two swings. Brian Schales hit a three-run homer in the third inning, then Brian Navaretto smashed a 3-run blast in the seventh.
The Blue Wahoos gave Jax all the run support he needed in the third. Navaretto led off with a double. Mark Contreras drew a walk. Jordan Gore then reached on a fielder's choice and Navaretto scored on a throwing error on the play.
With one out, Schales then blasted a pitch over the right-center field wall for his third homer this season.
The Blue Wahoos increased their lead to 6-0 with runs in the fourth and fifth. Tanner English led off the fourth with a walk and came around to score on Contreras' one out single.
In the fifth, Caleb Hamilton walked, Taylor Grzelakowski doubled to put runners in scoring position. English hit an RBI single.
In the seventh, Navaretto finished his 3-for-4 day at the plate with a 3-run homer, his first of the season.
Meanwhile, Jax was sensational on the mound. He threw 94 pitches in six innings, scattering five hits. He allowed three walks and struck out five in another strong outing. In 16.2 innings pitched in three starts, he has allowed one earned run and struck out 14 batters.
In the seventh, Minnesota Twins reliever Gabriel Moya, who joined the team on a injury rehab assignment, gave up a pair of hits around two strikeouts to end the game.
GAME TWO
For one of the rare times this season, the Blue Wahoos trailed early. The Shuckers (7-8) scored a pair of first-inning runs off starter Andro Cutura. The first four Biloxi batters reached base to start the game. Two singles plated the two runs.
But the Blue Wahoos tied the game in the second. Catcher Mitchell Kranson led off with his second homer of the season. Caleb Hamilton followed with a triple. Taylor Grzelakowski's ground out scored Haimilton.
After the Shuckers regained the lead with a run in the third, the Blue Wahoos tied the game in the top of the fourth. Brian Schales hit a lead off double and scored on a two-out, wild pitch.
Biloxi then regained the lead off Blue Wahoos reliever Jeff Ames in the bottom of the fourth. Ames was pitching against his former team. From that point, two Shuckers relievers, Angel Perdomo and closer Nate Griep, combined to throw three perfect innings.
Perdomo struck out five of the seven batters he faced. Griep recorded his fourth save in the seventh. The Blue Wahoos managed only four hits in the game.
Tickets are available for all five games of the Blue Wahoos upcoming homestand. The team will play a special 5:05 p.m. game on Easter Sunday where kids can run the bases following the game.
The final three games of the homestand will be Monday through Wednesday with each game starting at 6:35 p.m.