Davis Delivers In 10th Inning For Blue Wahoos In Walk-Off Win

Moments earlier, Jaylin Davis had just made the Pensacola Blue Wahoos night special Monday when speaking with a father and his young son near the dugout.
He quickly returned to present the boy with a bat.
One keepsake moment led into another.
Davis lit up the crowd at Blue Wahoos Stadium, launching a pitch deep enough to center field that it left no doubt for a double, scoring Jimmy Kerrigan from second base with the winning run in an 8-7 walk-off victory in 10 innings against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
"This was actually the most calm I have been in this kind of situation," said Davis, the Blue Wahoos right fielder. "It's pretty weird. It definitely feels good to win this one."
A win felt even bigger among the Blue Wahoos (33-24), who remained tied with the Biloxi Shuckers in first place in the Southern League South Division with 13 games left in the first half race. The Shuckers won again, 3-0 at Mississippi, for their 15th win in the past 19 games.
The Blue Wahoos' resiliency showed again, after the taxed bullpen was unable to hold a 7-4 lead in the ninth inning. The team was also playing without first baseman-outfielder Alex Kirilloff, the No. 2 rated prospect in the Minnesota Twins organization, who was placed on the injury list before the game.
Unlike Sunday's series opener against Jacksonville when a 4-3 lead in the ninth turned into a tied game, then 9-6 loss in 10 innings, the Blue Wahoos grinded out this win.
Williams Ramirez (3-1), the fourth reliever used, picked up the win by getting just two outs in the 10th. But those were the biggest two outs of the game.
With runners on the corners, following placement of a runner on second base in this league's extra inning format, Ramirez got Jacksonville's Santiago Chávez to ground out at the pitcher's mound. After an intentional walk to load the bases, Ramirez struck out Justin Twine to end the threat.
"He's been phenomenal for us," said Blue Wahoos catcher Caleb Hamilton, who drove in four runs Monday in going 2-for-4. "He has been pounding the strike zone and that's all we ask. Especially as a catcher, whenever pitchers can come in, pound the strike zone, get guys out, any at-bat, it's a positive.
In the bottom of the 10th, Kerrigan started on second base. With two-on none out, Davis laced a 1-0 pitch for the game-winner.
"I just had a chance to win the game, so I was basically looking for (pitch) something down. He was throwing up in the (strike) zone a lot, and I got the pitch to hit.
"This team is just special. We find a way. This team definitely has that. At any time we don't put our head down, we always know we have a chance.""
Amid a crowd of 3,777, the teams combined for 23 hits and used eight pitchers.
The Blue Wahoos tied the game in the second inning. Hamilton drove in the first of his 4 RBI with a sacrifice fly deep to straightaway center and scoring Davis, who led off with a single and stole second.
In the fourth inning, Hamilton hit a two-run single after Davis' RBI single. He drove in another run in the eighth inning as part of a three-run rally.
Following three more games in two different series, the Shuckers and Blue Wahoos will face each other in a five-game series next week in Biloxi, Miss.
"We put ourselves in a good spot, being at the top of the leaderboard so we are just going to worry about us," Hamilton said. "And not what about Biloxi is doing."
The teams will continue their series Tuesday with a "Fat Tuesday" promotion, along with School's Out, post-game fireworks following the game.
The Fat Tuesday promotion allows fans to purchase a $24 ticket which provides entrance to the Winn Dixie Party Deck beyond the right field wall. It includes a 90-minute, all-you-can-eat buffet when gates open at 5:30 p.m, plus unlimited soda and water. Each person receives a Blue Wahoos hat.
The next Fat Tuesday Night will be June 25 against the Biloxi Shuckers.
BALLPARK MEMORIES
The Northeast Pensacola Hammerheads, coach-pitch team, was the "Field of Dreams" participants Monday. The kids ran out with the players.
Arnetha Welcome, a contestant from Pensacola's Got Talent back in March, sang the National Anthem.
Monday's theme night was Military Monday. Servicemen were honored at different points. Joe Pye, who had 37 years of service in the U.S. Army, received a standing ovation as he waved from his seat in Section 100.
Pye served in World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam.