Pensacola Starts Final Series Atop Division

JACKSON, Tenn. - The Pensacola Blue Wahoos lost the rubber match Tuesday to the Jackson Generals but it didn't matter because the Mississippi Braves did the same against the Biloxi Shuckers.

That means that with its final home stand starting Thursday against its rival Mobile BayBears, Pensacola remains a half game ahead of Mississippi and controls its own destiny - the chance to become the first Cincinnati Reds Double-A team to make the playoffs since Chattanooga in 2006.

Despite scoring five runs in the second inning, including a two-run homer by Blue Wahoos shortstop Alex Blandino, Pensacola lost the five-game series to Jackson, 3-2, with an 8-7 loss at The Ballpark in Jackson.

Pensacola finished 7-8 overall against Jackson this season, despite the Generals owning last place in the Southern League North Division in both halves with a 50-82 overall record.

Pensacola and Mississippi are battling for the South Division postseason spot. The Blue Wahoos are 36-29 in the second half of the Southern League season. However, it remains a half game ahead of Mississippi, which lost to Biloxi, 5-4, Tuesday to fall to 35-29.

Jackson scored two runs in the first when first baseman Jody Lara doubled to drive in a run and catcher Tyler Marlette singled to score another run.

However, that's when Pensacola had a five-run inning in the second to go ahead, 5-2. Designated hitter Juan Duran started the inning with a leadoff single, followed by a single by first baseman Seth Mejias-Brean and then catcher Kyle Skipworth doubled them both in on a double to left field that knotted the score, 2-2. Blue Wahoos second baseman Ray Chang then doubled to score Skipworth for a 3-2 lead. That's when Blandino crushed a one-out, two-run homer to centerfield and Pensacola went ahead, 5-2.

Jackson, trailing, 5-3, came back with its own five-run inning in the fourth inning to go ahead, 8-5. The big hit in the inning for the Braves was Jabari Henry's triple that drove in two runs.

Pensacola scored a run in the fifth when Mejias-Brean singled in Phillip Ervin and another in the seventh when the Blue Wahoos loaded the bases and right fielder Jesse Winker scored from third on a walk to Chang. However, 8-7 was the closest the Blue Wahoos could get against Jackson.

Come experience the family-fun entertainment at the Pensacola Blue Wahoos ballpark with its final series of the season against the Mobile BayBears. Follow the team at BlueWahoos.com, facebook.com/PensacolaBlueWahoos and twitter.com/BlueWahoosBBall.

--www.bluewahoos.com--