Nuñez, Monteverde Lead Blue Wahoos to Fourth Straight Win

Birmingham, Ala. – Nasim Nuñez had an outstanding day at the plate and Patrick Monteverde turned in another stellar start as the Pensacola Blue Wahoos beat the Birmingham Barons 7-5 on Wednesdady for their fourth win in a row.

Nuñez was 3-for-4 with a triple and four RBI, while Monteverde (W, 4-0) earned his league-leading fourth win with 5.1 innings of two-hit, one-run ball.

The Blue Wahoos took a 3-0 lead against Barons starter Cristian Mena (L, 3-2) in the third as Nuñez smoked a two-run triple into the right field corner. He scored one batter later on a Joe Rizzo sacrifice fly.

In the sixth, J.D. Orr added to the lead with a bases-loaded walk before Nuñez chopped a two-run single through the hole to left to extend the Pensacola advantage to 6-0. Monteverde wobbled in the sixth, leaving with the bases loaded, but Josan Méndez allowed only one inherited runner to score as he worked out of the jam.

Méndez wasn't so lucky in the seventh, as the Barons loaded the bases once more before Ben Norman launched an opposite-field grand slam into the Pensacola bullpen to draw the score to 6-5. Birmingham twice got the tying run in scoring position, but came up empty in their bid to complete the comeback.

Troy Johnston doubled home Nuñez for an insurance run in the ninth, and Jefry Yan (S, 3) earned the six-out save.

The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Barons on Thursday evening. First pitch from Regions Field is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CT, with a live broadcast beginning at 7:00 on BlueWahoos.com, the MiLB First Pitch app (radio), Bally Live and MiLB.tv (video). For more information, visit BlueWahoos.com or call the box office at (850) 934-8444.