Wahoos Weekly: After Sunday Win, Wahoos Back Home For Event-Filled Week
The Blue Wahoos surged to their first half divisional win last month on walk-off wins and a fortress bullpen.
Fate has turned the other way, so far, in the first two series of the second half.
After spending their first two nights in Pearl, Mississippi without playing a game, the Blue Wahoos sustained a trio of consecutive losses last week against the Mississippi Braves unable to hold late-inning leads. The trend ended Sunday when relievers Josh Simpson and Colton Hock sealed a 4-3 win and measure of solace in a series where the M-Braves won four of six games.
It followed an opening, second-half series, when the Blue Wahoos dropped four of six games home games against Montgomery. Lack of run support was the biggest issue in that series, along with inability to hold games close in late innings.
But a new week awaits at Blue Wahoos Stadium, beginning Tuesday, with the Chattanooga Lookouts visiting. The series features two fireworks nights, two specialty jersey nights, a Mardi Gras night and two games with giveaway items for early-arriving fans.
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This series will lead into an extended break next week for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, which includes four days without games in the minor leagues.
A quick recap from last week
July 4-5 – The series opener in Mississippi was rained out on the Fourth of July when a massive thunderstorm hit the stadium and thwarted any hope of a holiday game. The next day was a scheduled off day for both teams, so the Blue Wahoos spent a lot of time in a hotel without playing a game until Wednesday.
July 6 – Blue Wahoos starter A.J. Ladwig again delivered a quality start, allowing just two runs, but the M-Braves won the series opener 5-1 behind strong pitching and late-inning runs against Blue Wahoos relievers. Ray-Patrick Didder’s home run in the ninth was the Blue Wahoos’ lone run.
July 7 – Eury Perez racked up 10 strikeouts to lead a 3-1 win in the first-game, then Zach McCambley carried a no-hitter into the seventh and final inning of the doubleheader, before the M-Braves rallied for a 3-2 win. McCambley was sensational the first six innings of game two. Leading 2-0 and three outs from a 7-inning no-hitter, he gave up a leadoff walk in the seventh. Colton Hock was summoned in relief. A ground ball single through the infield became the first hit, followed by a bloop single and two RBI groundouts to tie the game. The M-Braves then won the game on a pinch-hit single for the walkoff win.
July 8 – The Blue Wahoos were held without a hit in the first four innings, then broke through with three runs in the sixth on an RBI double by Griffin Conine and a 2-run single by Victor Victor Mesa to take a 3-1 lead. But the M-Braves answered with a pair of runs in the seventh, then produced their second straight walkoff win when Drew Lugbauer blasted a 3-run homer in the ninth inning of Dylan Bice for a 6-3 win.
July 9 – Victor Victor Mesa produced his best game for the Blue Wahoos, going 4-for-4 at the plate, including a triple, but the Blue Wahoos sustained another tough-luck 7-6 loss. The M-Braves CJ Alexandeer had a two-out, 2-run double in the eighth inning that became the decisive runs. Zach King made his second start for Pensacola and allowed four hits, three runs in five innings with five strikeouts.
The Blue Wahoos trailed 3-0 in the fourth, but tied the game on RBI singles from J.D. Orr and Cobie Fletcher-Vance, along with Bubba Hollins’ RBI groundout. They took a 6-5 lead in the eighth, but could not hold it.
July 10 – Cody Mincey was solid again, as the Blue Wahoos built a 4-0 lead behind him, then held on with Josh Simpson and Colton Hock providing scoreless relief in the eighth and ninth innings for a 4-3 win. J.D. Osborne started the Blue Wahoos production in the fourth inning with an RBI single and Jose Devers followed with a two-run single, moved to third on stolen bases and scored on Victor Victor Mesa’s sacrifice fly.
WAHOOS NOTABLES
EURY RISER
Blue Wahoos star pitcher Eury Perez, who is scheduled to start on Wednesday, was named last week to play in the Sirius XM Futures Game on July 16 in Dodger Stadium, as part of the prelude to the 92nd Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Los Angeles on July 19. Perez was the only Miami Marlins prospect named to the National League side playing in the Futures Game. This year’s game will be played at 6 p.m. CDT that day and broadcast on NBC’s Peacock TV streaming service.
Also last week, Perez climbed to No. 1 in MLB Pipeline’s ranking of the Miami Marlins’ top prospects and No. 17 overall among global prospects. Perez shined in his start against the M-Braves, working six complete innings for the second time in his career.
PROSPECT WATCH
In addition to Perez, five other current Blue Wahoos players are listed among the Miami Marlins Top 30 prospects. They are pitcher Zach McCambley (No. 14), first baseman Troy Johnston (23), outfielder Griffin Conine (24), pitcher Zach King (29) and pitcher Josh Simpson (30).
WAHOOS’ MLB ALL-STAR CONNECTIONS
The rosters for the MLB All-Star Game, announced Sunday, included two former Blue Wahoos players – Minnesota Twins infielder Luis Arraez and Cincinnati Reds pitcher Luis Castillo – as part of 22 former Southern League players. In that group, 14 of those 2022 MLB All-Star Game players competed in Pensacola against the Blue Wahoos.
Leading the group is Atlanta Braves outfielder and MLB All-Star starter Ronald Acuna, who Blue Wahoos fans may remember from his duel against the Blue Wahoos Gabriel Guerrero in the 2017 Southern League All-Star Home Run Derby at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Acuna played five games that season in Pensacola.
Three others voted as All-Star starters, who played in Pensacola, were Chicago Cubs catcher Wilson Contreras, San Francisco Giants outfielder Joc Pederson and the Atlanta Braves William Contreras, who will start the All-Star game as designated hitter.
Among the All-Star reserves who played in Pensacola are Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson, Milwaukee Brewers pitchers Corbin Burnes and Josh Hader, Braves pitcher Max Fried, New York Mets pitcher Edwin Diaz, Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ, Baltimore Orioles pitcher Jorge Lopez, and Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber.
SCHEDULE BREAK
While there is no Southern League All-Star game this year and has not been one since 2019, there is an extended all-star break next week within all levels of Minor League Baseball.
As part of the MLB takeover of the minors, the schedules in various levels will have a four-day void of games, beginning on Monday, July 18. The Blue Wahoos will resume their schedule on July 22 with a three-game series at Biloxi before returning back to Pensacola for a six-game homestand on July 26 vs. the Mississippi Braves.
THIS WEEK
The North Division Chattanooga Lookouts – the Cincinnati Reds affiliate – visit Blue Wahoos Stadium for their lone 2022 appearance. The Blue Wahoos will then play in Chattanooga on August 30-September 4. Infielder Blake Trahan, who played for the Blue Wahoos on their 2017 team that won the Southern League co-championship as a Reds affiliate, is listed on the Lookouts roster.
WANT TO GO?
WHAT: Blue Wahoos Homestand
WHO: Chattanooga Lookouts vs. Blue Wahoos
WHEN: Tuesday Through Sunday (July 17)
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium
GAMETIMES: Games on Tuesday through Friday begin at 6:35 p.m. Saturday’s game is at 6:05 p.m. Sunday’s game is 4:05 p.m.
TICKETS: Available online at www.bluewahoos.com/tickets. Or purchase at stadium box office (opens at 10 a.m. on weekday), or call 850-934-8444.
RADIO: ESPN-Pensacola (99.1 FM and 1330 AM and WYCT 98.7 HD4).
TV: YurView (check provider) and MILB.tv (streaming) through www.milb.com/live-stream-games with subscription discount using BLUE WAHOOS.
PROMOTIONS
Tuesday – Fat Tuesday: A special $27 ticket provides a 90-minute buffet featuring the Fin & Fork seafood items, plus ballpark favorites, unlimited sodas, plus a seat on the Winn-Dixie Party Deck.
Wednesday – Mardi Gras In July. Various Krewes from Pensacola Mardi Grass will parade shopping carts during pregame. It’s also One Price Wednesday with an $18 ticket for any available stadium seat, plus a hot dog, soda and chips. It’s also mid-week, post-game fireworks following game.
Thursday – Mullet Thursday/Thirsty Thursday – Team will wear Pensacola Mullet uniforms. There will be $2 draft beer from concessions, $4 cans from carts, plus other drink specials for adults.
Friday – Giveaway Friday – Fans entering stadium will receive a Bobblehead of Sue Straughn, longtime WEAR-3 TV news anchor, provided by sponsor WEAR-TV.
Saturday – Marvel Defenders of the Diamond Night. The team will wear special Captain America jerseys to be auctioned to fans during game, plus fans are encouraged to dress up in their favorite Marvel Comics character. The traditional Saturday night post-game fireworks follow the game.
Sunday – Family Sunday. Early-arriving fans will receive a Blue Wahoos team photo courtesy of Dlux Printing. Following game, kids may run an infield lap around the bases and family toss in the outfield will happen for 30 minutes.
SOUTHERN LEAGUE STANDINGS
SECOND HALF
(Prior to games on July 12)
North Division
Rocket City Trash Pandas – 9-3
Birmingham Barons – 7-5
Tennessee Smokies – 5-7
Chattanooga Lookouts -- 3-9
South Division
Mississippi Braves – 8-4
Montgomery Biscuits – 8-4
Biloxi Shuckers – 4-8
Pensacola Blue Wahoos – 4-8
Bill Vilona is a retired Pensacola News Journal sports columnist and now senior writer for Pensacola Blue Wahoos. He can be reached at bvilona@bluewahoos.com.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Wahoos Weekly: Wahoos return to face Chattanooga in event-filled week
