The Blue Wahoos returned home for a quick set of games this week, following their most successful road trip of the season to begin the second half of the season.
Pensacola faced the Biloxi Shuckers for games on Wednesday (doubleheader) and Thursday at Blue Wahoos Stadium, followed by three games in Biloxi beginning on Fourth of July Friday through this weekend,
After this week, the Blue Wahoos won’t have another home series until July 18-20. They are on the road next week in Columbus, Georgia, which leads into the All-Star Break for both major league and minor league teams July 14-17.
The Blue Wahoos won four of five games last week against the Chattanooga Lookouts, the Cincinnati Reds affiliate. They unleashed their best week of offensive production, scoring 39 runs in the rain-shortened series.
There will be two post-game fireworks shows – Wednesday and Thursday – at Blue Wahoos Stadium following the games. The Thursday show is the traditional Fourth of July display choregraphed with patriotic music.
A look back
The Blue Wahoos opened the second half of their season schedule June 24 with their biggest comeback win and a scoring barrage in Chattanooga that continued all week, even through two days of rained out games. They went 4-1 on the road trip, shortened by the weather. The sixth game will be made up when the teams play a six-game homestand August 26-31 in Pensacola.
Here’s a recap:
TUESDAY: Blue Wahoos 9, Lookouts 8 (10 innings) — Trailing 8-2 after five innings, the Blue Wahoos rallied by taking advantage of an infield error to score two runs in the sixth inning, followed by seventh-inning solo homer from Cody Morissette and an eighth-inning three-run double from Ryan Ignoffo to tie the game and force extra innings. An infield pop-up off the bat of Johnny Olmstead in the 10th was misplayed by Lookouts first baseman Cam Collier, allowing newcomer Michael Snyder to score the eventual winning run. Nigel Belgrave earned his first save in the bottom of the 10th stranding a runner at third base to get the win.
WEDNESDAY: Blue Wahoos 9, Lookouts 5 –Robby Snelling pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing just three hits in his best start, plus received plenty of run support. Kemp Alderman hit a solo homer and Dalvy Rosario had a 2-run homer to give the Blue Wahoos a 3-0 lead after two innings and Johnny Olmstead’s two-run triple made it 5-0 after three innings. The lead increased to 8-0 in the fifth inning and the Blue Wahoos cruised to a second win.
THURSDAY: Blue Wahoos 10, Lookouts 6 – The Blue Wahoos jumped to a 4-0 lead on a 3-run double by Nathan Martorella, then a triple by Kemp Alderman and a balk call that enabled him to score. The Lookouts scored five runs in the fifth inning, but the Blue Wahoos retook the lead with two runs in the sixth inning and got a 3-run homer by Grant Richardson in the seventh inning to pull away for the win.
FRIDAY: Postponed — Heavy rainfall in Chattanooga caused an early decision to postpone game, more than an hour before the scheduled first pitch.
SATURDAY: Postponed – After lengthy wait, a scheduled doubleheader between the teams was rained out, forcing a Sunday doubleheader and the series to be shortened to five games.
SUNDAY: Lookouts 4, Blue Wahoos 1 (Game 1); Blue Wahoos 10, Lookouts 5 (Game 2) – In Game 1, the Blue Wahoos’ Dax Fulton provided six innings of four-run ball on the way to the first complete game by a Blue Wahoos pitcher since Jeff Lindgren in 2022. The game was played in just 1 hour, 27 minutes, tying for the shortest 7-inning game in franchise history. In the second game, the Blue Wahoos
In the second game, the score was tied 3-3 into the 10th inning. The Blue Wahoos clubbed four home runs in the inning. Cody Morrissette, Michael Snyder, Josh Zamora and Tony Bullard all homered, combining for seven runs in the frame to make it 10-3.
The four home runs in a single inning tied a mark that was previously set by the Blue Wahoos in April, and the six total homers in the game established a new team record dating back to 2012.
This week
The Shuckers won the Southern League South Division first half in deciding fashion and have started the second half 4-2. They have done it with a good mix of strong pitching and home run prowess. The team entered their season finale against Columbus, a game they won 4-1, having allowed zero runs in the previous 19 innings played.
Their 74 home runs lead the Southern League by a whopping 16 homers. The number is fourth highest across all three Double-A leagues.
The Shuckers have six of the Milwaukee Brewers top 30 rated prospects in a group led by shortstop Cooper Pratt, the Brewers No. 3-rated prospect (No. 33 overall ). Pratt, 20, who grew up in Senatobia, Miss., is batting .250 in 69 games with five homers and 39 RBI. He is tied for the team lead with eight stolen bases.
The other three ranked hitters centerfielder Luis Lara (No. 21), third baseman Mike Boeve, along with pitchers Brett Wichrowski (No. 14), Tyson Hardin (No. 24), and K.C. Hunt.
Infielder Ethan Murray leads the Shuckers with a .279 batting average in 38 games.
Noteworthy
-Blue Wahoos pitcher Thomas White, the Miami Marlins’ No. 1 prospect, ranked No. 29 overall, who joined the Blue Wahoos roster two weeks ago, was selected for the MLB Futures Game on July 12 at Atlanta’s Truist Park, in conjunction with the MLB All-Star game. It is a return trip to this event for White, who pitched in last year’s game.
In two starts for the Blue Wahoos he has allowed just one earned run over 7.2 innings. Also in the game is former Blue Wahoos catcher Joe Mack, who was elevated to Triple-A Jacksonville in April and helped the Jumbo Shrimp win the International League first half division.
-The durability of Blue Wahoos Stadium was tested Sunday in staging the Hangout League Summer Ball collegiate championship game. Steady light rain occurred throughout the game, but despite the conditions both teams made big plays and the game went back and forth before heading, tied at 5-5, before to an extra-inng.
The league format is for a “Shootout” with a runner placed on first base and the home team deciding whether they want to play offense and bat, or play defense and hold the opponent. West Florida Blue chose to play defense and won the game in a scoreless half inning to claim the surfboard trophy. The league has other locations in Shreveport, Louisiana and Dallas.
– Former Blue Wahoos catcher Tucker Barnhart, a fan favorite, who went on to play 12 major league seasons and win a pair of Gold Gloves at catcher, announced Monday his retirement from playing. He played two seasons (2012 and 2013) and 139 games for the Blue Wahoos.
– The Blue Wahoos won’t be playing at home on July 4, but they will be hosting a community event on Friday, “Blue Wahoos 4th of July Summer Celebration,” from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
There are three ticket options: $10 apiece general admission with open seating in the outfield or seating bowl areas, $40 per-person for the Coors Lite Party Deck in right field that includes a buffet and soft drinks, or $55 per-person for the Hancock-Whitney Club that includes a full-course buffet, deserts, free sodas and a bar available for alcoholic drink purchases. Information or purchasing can be done through www.bluewahoos.com.
The field will have inflatables for children, lawn games, whiffle ball and ability to run around the bases. Pensacola’s downtown fireworks show, sponsored by the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce, Pensacola Young Professionals, will be viewed from beyond the left field area when it occurs at 9 p.m. No folding chairs, tents, coolers or any kind of food or beverages are permitted through the gates. Concession stands will be open at the ballpark.
WANT TO GO?
WHO: Biloxi Shuckers vs. Blue Wahoos.
WHEN: Wednesday and Thursday
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium
BACKGROUND: This 3-game series leads into the Fourth of July holiday weekend and is the Shuckers’ first return trip to Pensacola since the season-opening weekend on April 4-6. The Blue Wahoos won all three games of that series. The teams will play 18 games against each other in the second half, including a six-game series between the teams July 29-Aug. 3 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Wednesday – Fireworks Wednesday. The customary Wednesday show during the summer without school in session. This one sponsored by Bodacious Shops and Café.
Thursday – Fourth of July Warmup – With the Blue Wahoos out of town on Friday, this will be the team’s Fourth of July special fireworks show at the stadium, sponsored by Hancock Whitney Bank and choregraphed to patriotic music, following the game. In addition, there will be games, prizes and a jersey auction of the Blue Wahoos’ special 4th of July jerseys honoring 250 years of the U.S. Army. There will also be a raffle for a tailgate chair and tumblers sponsored by Busch Light.
LIVESTREAM AUDIO: You can listen to the Blue Wahoos’ broadcast with announcers Erik Bremer and Carter Bainbridge on www.bluewahoos.com/radio or the MILB App.
TV: Cox YurView (Cox Communications subscribers).
LIVESTREAM VIDEO: Available on MiLB.TV (subscription required).
TICKETS: Available at www.bluewahoos.com or the stadium box office, which opens Tuesday
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Wahoos Weekly: Wahoos back home briefly following big week on road to start second half
Reporting by Bill Vilona / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
