Burdick’s Blasts, Eder’s Gem Propels Wahoos past Barons

Peyton Burdick homered twice on Friday and Jake Eder (W, 3-2) turned in his third quality start as the Wahoos defeated the Barons 6-1 at Regions Field.

The Wahoos got off to a roaring start against Jason Bilous (L, 0-1) in the top of the first. Demetrius Sims led off the game with a double to left before Burdick uncorked a no-doubter to left to put the Wahoos up 2-0, two batters in. It looked like the Wahoos might add more as the next two batters for Pensacola reached safely against Bilous.

However, the Barons starter recovered after a mound visit from pitching coach Rich Dotson, and he retired the side to limit the first inning damage to just two runs.

Two runs would’ve been plenty for Eder, who dazzled from the very beginning. The left hander had at least one strikeout in every inning except for the fourth, and retired the side in order in three separate innings.

Where Eder ran into trouble was in the bottom of the fifth. After a one-out double from Mitch Roman, Joel Booker roped an RBI single to cut the Wahoos lead at the time down to 3-1. After the base hit, Eder elevated his performance by striking out Romy Gonzalez and Zack Granite. In his outing, Eder held the Barons top three hitters (Gonzalez, Granite, and Micker Adolfo) hitless (0-for-9) with eight strikeouts.

With the Wahoos leading 3-1, Pensacola doubled their lead with homers in the seventh. Burdick led off the inning with a solo shot to left off Jake Elliot, making him the second Wahoos homer, JJ Bleday walked before Encarnacion homered off Elliot, which gave the Wahoos a 6-1 lead.

Zach Wolf and Alberto Guerrero made sure there would not be a third walk-off win in a row for the Barons. Wolf turned in two scoreless inning in which he walked two and struck out one. Guerrero allowed a couple of hits to start the bottom of the ninth; however, he struck out two before inducing a roundball fielder’s choice to end the game.

With the win, the Wahoos remain tied with the Mississippi Braves for the best record in the Double-A South.

Game five of the series continues tomorrow night in Birmingham. RHP Jeff Lindgren (2-3, 4.32) will make his ninth appearance of the year r for the Wahoos and he will be opposed by RHP Kade McClure (1-3, 5.10). Radio coverage is available at ESPN Pensacola and bluewahoos.com with television coverage presented by MiLB.TV. First pitch is expected at 6:30 PM CT.