Pérez Dominates as Blue Wahoos Finish Series with Win

Pensacola, Fla. – Eury Pérez may have just left a lasting impression with the Blue Wahoos.

If so, it became a memorable one.

Pérez, ranked as the top prospect in the Miami Marlins minor league system, overcame a first-pitch home run to start the game then matched his best start of the season in a six-inning performance, as the Blue Wahoos hung on in the ninth inning Sunday for a 5-4 victory against the Mississippi Braves.

A crowd of 4,567 at Blue Wahoos Stadium watched the home team win for the fifth time this week and 10th win in the past 11 games, enabling the Blue Wahoos (16-11) to finish the first month of the season with the best record in Southern League.

This was the third consecutive strong outing by Pérez -- and second one of the homestand -- who is rated the No. 11 overall prospect in Minor League Baseball by MLB Pipeline. His first pitch of the game, a 98-mph fastball, was blasted over the right field wall by the M-Braves Cal Conley.

Perez then dazzled Sunday by retiring the next 12 batters in order. He threw just 39 pitches through four innings, then pitched out of a bases-loaded, two out jam, in the fifth inning when Conley was called for runner’s interference on a slow roller that Pérez fielded.

That became the game’s pivotal moment.

Pérez (3-1, 2.32 ERA) finished the sixth inning throwing 79 pitches in the game, 51 for strikes with nine strikeouts and two walks. In the sixth inning he threw a 100 mph fastball, followed by a 99-mph fastball, to coax a flyout from M-Braves slugger Drew Lugbauer, the club’s all-time home run leader, for the final out and final batter Perez faced.

As he has done in prior starts, Perez worked fast, mixed his breaking pitches and got into a comfortable flow.

The Blue Wahoos offense backed Pérez with a four-run third inning, highlighted by Griffin Conine’s solo homer, followed by Nasim Nuñez hitting a two-run blast. The other run scored on an infield throwing error.

The Blue Wahoos made it 5-1 in the fourth inning when Will Banfield walked, moved over to third on a pair of hits, and scored on a bases-loaded balk.

Conine completed a big weekend at the plate by going 2-for-3 with a run scored and his second homer in two days. He now has three for the season. Nuñez also went 2-for-3.

The first two relievers to follow Pérez, Patrick Murphy and Jefry Yan, pitched scoreless innings.

But the game got suspenseful in the ninth inning after the M-Braves hit a pair of home runs against Austin Roberts to trim a 5-1 lead into having the tying run at the plate with none out.

After Blue Wahoos pitching coach Dave Eiland visited the mound to calm Roberts, the righthander retired the last three batters in order to end the game.

It led to the large crowd being able to enter the outfield to toss baseballs and have kids 12-under run the bases in what has become a popular Sunday event.

The Blue Wahoos will have Monday off before traveling to Birmingham, Alabama to begin a six-game series against the Birmingham Barons, the Chicago White Sox affiliate, beginning on Tuesday at Regions Field. The Barons took four of six games from the Blue Wahoos in their only Pensacola meeting two weeks ago.

First pitch on Tuesday night from Regions Field is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. CT, with a live broadcast beginning at 6:00 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.

GAME NOTABLES:

--- There were six different youth baseball teams represented on the field during pregame events and the young players ran out with Blue Wahoos starters to create a special scene during the National Anthem.

--- The Haze Gray Quartet, a group of retired U.S. Navy military, performed the National Anthem.

--- After a massive number of groups Saturday, the Blue Wahoos had another sizeable number Sunday including Kia Autosport.

---- One of the largest contingent of families were in the outfield for 30 minutes following the game throwing baseballs, while many of the Blue Wahoos players and their wives, girlfriends, stayed on the field in the dugout area to take in the scene.

--- The Family Sunday is sponsored by WKRG-News5. The station's sports director, Simone Eli, threw out a ceremonial first pitch while holding her infant son. She threw a pitch straight into the catcher's glove to loud applause.