Blue Wahoos Blanked By Strong Pitching As Shuckers Even Series

Pensacola, Fla. - In Bradley Blalock’s three previous starts against the Blue Wahoos, the righthander didn’t make it past the third inning.

He crafted a far different impression Wednesday.

Blalock worked into the sixth inning, allowing just four hits, as the Biloxi Shuckers picked up a 3-0 win against the Blue Wahoos in the second game of this week-long series at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

A crowd of 4,203, the second-largest Wednesday crowd this season, stayed through the game to see the final mid-week, summer fireworks show – this one presented by game sponsor Hiles-McLeod Insurance.

The display was the game’s highlight for the home crowd.

The Blue Wahoos had baserunners in six of the nine innings, but were unable to string together hits or produce an extra-base hit among the five hits in the game.

Three Shuckers relievers held the Blue Wahoos to one hit and combined for five strikeouts as Biloxi (45-45, 15-8 in second half) evened their overall record and won for only the second time this year in Pensacola.

The Blue Wahoos (50-41, 12-11) were shut out for the ninth time this season.

Leadoff batter Jakob Marsee had the team’s best night at the plate. He reached base three times with a walk and two singles and had three stolen bases – a team high this season.

Blue Wahoos starter Tristan Stevens, making his first home start, absorbed the loss after working five innings, allowing seven hits with four strikeouts and no walks.

The Shuckers got all the runs they needed when Ernesto Martinez singled, Connor Scott doubled and Casey Martin hit a two-out, two-run single off Stevens in the second inning. Lamar Sparks then doubled home Martinez, who had doubled in the fourth inning for the other run.

Blalock, originally drafted by the Boston Red Sox, is the Milwaukee Brewers No. 17 overall prospect as rated by MLB pipeline. He pitched one inning in relief for the Brewers in June. He made his 16th start for Biloxi on Wednesday.

The teams will continue their series on Thursday, a Mullet Thursday, with the Blue Wahoos’ Jonathan Bermúdez on the mound.

GAME NOTABLES

--- The game sponsor, Hiles-McLeod, had one of the ceremonial first pitches in the game.

--- The Navarre Youth Sports Association had a group of about 100 participants in a pregame parade that began in right field.

--- The “Shark in the Park” T-shirts went on sale Wednesday in the Blue Wahoos team store.

--- Several area churches had group outings, including a 250 member outing from First Baptist Church Pensacola and 100 from Immanuel Baptist Church.

WANT TO GO?

WHO: Biloxi Shuckers vs. Blue Wahoos

WHEN: Thursday, 6:05 p.m.

WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium

TV: Available each game on live stream broadcast on Bally Live and MLB.TV (subscription required).

RADIO: Available each game on www.bluewahoos.com/radio with Blue Wahoos broadcasters Erik Bremer and Carter Bainbridge on play-by-play or on the MiLB App.

PROMOTIONS: Thursday is Mullet Thursday. The Blue Wahoos take on their alter identity as the Pensacola Mullets and will wear specialty uniforms. There will also be alcoholic drink specials throughout the game.

TICKETS: Tickets are available for all games next week through www.bluewahoos.com/tickets and at the stadium box office which will reopen on Tuesday (July 23) and operate during extended hours each of the game days next week.