BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Playing for the first time at historic Rickwood Field, the oldest professional ballpark in America, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos made some history of their own in a blowout 23-4 win over the Birmingham Barons.
Playing as the Negro League's Pensacola Seagulls, the Blue Wahoos enjoyed the pregame celebration of the ballpark's storied past before setting single-game team records in hits (26), homers (7) and runs scored (23). Two buses of Blue Wahoos season ticket members and gameday staff who made the trip to Birmingham and were seated above the Pensacola dugout saw a game unlike any other in franchise history.
Among the many superlatives, Fenwick Trimble went 5-for-6 with a homer, finishing a triple shy of the cycle in just the fifth five-hit game in team history. Ian Lewis Jr. hit a pair of homers and drove in four, Emaarion Boyd was 4-for-6 with a double and RBI, Juan Matheus and Aiva Arquette each hit their first Double-A homers, Jay Beshears hit the team's first grand slam of the season, and Dillon Lewis hit his team-leading 11th homer.
Every Blue Wahoos starter had at least one hit, making things easy for starting pitcher Alex Williams (W, 2-4). The righty worked 6.0 innings in a quality start, allowing four runs, three earned. Barons starter Connor McCullough (L, 0-2) labored through 2.1 innings, allowing three first-inning runs and departing in the middle of a five-run third that put Pensacola up for good.
Matheus and Lewis Jr. each went deep in the third, and Trimble and Beshears each hit their homers in the fifth. Lewis Jr., Lewis and Arquette capped the record-setting game with homers in the ninth inning, giving the Blue Wahoos a team-record seven homers overall.
Nigel Belgrave and Gabe Bierman combined to finish off the game with 3.0 scoreless innings of relief.
With the 19-run win, tied for the most lopsided in the team's 14-year history, the Blue Wahoos are back above .500 at 24-23 with four games remaining in their road series in Birmingham.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Barons on Thursday evening. First pitch from Regions Field is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CT, with a live audio broadcast beginning at 6:55 on BlueWahoos.com/radio or the MiLB app.