Blue Wahoos Fall to Smokies in Game One of Championship Series
September 25, 2022 – Southern League (SL) – Pensacola Blue Wahoos News Release
Pensacola, Fla. – The Pensacola Blue Wahoos fell 4-1 to the Tennessee Smokies on Sunday afternoon in Game One of the best-of-three Southern League Championship Series.
The Smokies, who defeated Rocket City in the Division Series, kept their momentum with a three-run first inning against Luis Palacios (L, 0-1). A bases-loaded walk to Chase Strumpf was followed by a missed catch error from Bubba Hollins on a pickoff attempt that scored two more Tennessee runs to put the Smokies ahead 3-0.
Tennessee’s lone run-scoring hit came in the third, as Nelson Maldonado hit a solo home run to extend the lead to 4-0. The Pensacola bullpen combined for six scoreless innings, but the Smokies bullpen was just as dominant.
The Blue Wahoos finally built a threat in the fourth against Smokies starter D.J. Herz, but a run-scoring error from second baseman Chase Strumpf would prove to be the only Pensacola run of the game. Riley Martin (W, 1-0), in his Double-A debut, worked out of a bases-loaded jam in relief of Herz to foil the last significant threat of the night.
Bailey Horn (S, 1) stranded two runners in the ninth to finish off a six-out save for the Smokies, sending them back to Tennessee needing only one more win to secure a Southern League title.
First pitch of Game Two of the Southern League Championship Series from Smokies Stadium on Sunday is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. CT, with a live broadcast beginning at 6:10 on ESPN Pensacola 1330 AM/99.1 FM and WYCT 98.7-HD4 (radio) and MiLB.tv (streaming). For more information, visit bluewahoos.com or call the box office at (850) 934-8444.
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