Blue Wahoos Fall to Smokies in Game One of Championship Series
September 25, 2022 - Southern League (SL)
Pensacola Blue Wahoos News Release
Pensacola Blue Wahoos pitcher Luis Palacios
(Pensacola Blue Wahoos)
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.
Images from this story
 Pensacola Blue Wahoos pitcher Luis Palacios |
Southern League Stories from September 25, 2022
- Smokies Take Game 1 of Southern League Championship Series - Knoxville Smokies
- Blue Wahoos Fall to Smokies in Game One of Championship Series - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
