Snyder Lifts Wahoos to Walk-Off 4-3 Win
July 20, 2025 - Southern League (SL)
Pensacola Blue Wahoos News Release
Pensacola Blue Wahoos greet Michael Snyder at home
(Pensacola Blue Wahoos)
PENSACOLA, Fla. - A Michael Snyder walk-off double capped a comeback 4-3 Pensacola Blue Wahoos victory over the Chattanooga Lookouts on Sunday afternoon.
With 5.0 innings of perfect relief and a one-run lead heading into the ninth, it seemed inevitable that the Lookouts would come out on top over the Blue Wahoos. The Wahoos' bats had fallen silent after a two-run third inning, but came back to life in the bottom of the ninth.
A leadoff walk from Cody Morissette and a bunt single from Shane Sasaki to begin the ninth inning quickly signaled that this game was far from over. Josh Zamora came off the bench to work a pinch-hit walk and set the stage for Snyder.
"Hitting's hard," Snyder said. "Sometimes it takes a couple walks and finding a way on base. One good swing can change the course of a game."
One good swing did change the course of the game, as Snyder connected on the third pitch from right-hander Arij Fransen (L, 2-3) to lace a line drive just inside the left field line. Morissette crossed home to tie it, and Sasaki's run won it to give the Wahoos their 12th win of the second half and grow their division lead to 1.5 games.
"I was looking for a pitch to drive, something middle of the zone," Snyder said. "Pretty simple right there. Just put bat on ball and good things happen."
The Wahoos' first two runs were put on the board in the third inning. Sasaki sent a line drive to center, driving in Jared Serna from third. Sasaki then swiped second as part of a double steal with Morissette, who beat a throw home for the tenth steal of home in Blue Wahoos history. This was Morissette's third run-scoring thievery as a Wahoo after doing it in both 2023 and 2024.
Chattanooga's offense got on the board in the top of the first for the third time this series, as Cam Collier drove in Edwin Arroyo with an RBI single up the middle.
The Lookouts also scored two runs in the third as Leo Balcazar and Jay Allen picked up RBI in the inning against Pensacola starter Jacob Miller.
Miller made his 14th start of the season for the Wahoos, and his first daytime start. Across 4.2 innings of three-run ball, the righty struck out six Lookouts. Miller's outing ended on a sharp groundball to second by Collier, which Morissette gloved and fired home to prevent Arroyo from scoring an additional Chattanooga run in the fifth.
Former Blue Wahoos reliever Zach Willeman made the start for Chattanooga. A member of the 2023 Blue Wahoos, Willeman worked 3.0 innings of two-run ball in his return to Pensacola.
Both teams' bullpens were excellent on Sunday afternoon. The Pensacola trio of Justin King, Nigel Belgrave and Josh Ekness (W, 3-1) compiled 4.1 innings of shutout work, while Brandon Komar tossed 4.0 perfect innings in relief for Chattanooga prior to Fransen's difficulty in the bottom of the ninth.
The Blue Wahoos will head to Knoxville, Tennessee, for a six-game set with the Knoxville Smokies for their first trip to Covenant Health Park, the new stadium of the Cubs' affiliate.
"[We] have a long road trip to Knoxville tomorrow, so [we] get some rest," Snyder said. "[We are looking to] carry the momentum into the next week and have another good one."
The Wahoos took four of six from the Smokies in late April in the first series between the teams. Right-hander Alex Williams (3-0, 2.10 ERA) is scheduled to get the ball in game one of the series for Pensacola.
GAME NOTABLES
--- Sunday's game featured the Family Sunday promotion, where children 12 and under were permitted to run the bases following the game. Families were also permitted to play catch in the outfield for 30 minutes in a promotion by WKRG News-5. In addition, military members can obtain free standing room tickets on Sunday home games - limited to the first 100 - in promotion with Great Clips.
--- Blue Wahoos partner Cat Country (FM 98.7) hosted the winner of their Father's Day contest. The winning father was interviewed on the field prior to a ceremonial first pitch, joined the Blue Wahoos radio broadcast for a half inning, and was able to watch the game from a press box suite with family members.
--- Representatives from Major League Baseball, along with corporate partner T-Mobile, praised the Blue Wahoos organization for their relationship with Naval Air Station-Pensacola, the Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron and other branches of the area's military, following their visit to Blue Wahoos Stadium on Saturday night. MLB and T-Mobile are highlighting teams across the country who have a strong partnership with military in their community.
The two highest-ranking officers at NAS-Pensacola visited with representatives from the MLB and T-Mobile prior to Saturday's game.
WHAT'S NEXT?
WHO: Blue Wahoos vs. Knoxville Smokies.
WHEN: Tuesday Thru Sunday (July 27)
WHERE: Covenant Health Park, Knoxville, Tennessee.
BACKGROUND: This will be the Blue Wahoos' first trip to the Smokies' new ballpark in downtown Knoxville, located near the campus of the University of Tennessee. It opened in April, after the team formerly played in Kodak, Tennessee, located about 21 miles east. The team was known as the Tennessee Smokies, the Chicago Cubs' affiliate.
LIVESTREAM AUDIO: You can listen to the Blue Wahoos' broadcast of this series with announcer Erik Bremer on www.bluewahoos.com/radio or the MiLB App.
LIVESTREAM VIDEO: Available on MiLB.TV (subscription required).
NEXT HOMESTAND: Begins on July 29 vs. Biloxi Shuckers.
TICKETS: The Blue Wahoos ticket office will be open during business hours on Tuesday through Friday this week to purchase tickets for any of the team's remaining 24 home games.
Images from this story
 Pensacola Blue Wahoos greet Michael Snyder at home |
Southern League Stories from July 20, 2025
- Five-Run First, Strong Bullpen Performance Leads Shuckers to Series Win - Biloxi Shuckers
- Snyder Lifts Wahoos to Walk-Off 4-3 Win - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- Barons Get the 6-1 Victory for 9th Win in a Row - Birmingham Barons
- Clingstones Take Flight to Split Doubleheader with Rocket City - Columbus Clingstones
- Biscuits Fall in Rubber Match against Biloxi 6-5 - Montgomery Biscuits
- Trash Pandas Take Series from Columbus After Doubleheader Split on Sunday - Rocket City Trash Pandas
- Game Info: Sunday, July 20 vs. Columbus (ATL) Doubleheader: 12:05 PM: Toyota Field - Rocket City Trash Pandas
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