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Historic Four-Homer Inning Lifts Wahoos To Fourth Straight Win
April 27, 2025
written by Bill Vilona
If you’re going to set franchise records for home runs in an inning, as the Blue Wahoos did in this game, doing it on Fireworks Saturday is perfection.
In an all-time memory, three consecutive Pensacola hitters blasted bombs, then a fourth homer followed two at-bats later in a five-run third inning that carried the Blue Wahoos to their 6-3 victory against the Knoxville Smokies, delighting a massive sellout crowd (5,038) at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
It was the first time since the Blue Wahoos began in 2012 with a trifecta of back-to-back-to-back homers. The four homers in an inning were also a team record.
In five other games in their history, the Blue Wahoos had three homers in an inning, but none were in a trio succession and never were four homers hit in the same inning.
“As they say, hitting is contagious, and when you watch the guys go up there and do it in front of you, it makes you feel a little easier and you want to follow suit,” said Blue Wahoos second baseman Johnny Olmstead, whose 2-run homer completed the fab four of homers in the third inning. “So, I had to go up there and see a good pitch, and it went out.”
That inning further energized a Saturday crowd that watched the Blue Wahoos (15-5) clinch the series with their eighth win in the last 10 games. They have the best record to start the 2025 season among all 30 Double-A teams across three leagues in Minor League Baseball.
This game began with a festive scene. It featured nine ceremonial first pitches. Three different youth league teams with kids ran out with Blue Wahoos starters.
Most of the crowd remained when the post-game fireworks capped the evening.
“We got the best fan base in minor league baseball, so let’s keep it rolling,” said Olmstead in the post-game, on-field interview with the Blue Wahoos’ Carter Bainbridge.
The Blue Wahoos will get a chance to do just that in Sunday’s series finale. This will be the third of four 1:05 p.m. Sunday starts to begin the season.
Another fast start occurred Saturday. In the first inning, Jake Thompson walked and scored when Nathan Martorella’s hard single got under the glove of right fielder Parker Chavers for a two-base error that allowed Thompson to provide a 1-0 lead.
In the eventful third inning, it was bombs away.
Thompson started things off with a no-doubter off the scoreboard in right field that exited his bat at 107 mph. Alderman then clouted a pitch over the left-center wall for a 3-0 lead. Nathan Martorella then set the club record with his line drive into the right field berm.
All of these homers were off Smokies’ starter Grant Kipp, who had a 2-0 record and 0.60 earned run average entering the game. The Blue Wahoos’ Tony Bullard tripled with one out and Olmstead’s homer ended the outing for Kipp with his two-run blast.
That also got Olmstead doused with ice water, of course, as he was trying to explain his big night.
“Yes it does,” said Olmstead, laughing, when asked if the ice bath felt good. “Ice water is always good. That means we won, so can’t complain about anything. Feel good at the dish and I’m just trying to keep it going.”
The Blue Wahoos carried a 6-0 lead through five innings behind starter Orlando Ortiz-Mayr, who earned his second win with his best night.
But a defining part of Saturday’s game occurred in the sixth inning. The Smokies had scored two runs off reliever Justin King, who became injured, forcing Dale Stanavich to be summoned for the second time in three games.
After rapidly warming up from the mound, he faced a situation with two on and two out when he struck out Hayden Cantrelle on a sweeper to end that inning.
In the seventh inning, after the Smokies scored their third run, Stanavich faced another jam with two on, one out. He struck out Smokies touted prospect Pablo Aliendo on a 96 mph fastball and ended the threat by a strikeout of Corey Joyce on a 3-2 slider.
Jesse Bergin pitched two hitless innings with three strikeouts to end the game.
The Blue Wahoos will close out this homestand on Sunday with left-hander Luis Palacios (0-0, 2.45 ERA) on the mound against the Smokies’ right-hander Antonio Santos, who is scheduled to make his second start of the week.
Santos pitched 3.2 innings in Tuesday’s series opener, allowing three hits, one run, two walks, and two strikeouts.
Following Sunday’s game, the Blue Wahoos embark on a back-to-back set of six-game road trips. They will travel to face the Birmingham Barons on Tuesday through May 4. They will then return home for an off day, before traveling to face the Biloxi Shuckers in a six-game series starting May 6.
The next Blue Wahoos homestand begins on May 13 against the Rocket City Trash Pandas.
WANT TO GO?
WHAT: Homestand Finale
WHO: Knoxville Smokies vs. Blue Wahoos
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium
WHEN: Sunday, 1:05 p.m.
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