Serna’s Big Blast Sends Wahoos To 5-2 Win Over Smokies

July 24, 2025

written by Erik Bremer

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos won their third in a row on Wednesday night, defeating the Knoxville Smokies 5-2 on the strength of a Jared Serna three-run homer.

With two on and two out in the fifth inning, Serna turned around a 2-0 offering from Smokies starter Sam Armstrong (L, 2-7) and sent it into the left field bullpen to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead.

The blast followed a positive trend for the Blue Wahoos, who have now hit eight three-run homers since June 1 after hitting only one in the season’s first two months.

The Smokies jumped ahead 1-0 in the second inning, turning a Felix Stevens leadoff walk into the game’s first run on an RBI single from Ethan Hearn. Blue Wahoos starter Ike Buxton labored through 3.0 innings, walking five batters but allowing only one run on one hit before departing.

Serna’s homer made a winner out of Luis Palacios (W, 2-2), who turned in 3.1 innings of effective relief with only one unearned run allowed. It was the 22nd career win for Palacios in a Blue Wahoos uniform, the most in team history.

Palacios allowed a two-out RBI double to Corey Joyce in the bottom of the fifth, but right fielder Grant Richardson gunned a throw home to cut down B.J. Murray Jr. trying to score the tying run from first base. With the lead still intact, Palacios and Nigel Belgrave (S, 2) stranded Knoxville runners in scoring position in the next three innings before a Michael Snyder two-run single in the top of the ninth extended the Pensacola advantage to 5-2.

Belgrave got the final eight outs to lock down the Blue Wahoos win, finishing with a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth inning.

With a win and a Columbus Clingstones loss, the Blue Wahoos now lead the South Division by 3.5 games in the second half race.

The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Smokies on Thursday night.

File photo.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News, Sports, TOP sports