Wahoos Fall To Barons On Brook’s Big Night

August 14, 2025

written by Willie Phaler

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos dropped their third in a row with a 7-5 loss to the Birmingham Barons on Wednesday night.
In his third Double-A start, Blue Wahoos right-hander Jake Brooks (L, 0-2) tossed 7.0 innings to tie his professional career high. Brooks scattered five runs while punching out five Barons in the outing.

Birmingham picked up the first run of the night in the second inning on a solo home run to left by left fielder DJ Gladney.

The Barons added two more in the third with two RBI singles in the frame. Sam Antonacci drove in Jacob Burke on a softly hit single, and came around to score on a single from Wilfred Veras after stealing second base.

The Blue Wahoos offense made some noise in the fourth as they pushed two runs across against Birmingham starter Hagen Smith to draw the deficit to 3-2. Matthew Etzel knocked in the first run of the night for Pensacola, finishing a triple down the right field line by avoiding the tag of third baseman Mario Camilletti. Ryan Ignoffo then drove Etzel in to score with a double down the left field line.

Gladney added to the Barons’ lead in the sixth with an RBI double down the left field line, scoring Caden Connor and Braden Montgomery on the play for a 5-2 advantage.

Dub Gleed brought the Blue Wahoos within a run in the seventh, picking up his first Double-A hit and home run in the same swing with a two-run shot out to left against righty Adisyn Coffey.

The Barons gained two important insurance runs in the top of the ninth thanks to RBI singles from Connor and Montgomery. The Blue Wahoos got out of the ninth after a soft, humpback line drive was turned into a rare 3-2-6 double play and Ignoffo threw out his third would-be base stealer of the night.

Ignoffo hit his second Double-A home run of the year out to left-center for a solo home run against Birmingham’s closer, Garret Schoenle (S, 6), but it proved to be too little as the lefty sat down the next three Pensacola hitters to end the ball game.

After 4.0 innings from the starter Smith, Birmingham’s relief combination of Dalton Roach (W, 3-0), Coffey and Schoenle held the Blue Wahoos to three runs to hold on for the win.

With the loss tonight and a postponement for the second-place Montgomery Biscuits, the Blue Wahoos’ South Division lead has been cut to 2.0 games.

The Blue Wahoos will square off with the Barons for their third matchup of the week tomorrow night. Southpaw Dax Fulton (5-8, 4.77 ERA) will make his 18th start of the year for Pensacola, while right-hander Connor McCullough (0-0, 2.25 ERA) is slated to take the mound for Birmingham. Following the conclusion of Thursday’s game, a drone show will take place over Blue Wahoos Stadium.

GAME NOTABLES
— Prior to the game, the Blue Wahoos added reliever Luarbert Arias to the roster. Arias, 24, began the season with the Miami Marlins. He pitched for the Blue Wahoos during the 2023 season, making 14 appearances for a 1.69 ERA.
— Second baseman Yiddi Cappe made his home debut Wednesday night for the Blue Wahoos. Cappe, 22, born in Havana, Cuba, was last year ranked the Marlins’ #7 prospect by MLB Pipeline. Cappe joined the Blue Wahoos a week ago, on August 5, in Montgomery. He played in 53 games for the Beloit Sky Carp, the Marlins’ High-A affiliate, batting .278 with four homers.

WANT TO GO?
WHO: Birmingham Barons vs. Blue Wahoos
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium
WHEN: Games on Thursday through Saturday night will start at 6:05 p.m. Sunday’s game starts at 4:05 p.m.

Comments

Comments are closed.

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