Blue Wahoos Hold On For Extra-Inning Win Over Smokies

August 2, 2026

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos continued their winning ways on Saturday night, outlasting the Knoxville Smokies 3-2 in 10 innings.

With the win, the Blue Wahoos have now won 9 of their past 11 games and 4 of their first 5 during their series in Knoxville to move to a season-high 10 games above .500.

Brendan Jones opened the scoring for Pensacola with a two-run homer in the top of the third inning against Smokies starter Brooks Caple. It was the 10th homer of the season for Jones, with four coming during the Blue Wahoos’ road trips to his home state of Tennessee.

After 3.0 scoreless innings from Blue Wahoos starter Orlando Ortiz-Mayr, the Smokies evened the score 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run homer from Ariel Armas against reliever Josh Hejka. That would be all the damage done against the Pensacola bullpen, however, as Hejka got through 3.0 innings for his longest appearance in more than two seasons to keep the game tied into the late innings.

The Blue Wahoos left the bases loaded in the seventh and eighth innings, but effective relief from Nigel Belgrave and Colby Martin (W, 4-4) sent the game to extra innings.

In the top of the 10th, Juan Matheus singled against Tyler Schlaffer (L, 1-7) to advance placed runner Cristian Hernández to third base. Brandon Compton, who had collected three singles already in the game, then sent a scorching grounder to second base that turned into a double play but also brought home the go-ahead run.

Handed a 3-2 lead, Martin returned for the bottom of the 10th and worked around a leadoff single to Drew Bowser to retire the next three batters and end the game. For the fourth time in five games in the series, the losing team left the potential tying run at third base when making the final out.

The Blue Wahoos wrap up their series against the Smokies on Sunday.

written by Erik Bremer

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FRONT FEATURE, General, Sports, TOP sports