Steven Wickens continues to swing a hot bat for the Lookouts.
photo by Tim Evearitt
PENSACOLA, Fla. - The Pensacola Blue Wahoos (31-24, 56-67) won the series against the Chattanooga Lookouts (24-29, 67-54) with a 10-6 victory in front of a sellout crowd of 5,038 at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
Jason Wheeler made the start for the Lookouts. The southpaw went the first 5 1/3 innings. He gave up five runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out five. He was really hurt by the long ball. He was “taken yard” three times.
The offense put up some runs, but it just wasn’t enough. Stephen Wickens remained hot. He went 2-for-5 with his 14th double.
Travis Harrison went 2-for-4 with his fourth triple. Stuart Turner went 1-for-1 and walked three times.
Max Kepler was 1-for-4 with a walk and his 32nd double.
Jorge Polanco, who played shortstop for the second straight game, walked twice and stole his 17th base.
Chattanooga reliever Alex Wimmers (7-4) earned the loss, allowing the sixth and seventh runs of the game, which proved to be decisive. Wimmers was charged with two runs on three hits. DJ Johnson pitched an inning and gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits and a walk.
The Wahoos took the early lead on a Marquez Smith solo homer that carried over the wall in right-center field. It was Smith's eighth deep shot of the season. He was also the 10th Wahoo to hit a home run in the month of August.
Chattanooga got on the board in the third with three runs.
Pensacola responded in the bottom of the third with a homer from Zach Vincej, the 11th Wahoo to hit a home run this month.
The Wahoos knotted it up at three runs apiece after Yovan Gonzalez took one deep to left in the bottom of the fifth. It was his third homer this August.
Pensacola retook the lead in the sixth with a pair of runs on three hits and two walks. One of the runs came on a single from Phillip Ervin, which was his first hit as a Wahoo.
Stephen Wickens brought Shannon Wilkerson home on an RBI double to bring the score back to 5-4 for the Lookouts.
Adam Brett Walker then singled to bring one run home, but the second runner, Max Kepler, was gunned down at the plate by Ervin to keep the score tied.
Blandino put the Wahoos in good position with a sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the seventh, which followed a pair of singles by Amaral and Vincej. Winker brought them both home with a single on the next at bat, making the score 7-5 in favor of the Wahoos.
The Lookouts brought it back to a one-run game in the eighth as Travis Harrison scored on a groundout. Levi Michael earned an RBI on the play.
Chattanooga returns to AT&T Field Sunday to open a five-game series with Tennessee.