A unique doubleheader on Wednesday, which included the Lookouts as home team on the road, provided a tale of two different halves at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
The Blue Wahoos clubbed 15 hits and scored 15 runs in a 15-3 rout against the Chattanooga Lookouts in the first game as home team. But they managed just three hits during a 5-2 loss in a second game that was carried over from a June postponement in Chattanooga.
The late-afternoon start had an explosive beginning for the Blue Wahoos in Game 1 of the two 7-inning games.
Tony Bullard blasted a grand slam in the first inning after the first three batters reached on a pair of walks and a single. It was only the second grand slam the Blue Wahoos hit this season. The other was produced by Kemp Alderman in the season-opening weekend in April.
In the fourth inning, the Blue Wahoos fully ignited. They scored 11 runs, matching the franchise record for most runs in one inning – set on May 11, 2023 against the Birmingham Barons.
Outfielder Emaarion Boyd, who entered the day 0-for-15 since joining the Blue Wahoos on August 19 from the Beloit (Wisc.) Sky Carp, started things with his second consecutive single in the game. Catcher Spencer Bramwell singled. Fenwick Trimble was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Jared Serna singled to drive in the first run. Alderman then cleared the bases with a 3-run triple. Still with no outs, Tony Bullard doubled home Alderman, Gage Miller walked and Payton Green hit a three run homer. When this inning finished, the Blue Wahoos used 13 batters and led 15-1.
Blue Wahoos starter Jake Brooks, making his fifth start, earned his second win since joining the team by working six innings, allowing five hits and one run with four strikeouts.
At the plate, Boyd finished 3-for-4. Serna went 3-for-5. Alderman and Bullard both had five RBI.
But if only the Blue Wahoos could have banked some of those hits and runs.
The second game started with the Blue Wahoos batting first. The only time this happened before at Blue Wahoos Stadium was in 2017 during the Southern League divisional playoffs against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. The Blue Wahoos were the visiting team during the series-clinching third game that provided their first trophy as co-champions when a hurricane threat cancelled the final round.
In Wednesday’s case, Trimble led off the game with a single. Serna followed by homering just inside the left field foul pole for a quick 2-0 lead.
But from that point, the Blue Wahoos had just two base runners and one hit the rest of the game, which was completed in 1 hour, 38 minutes.
Chattanooga starter Kevin Abel dominated. He worked the entire seven innings, striking out eight, allowing just one walk in a 3-hit quality performance.
The Lookouts used a 4-run rally in the fourth inning against Blue Wahoos reliever Evan Fitterer, then tacked another run against new reliever Jack Sellinger, who made his Blue Wahoos debut after joining the team Tuesday from the Beloit Sky Carp.
The Lookouts now have a 2-1 edge in the seven-game series which continues Thursday with Blue Wahoos using a new starter in this spot. On Wednesday, Dax Fulton, the normal Thursday starter, was elevated to Triple-A Jacksonville.