Bleday's Dramatic Wall-Shot In 13th Gives Blue Wahoos Walk-Off Win

All J.J. Bleday wanted was another chance.

He got it.

And then he wasted no time igniting a celebratory moment, after his one-out, double off the wall in right field delivered the Blue Wahoos a dramatic 4-3, walkoff victory in 13 innings, late Wednesday night against the Biloxi Shuckers.

It ended a game that lasted three hours, 42 minutes at Blue Wahoos Stadium and featured every sort of play imaginable in the back-and-forth of emotion swings.

“It was a great ending to a long day,” Bleday said. “Our pitching kept us in it, which was great. We made some mistakes, they made some mistakes as well.

“It was just that we were able to capitalize, get another opportunity and come out on top.”

After he missed an opportunity in the 11th inning, getting caught looking on a strikeout with a runner on second in the extra-inning format, Bleday was determined to atone.

He blasted a first-pitch slider deep to right, easily scoring Santiago Chavez, who began the game as the third baseman, then finished as the Blue Wahoos catcher.

It was the Blue Wahoos’ eighth walk-off win this season, but the first since the Fourth of July when they came back in 10 innings to beat the Shuckers 5-4 on that day.

“I was still kinda mad from the previous at-bat,” said Bleday, who finished a big night, going 3-for-5 with two RBI and reaching base four times. “I had worked into a 3-2 count, fouled off a slider down the line and then credit the pitcher. He threw one inside and I wasn’t able to pull the trigger on it.

“If another opportunity came around, I wanted it. And I was ready to hit anything in that (strike) zone. (Reliever) hung a slider and I put a good swing on it.”

The teams combined to use 10 pitchers -- five apiece -- and throw 319 pitches. There were 32 strikeouts in the game, 17 hits and the teams were a combined 4-for-29 with runners in scoring position.

It is why this game turned into a tug-of-will.

"Whenever you go into extra innings that late, especially on a late night in the middle of the week and win, it’s huge," Bleday said. "It’s a bonus. It is a big momentum boost going into the rest of the week."

These teams will play four more times this week, beginning Thursday at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

The Blue Wahoos' longest game of the season provided Alexander Guillen -- their fifth pitcher used -- to obtain his first win. He worked the eventful top of the 13th.

With Biloxi's Korry Howell starting on second base, he moved to third on leadoff batter David Hamilton's single. But when Mitch Longo followed with a fly ball out to Bleday, who charged and threw to prevent Howell from attempting to score, the Blue Wahoos alertly noticed Hamilton committed a base-running gaffe.

He failed to retouch second base on his way back to first base. It resulted in a second out when Guillen threw to shortstop Galli Cribbs on the appeal.

Guillen then got Garrett Mitchell to ground out to third baseman Zack Kone to end the inning.

"They made a mistake that allowed to keep us in there and come back and put it way," said Bleday, who doubled in the first inning and scored on a double-play.

The team's third consecutive win pushed the Blue Wahoos (47-45) to within four games of second place in the loss column among the eight-team Double-A South.

Ten of the Blue Wahoos' remaining 28 games are against Biloxi (33-59), which has the worst record in the Double-A South.

Hours earlier Wednesday, the game began with Max Meyer on the mound for Pensacola. The Miami Marlins' first-round pick in 2020 made his 17th start and worked six innings without his best array of pitches.

He yielded six hits and two runs with just one walk, but lowered his earned run average to 1.97. From that point, the four Blue Wahoos relievers combined to give up just one run and two hits in seven innings.

"They were huge," Bleday said. "They put up a phenomenal job there."

The Blue Wahoos tied the game in the ninth on catcher Brian Navarreto's one-out home run deep over the left field wall. It might have been the game-winner, Jerar Encarnacion was caught stealing during the at-bat.

They tied the game again (3-3) in the 10th inning when J.D. Orr started on second base, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a wild pitch.

GAME NOTABLES – The Blue Wahoos themed the game as “Bob Ross Night” honoring famed American painter and art instructor Bob Ross, a 20-year Air Force veteran who died on July 4, 1995. Ross, who grew up in Orlando, had his own television show in addition to his renown artwork.

He was also known for his wild, curly hairstyle that was copied Wednesday by Blue Wahoos’ on-field emcee “Downtown Dave,” in form of a gray wig he wore the entire game.

The Blue Wahoos set up a painting competition with canvases and a painting station.

-- Chase Mitchell, a local country singer and songwriter, performed the National Anthem.

-- For one of the few times this season on "Winning Wednesday" no one claimed the $1,000 jackpot.

BLUE WAHOOS HOMESTAND

WHO: Biloxi Shuckers vs. Blue Wahoos

WHEN: Thursday Through Sunday.

GAMETIMES: Thursday and Friday games will be at 6:35 p.m. Saturday’s game is 6:05 p.m.; Sunday is 4:05 p.m.

WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium.

TICKETS: Available for all games at www.bluewahoos.com, the stadium box office or calling 850-934-8444.

RADIO: ESPN-Pensacola (99.1 FM, 1330 AM), Chris Garagiola on play-by-play.

PROMOTIONS: Thursday: Thirsty Thursday plus Pensacola Mullets Night.

Friday: Giveaway Friday with a Blue Wahoos large beach carry bag for the first 2,000 fans.

Saturday: Post-game fireworks show.

Sunday: Military Sunday with discounted tickets, plus kids running the bases afterward.