Wahoos Fall in Extras Despite Sánchez's Awaited Return

Pensacola, Fla. – Sixto Sánchez bounded out of the Blue Wahoos dugout and leaped on the mound.

Just being in a game again meant a lot.

Pitching against an opponent for the first time in three seasons, Sánchez used a two-strikeout, scoreless first inning Tuesday as a first step toward what the Miami Marlins hope is a comeback from a long road of misfortune. He last pitched for them in the National League playoffs in 2020.

Sánchez, 25, once among professional baseball's top prospects, provided the Blue Wahoos an initial lift that led into an early lead. But the Mississippi Braves rallied with a pair of home runs off Luis Palacios, then made a 10th-inning run stand, for a 5-4 victory in the series opener at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

The loss ended the Blue Wahoos’ seven-game win streak. It extended what has been Pensacola’s thorn this season. They are now 1-6 in extra-inning games.

Sanchez threw 18 pitches, 10 for strikes in his only inning of work. The plan was 20 pitches maximum in the outing.

His fastball Tuesday topped out at 87 mph, but his breaking pitches were the ones that got strikeouts. While he had pitched in a couple spring training games during this long layoff, Tuesday was his first time in a regular-season game.

The plan will be for Sanchez to pitch again in the near future and be able to go an extra inning or two.

Coming off a six-game road sweep at Rocket City, the Blue Wahoos (76-55) again started fast. They worked four walks for a first-inning run off M-Braves opener Drue Hackenberg. They got another run in the second of an RBI single from Nasim Nuñez.

They took a 3-1 in the fourth by loading the bases before a fielder’s choice groundout from Victor Mesa Jr. But when Nuñez hit into a double play to end the inning, the Blue Wahoos didn’t have multiple baserunners the rest of the game.

The M-Braves (60-72), who are now 11-14 this season against Pensacola, jumped on two mistake pitches from Palacios to change the game.

Palacios was brilliant in his last outing, going eight scoreless innings on three hits in a win last week at Rocket City. He flashed some of that same effectiveness Tuesday.

But in the sixth inning with two outs and nobody on, he gave up a single to Jesse Franklin and Bryson Horne followed by blasting a pitch deep over the right field wall to tie the game. In the seventh, Cal Conley’s solo homer provided a 4-3 lead.

The Blue Wahoos tied the game when Cody Morissette led off the bottom of the ninth with a homer that cleared the right field wall and a leaping attempt by Drew Campbell.

The M-Braves won the game in the 10th when placed runner Campbell stole third, then scored on a wild pitch, by closer Jefry Yan.

The Blue Wahoos had their placed runner, Mesa Jr., reach third on a wild pitch with none out. But M-Braves reliever Brooks Wilson threw a steady succession of splitter fastballs that resulted in three consecutive swinging strikeouts from Nuñez, Will Banfield and Jake Thompson to end the game.

Meanwhile on Tuesday, former Pensacola Catholic standout Jordan McCants had a sacrifice bunt that became a game-winning play on a throwing error to score Jan Mercado as the Jupiter Hammerheads won their Florida State League playoff opener 3-2 in 10 innings.

The Blue Wahoos' series with the M-Braves continues on Wednesday with “Winning Wednesday” featuring baseball bingo for prizes sponsored by Hill-Kelly Dodge Chrysler Jeep.

Pregame activities will begin at 6:15 p.m., inluding ceremonial first pitches and special guest introductions. The official first pitch of the game will be at 6:35 p.m.

The game will be televised on WFGX MyTV 35, plus an audio broadcast beginning at 6:30 on BlueWahoos.com, the MiLB First Pitch app (radio), Bally Live, and MiLB.tv (video).

For more information, visit BlueWahoos.com or contact the box office at (850) 934-8444.