The Pensacola Blue Wahoos fell in their series opener against the Tennessee Smokies on Tuesday night by a score of 14-4.

Jake Slaughter hit a pair of homers, scored four runs and drove in six to lead Tennessee’s winning effort as the Smokies inched closer to clinching a North Division playoff berth.

Slaughter opened up the scoring right away in the first inning with a two-run homer against Zach King (L, 2-5), who allowed four more runs in the third on RBI doubles from Nelson Maldonado and Chase Strumpf.

The Smokies added two more runs in the fourth on a Miguel Amaya sacrifice fly and Andy Weber RBI double. Pensacola got their only run against Tennessee starter Chris Clarke (W, 7-4) with a Norel González RBI double in the sixth to bring the score to 8-1, but Yonathan Perlaza answered back with a solo homer on the first pitch of the bottom of the inning as Tennessee got their bats back to work.

Bryce Ball hit an RBI double in the seventh before Slaughter capped his night with a grand slam in the eighth. Will Banfield’s third single of the game brought home a Pensacola run in the eighth, and Cobie Fletcher-Vance drove in another in the ninth with a sacrifice fly, but it wasn’t nearly enough for the Blue Wahoos.

The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Smokies on Tuesday.

by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos