Laskey Bears Down Against Former Team, Delivers Latest Wahoos' Win

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SL Pensacola Blue Wahoos

Laskey Bears Down Against Former Team, Delivers Latest Wahoos' Win

April 25, 2025 - Southern League (SL)
Pensacola Blue Wahoos News Release


Pensacola Blue Wahoos' Adam Laskey in action
Pensacola Blue Wahoos' Adam Laskey in action
(Pensacola Blue Wahoos)

Pensacola, Fla. - It didn't take long for pitcher Adam Laskey to feel the ice water again dumped on his head, after once again being the Blue Wahoos' latest star on the mound.

"Just as cold," he said, laughing.

In, reality, so far this season, nothing has chilled nor fazed his performance.

Laskey, 27, a former Duke University star lefthander, continued an eye-opening start to his season, earning his first win after working five strong innings in the Blue Wahoos' 4-2 victory Friday against the Knoxville Smokies before a capacity crowd of 5,038 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

The win gave Pensacola (14-5) a 3-1 lead in this series as it heads to the weekend. The players wore their Pensacola Pok-Ta-Pok uniforms in an alternate identity night - the first of three this season as part of Minor League Baseball's Copa La Diversión initiative to honor the game's origins.

Laskey's outing lowered his earned run average to 0.55 in four starts. This one was against the team he pitched for in 2023. The Chicago Cubs made him available in the Rule 5 Draft that year in December and the Miami Marlins chose him.

It was his first start against the Smokies, but he worked 6.2 innings in two relief appearances last season against them and didn't allow an earned run. His focus Friday didn't include thinking about his former organization.

"Honestly, just trying to stack good starts on top of each other," said Laskey, who has done that this season. "Obviously, a lot of good friends over there, but once you're on the mound, it's time to attack and pitch as well as you can."

When Laskey left, allowing one run on four hits, no walks, four strikeouts, the Blue Wahoos bullpen took over. That group has been as impressive in 19 games this season as the starters.

Relievers Josh White and Ricky DeVito each were credited with their second hold. Closer Lane Ramsey earned his first save by striking out all three Smokies batters in the ninth. His first strikeout pitch registered 97 mph. The last pitch to end the game was clocked at 99 mph.

After the Smokies took a 1-0 lead, Johnny Olmstead reversed that with one swing in the fourth inning. His two-run homer was a no-doubter over the left field wall that exited his bat at 108 mph.

The Blue Wahoos got two more runs in the fifth inning on Jake Thompson's RBI single and Nathan Martorella's sacrifice fly to score Thompson, who had a big night. The Blue Wahoos left fielder reached base all four times with three hits and a walk. He led a lineup where seven players registered a hit.

The game's most important sequence occurred in the eighth inning. The Smokies had scored a run and had runners on first and third with one out. DeVito made big pitches with a curveball to strike out Haydn McGeary, the Smokies' No. 3 batter, and got cleanup hitter B.J. Murray Jr. - the team's top slugger - to fly out to left.

The Blue Wahoos will have Dax Fulton on the mound Saturday to try to clinch the series against Knoxville on a Fireworks Saturday.

GAME NOTABLES

--- Prior to the game, the first 1,000 fans received a Blue Wahoos "Fanny Pack," courtesy of CPC Office Technologies. In addition, Florida Blue is the sponsor of all three Pensacola Pok-Ta-Pok Nights. This name refers to the first game played with a ball by indigenous communities in Pensacola.

--- There were more than a dozen groups in attendance Friday night to help fill the party decks.

--- The Blue Wahoos entered the game tied with the Frisco RoughRiders and Arkansas Travelers, both members of the Texas League, with the best record across three Double-A leagues. The Blue Wahoos entered with the lowest ERA (2.37) in Double-A.

WANT TO GO?

WHO: Knoxville Smokies vs. Blue Wahoos

WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium

WHEN: Saturday and Sunday.

GAME TIMES: Saturday's 6:05 p.m. Sunday's game starts at 1:05 p.m.

PROMOTIONS: Saturday is Fireworks Saturday, sponsored this time by Navy Federal and featuring a post-game display.

Sunday is Family Sunday with children ages 12-under able to run the bases following the game and families permitted to catch soft baseballs in the outfield for 30 minutes in promotion sponsored by WKRG-News 5. In addition, the first 100 retired or active military can receive a free standing room only ticket when visiting the stadium box office.

TV: The game on Saturday will be broadcast on BLAB-TV. Sunday's game will be available on YurView (Cox Communications subscribers only).

LIVESTREAM AUDIO: Listen to Blue Wahoos broadcast through www.bluewahoos.com/radio or the MILB App.

TICKETS: Available at www.bluewahoos.com or at the stadium box office which opens Saturday at 1 p.m.

Check out the Pensacola Blue Wahoos Statistics




Images from this story

Pensacola Blue Wahoos' Adam Laskey in action
Pensacola Blue Wahoos' Adam Laskey in action
   

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Southern League Stories from April 25, 2025


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