Rada Starts Fiesta In Rocket City

MADISON, AL – The Rocket City Trash Pandas (43-43, 10-8) collected their third walk-off win of the 2024 season with a 4-3 victory over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (49-37, 11-7) to head into the All-Star break.

Pensacola took advantage of a dropped fly ball from Trash Pandas outfielder Orlando Martinez which extended the first. That led to a two-run bomb from designated hitter Zach Zubia one batter later to put the Blue Wahoos ahead.

The Trash Pandas got a run back in the second as infielder Arol Vera recorded a sacrifice fly. Catcher Myles Emmerson gave the Trash Pandas the lead in the fourth with a bases-loaded single to drive home a pair of runs.

Trash Pandas starting pitcher Chase Chaney navigated through the first four innings of the game in his second start of the series as he allowed two unearned runs with five strikeouts.

Rocket City reliever Michael Darrell-Hicks struck out three batters in his lone inning of work during the fifth for what was his first appearance since July 1. Trash Pandas reliever Brett Kerry (W, 1-0) followed Hicks and tossed a perfect sixth inning before infielder Dalvy Rosario belted a solo homer to tie the game at three in the seventh.

With the game still tied in the bottom of the ninth, Rocket City had runners at the corners and two away when outfielder Nelson Rada laced the first pitch into shallow right field for the walk-off hit against Blue Wahoos stopper Raffi Vizcaíno (L, 4-3).

The hit was Rada’s third of the game as he reached base in all four of his at-bats. Emmerson ended with his first four-hit game as a Trash Panda and Kerry allowed just two hits during the final four innings of the game.

Rocket City will now get four days off due to the All-Star break before heading to Kodak for the final time to face the Tennessee Smokies in a three-game series. Josh Caray will have the call on Talk Radio WZZN 97.7-2 FM HD-2, WAAY 31.6 The Grio and streaming on MiLB.TV, the MLB App, and Bally Live!

Probable Starters: TBD (RCT) vs. TBD (TNS)