Rocket City Back in Win Column

CHATTANOOGA, TN – Down 3-0 after the first five innings, the Rocket City Trash Pandas battled back for a 7-6 victory in 10 innings on Thursday night at AT&T Field. Rocket City won its first game of the series in the process after the Lookouts won the opening two games.

Chattanooga drove in the first run in the fourth with a double from outfielder Justice Thompson. That Lookouts run came after Rocket City starting pitcher Houston Harding stranded four runners on base through the first three innings.

The Lookouts added another run in the fifth with a two-run homer from infielder Nick Northcut. Northcut’s longball was his league-leading 25th on the season to make it a 3-0 Chattanooga lead.

Rocket City broke the shutout bid in the sixth on a sacrifice fly off the bat of infielder Ryan Nicholson who recorded his first Double-A RBI in his second start. Infielder Ben Gobbel added a second run later in the inning on a single to bring the Trash Pandas within one.

Harding ended his first Rocket City start in over a year with six hits and three earned runs in five innings while striking out seven.

The Trash Pandas collected a pair of bases-loaded walks in the seventh drawn by infielder Denzer Guzman and Nicholson to jump ahead. Catcher Tyler Payne extended the lead with a two-run single later in the inning as Rocket City moved in front 6-3.

Chattanooga knotted the game back up in the eighth on run-scoring singles from infielder Dominic Pitelli and Northcut. Northcut’s single plated two runs to tie the game at six. All three Lookout runs were charged against Trash Pandas reliever Luke Murphy (H, 4).

The Lookouts loaded the bases in the ninth but Trash Pandas stopper Camden Minacci (W, 2-2) left them stranded to send the game to extras.

Gobbel singled in the ghost runner in the tenth against Chattanooga reliever Owen Holt (L, 1-8) as the Trash Pandas jumped back in the lead. Trash Pandas closer Carlos Espinosa (S, 1) tossed a 1-2-3 bottom of the tenth for his first Double-A save.

Rocket City’s offense saw three players drive in two runs as Nicholson, Payne and Gobbel accounted for all but one Trash Pandas run in the victory. Guzman drove in the other run as he doubled for the second straight game. Guzman and outfielder Orlando Martinez each had two hits in the game.

Northcut kept the Lookouts in the game with a 2-for-6 night with a home run and four RBI in the loss. Outfielder Quincy McAfee also finished with a 4-for-5 game.

Rocket City will aim for two straight wins against the Lookouts on Friday. First pitch is set for 6:15 p.m. CT.. 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: Chase Chaney (RCT) vs. Carson Rudd (CHA)