Trash Pandas Complete Sweep Of Barons With 4-1 Win
Aaron Whitefield hit a pair of solo home runs and the Rocket City Trash Pandas got another brilliant performance from the pitching staff to defeat the Birmingham Barons 4-1 on Sunday afternoon, finishing a three-game sweep of their in-state rivals to start the 2022 season. The sweep is the first
Aaron Whitefield hit a pair of solo home runs and the Rocket City Trash Pandas got another brilliant performance from the pitching staff to defeat the Birmingham Barons 4-1 on Sunday afternoon, finishing a three-game sweep of their in-state rivals to start the 2022 season.
The sweep is the first in Trash Pandas history, and Rocket City will return to Toyota Field for the home opener on Tuesday night with a perfect 3-0 record.
In the second, the Barons threatened to put a big inning together off Rocket City starter Chase Silseth as the bases were loaded with nobody out. Xavier Fernandez grounded out to first to plate Yoelqui Cespedes with the first run of the game and move runners to second and third with one out. Silseth limited the damage to one run by striking out Luis Curbello and getting a ground out from JJ Muno to end the frame.
An inning later, Ryan Aguilar led off with a double, advanced to third on a ground out from Bryce Teodosio, and came home to score the tying run on Whitefield’s ground out off Birmingham starter Jason Bilous. Livan Soto then hit a comebacker to Bilous, whose wild throw resulted in an error to extend the inning. Braxton Martinez followed with a double into the gap in right-center, scoring Soto with the go-ahead run for Rocket City.
In the bottom of the inning, the Barons again loaded the bases off Silseth, this time with two hit-by-pitches and a walk. But with a chance to tie the game, Tyler Neslony grounded out to third baseman Preston Palmeiro, keeping Rocket City in front 2-1.
Silseth ended his start with a pair of strikeouts in the fourth to work around a leadoff single. In his third career Double-A start, all against the Barons at Regions Field, Silseth gave up one run on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts over 4.0 innings.
Whitefield led off the fifth with a powerful solo home run over the Trash Pandas bullpen to left to double the visitors’ lead to 3-1.
Pitching with a two-run lead, the Rocket City relief corps were masterful. Luke Murphy (W, 1-0) was first out of the bullpen and pitched a clean fifth in his Double-A debut. Also in his Double-A debut, Ivan Armstrong pitched a scoreless sixth with a couple strikeouts.
Sean McLaughlin was next into the game for Rocket City and set down the Barons in order in the seventh. Birmingham put the tying runs on second and third with two outs in the eighth, but McLaughlin struck out Luis Curbello to strand the runners and maintain the 3-1 lead.
Whitefield added a big insurance run in the ninth with a 418-foot home run to left field for his second big fly of the game, giving the Trash Pandas a 4-1 lead that would prove to be the final.
Kolton Ingram (S, 1) earned the Trash Pandas’ first save season with a clean ninth, including a game-ending pickoff of Yolbert Sanchez at first base. Murphy was credited with the win for his work in the fifth inning.
Whitefiled paced the offense from the top of the lineup with his first two home runs of the season and three RBI while Martinez and Trey Cabbage each added a pair of hits in the win. Catcher Zach Humphreys drew a season-high three walks.
Over the three-game series sweep, Rocket City outscored Birmingham 15-5, with the Trash Pandas pitchers posting a stellar 1.67 ERA (5 ER/27.0 IP).
The Trash Pandas (3-0) return home for Opening Night at Toyota Field on Tuesday night, April 12. First pitch against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (0-3) is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio. The game will also be televised locally on WAAY-31.6, This TV.
Minor League Baseball partners with Circle K
Minor League Baseball announced a new national partnership with Circle K, which will see the convenience store giant become the “Official Convenience Store of Minor League Baseball.” During the 2025 season, the Circle K brand will be integrated into the MiLB in-stadium experience through in-game video board assets at most
These 15 moments led to season No. 15 of Minor League road trips
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast crew makes Opening Day predictions
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Everything you need to know for Triple-A Opening Day
First, there was big league Opening Day. Now it's Triple-A's turn to take the spotlight. The Minor League season opens Friday when the Triple-A International League and Pacific Coast League seasons get underway for the first of MiLB’s two Opening Days. And right out of the gates, several of baseball's
Top prospects to watch at Triple-A -- one for each organization
It’s Triple-A’s turn up to bat on Friday. The regular season begins for the Minor Leagues’ highest level one day after the action starts on the Major League side. Fun fact: it’ll be the earliest start to a Minor League season since 1951 (March 27). Double-A, High-A and Single-A will
Here's where every Top 100 prospect is expected to start the season
The 2025 Opening Day prospect roster announcements began last week when the Cubs informed Matt Shaw (MLB No. 19) he was making the trip overseas to compete in the Tokyo Series. Roki Sasaki (No. 1) also received the good news, but his assignment was much less of a surprise. Now
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition:
Southpaw Spring Breakout: White Sox future on display with Schultz, Smith
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is
In first pro game, Rainer offers pop, promise to Tigers fans
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
'Me and Brady on the dirt again': House, King reunite at Spring Breakout
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The 2025 Spring Breakout was a flashback for Brady House and Seaver King. Over 10 years ago, the infielders were travel ball teammates in Georgia who shared the dream of making it to the Major Leagues. Now, they are top prospects in the same organization,
Lambert -- 'an adrenaline guy' -- hoping to be next Mets bullpen gem
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Lambert loves throwing hard. He relishes the idea of getting to two strikes and blowing hitters away. “Get me in a game,” Lambert said, “cool things will happen.”
Stewart embraces Spring Breakout: 'What's not to love?'
PHOENIX -- Sal Stewart was one fired-up Reds prospect. On Sunday in the first inning during the organization's 9-7 Spring Breakout win over Brewers prospects, Stewart lifted a 2-2 pitch that sailed over the center fielder's head to the wall. Already not known as a speedster, he stumbled running between
Prospect Peña quietly drawing raves in Brewers' farm system
PHOENIX – Jesús Made was at the top of the Brewers’ lineup for Sunday’s 9-7 loss to the Reds in the finale of MLB’s four-day Spring Breakout, a fitting perch when you consider that the 17-year-old infielder is under a bright spotlight as MLB Pipeline’s No. 55 prospect. Made could
Brecht -- in 1st outing since '24 Draft -- wows at Spring Breakout
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Sunday's Spring Breakout showcase was the perfect unveiling for Rockies No. 5 prospect Brody Brecht. A right-handed pitcher from the University of Iowa whom the Rockies selected 38th overall last summer, Brecht had a nice collegiate resume, an interesting backstory as a former wide receiver for the
Braves prospects show promise in Spring Breakout
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- As Terry Pendleton prepared to serve as the manager of the Braves prospect team that played the Tigers prospect team in a Spring Breakout game on Sunday afternoon, he said fans should be patient with John Gil and Luis Guanipa, a pair of teenagers who have
Yanks' Lagrange flashes triple-digit heat in Spring Breakout
SARASOTA, Fla. -- There was an audible “Ooh” from the crowd at Ed Smith Stadium, and Carlos Lagrange quickly glanced beyond the right-field wall, checking the velocity of the pitch he’d just thrown in Saturday’s 5-4 Spring Breakout loss to the Orioles. It had registered in the triple digits, and
Bradfield dedicates Spring Breakout performance to late friend
SARASOTA, Fla. -- It was about more than playing in the national spotlight. More than the dinner bet placed with an old college teammate earlier in the month. More than a game. As Enrique Bradfield Jr. slid home to score a run during the first inning of Saturday night’s Spring