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 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.