Trash Pandas Strike Back For 6-4 Victory

The Rocket City Trash Pandas came from behind to take the lead and the bullpen was sharp from there, defeating the Tennessee Smokies 6-4 on Sunday afternoon to earn a split of their six-game series in the finale in front of 3,829 at Smokies Stadium.

The Trash Pandas and Smokies matched each other stride for stride early in the game.

Rocket City threatened in the second with runners on first and third with one out. But Tennessee starter Javier Assad induced a double play from Jose Gomez to end the inning without a run scoring. In the bottom of the frame, Tennessee put a runner on second with two outs off Rocket City’s Ky Bush. On a Luis Vazquez single to left, Nelson Maldonado tried to score the game’s first run but was thrown out at the plate on a strong throw from Trash Pandas left fielder Aaron Whitefield to end the inning with the game still scoreless.

The Trash Pandas finally broke through in the top of the third as Braxton Martinez crushed a two-run homer to the berm in right-center for his third home run of the season and second in the series at Smokies Stadium.

Over the next two innings, Tennessee took a 4-2 lead as Cristopher Morel and Chase Strumpf each hit a two-run home run off Ky Bush to give the home team the advantage after four innings.

Bush ended his third Double-A start after 3.2 innings, giving up four earned runs on six hits with one walks and three strikeouts. Luke Murphy (W, 2-1) was the first Rocket City reliever into the game and kept the score at 4-2 with 1.1 scoreless frames.

With Tennessee starter Javier Assad out of the game to start the sixth, the Trash Pandas offense came to life against reliever Danis Correa (L, 0-1). Preston Palmeiro and Zach Humphreys led off with walks and Livan Soto reached on a bunt single to load the bases with nobody out. Rocket City got one run back on a double play ground out from Kevin Maitan. The next hitter, Jose Gomez, turned a deficit into the lead with one powerful swing, a two-run homer to left for his first Rocket City big fly, putting the Trash Pandas in front 5-4. That would prove to be the decisive swing of the afternoon.

GOMI GONE! Jose Gomez gives us the lead with a two-run blast! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/kYAcgmEHRV

— Rocket City Trash Pandas (@trashpandas) April 24, 2022

The Smokies threatened to re-tie the game in the bottom of the frame when Nelson Velazquez reached with a leadoff single off Kolton Ingram and advance to third on a throwing error by Ingram on a pickoff attempt. With the tying run 90 feet away and nobody out, Ingram induced a soft fly out from Nelson Maldonado, struck out Chase Strumpf, and got a ground out from Yonathan Perlaza to preserve the Trash Pandas’ lead.

Rocket City added to the lead in the seventh when Whitefield started the inning with a walk, stole second, advanced to third on an error, and scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-4.

Ingram maintained the lead with a scoreless bottom of the seventh and Luis Ledo did the same in the eighth.

Ledo (S, 2) returned to the mound in the ninth and again kept the Smokies off the board to finish the victory for Rocket City and earn his second save of the season.

At the plate, Whitefield was the spark at the top of the lineup, going 1-for-4 with two runs, a walk, and two stolen bases to increase his league-leading total to 11 steals for the season. In the heart of the order, Palmeiro and Humphreys each went 1-for-2 with a run scored and three walks in the victory.

Murphy earned his second win of the season out of the bullpen as the Rocket City relief trio of Murphy, Ingram, and Ledo combined to pitch 5.1 scoreless innings.

The Trash Pandas (9-6) are back home on Tuesday night to begin a 12-game homestand with the first of six games against the Birmingham Barons. First pitch at Toyota Field is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio.

For Tuesday night’s game at Toyota Field, 2,000 adults ages 18 and older will receive a limited-edition Trash Pandas golf towel, presented by The Medicine Shoppe and Huntsville Compounding Pharmacy. Tuesday is also Reeds Jewelers Ladies Night, with great prizes and drink specials available throughout the night.