Trash Pandas Offense Explodes For 16-7 Victory

The Rocket City Trash Pandas scored early and often, setting a new season-high in runs with a 16-7 blowout victory over the Tennessee Smokies in the opener of a six-game series at Smokies Stadium on Tuesday night.

The Smokies began the scoring in the bottom of the first, with Yonathan Perlaza’s double into right plating Zach Davis for the first run of the night off Rocket City starter Coleman Crow. That would remain the score until the third, when Preston Palmeiro was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to even the score. Tennessee looked to restore the lead in the bottom of the inning, putting runners on first and second with two outs. Then, Crow froze Bryce Ball with an off-speed pitch for strike three to end the inning. Ball was ejected for arguing the strike call, with Tennessee Manager Michael Ryan also tossed following strike three.

The Trash Pandas took the lead for the first time in the fourth, with Kevin Matian crushing a 435-foot solo home run to right-center for his sixth big fly of the season and a 2-1 advantage on the fourth pitch of the inning. Later in the inning, Logan O’Hoppe lined on a two-run double to the gap in left-center, making it a 4-1 game in the fourth. Tennessee got a couple back in the bottom of the inning on Chase Strumpf’s two-run homer, his 19th of the season to make it a one-run game at 4-3.

The fifth began in similar fashion to the fourth, with Jeremiah Jackson leading off with a home run on the first pitch, his 12th of the season. Maitan followed with a single and Jordyn Adams doubled to put two on. Livan Soto’s ground ball to first was misplayed for an error, allowing Maitan and Adams to score. Ryan Aguilar capped the inning’s scoring with a triple to deep center, plating Soto for an 8-3 lead.

Again, the Smokies responded in the bottom of the inning against Crow. Following an error that allowed Davis to score, Nelson Maldonado hit a three-run homer to left, again making it a one-run game at 8-7 and ending Crow’s night. Over 4.1 innings, Crow allowed seven runs on seven hits including two home runs, walking two and striking out six in a no-decision.

Jack Dashwood was first out of the bullpen and finished the fifth without further damage to maintain the 8-7 lead.

From there, the Trash Pandas added on to put the game out of reach. Maitan grounded a two-run single through the right side of the infield single in the sixth for a 10-7 lead. In the seventh, Zach Neto cashed in after back-to-back walks by lining a two-run double to the gap in left field before coming home to score himself on Preston Palmeiro’s RBI single to right, giving the Trash Pandas their biggest lead of the night at 13-7.

Pitching with the lead, Dashwood got through the sixth unscathed. Knoxville native Ben Joyce struck out one in a scoreless seventh in his first professional outing in his hometown. Nick Jones retired the Smokies one, two, three in the eighth.

In the ninth, two errors and a single loaded the bases. Palmeiro’s RBI ground out, a sacrifice fly from Jackson, and a wild pitch scored the final three runs of the night, giving the Trash Pandas a 16-7 lead. Jones finished the game with another one, two, three inning in the bottom half.

All nine Trash Pandas starters reached base and scored a run, with eight of the nine starters reaching base at least two times. The Trash Pandas scored three or more runs in five different innings in the rout. Jackson led the way by going 4-for-5 with two runs scored, a home run, and two RBI while falling a triple shy of the cycle. Maitan went 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs, and three RBI while Palmeiro drove in three and Neto went 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs.

The Rocket City bullpen trio of Dashwood (W, 1-1), Joyce, and Jones combined to pitch 4.2 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and walking just one while striking out five to finish the win. Dashwood earned his first Double-A win with 1.2 scoreless frames. Defensively, the Smokies made six errors in the loss, with shortstop Andy Weber committing three.

The Trash Pandas (67-48, 26-20 second half) continue their series with the Smokies (61-54, 24-22 second half) on Wednesday night. First pitch at Smokies Stadium is set for 6:15 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio.