Trash Pandas Fall 5-1 To Barons On Thursday
The Rocket City Trash Pandas’ woes with runners on base continued Thursday night, suffering a 5-1 defeat to the Birmingham Barons in the third game of a six-game series at Toyota Field. Despite putting runners on base in all nine innings, the Trash Pandas were limited to one run by
The Rocket City Trash Pandas’ woes with runners on base continued Thursday night, suffering a 5-1 defeat to the Birmingham Barons in the third game of a six-game series at Toyota Field.
Despite putting runners on base in all nine innings, the Trash Pandas were limited to one run by four Barons pitchers, stranding 13 men on base while going 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position to suffer their fourth straight loss.
On the basepaths, Kyren Paris stole his way into history, swiping three bags to tie a Trash Pandas single game record. His steal of second in the bottom of the ninth was his 40th stolen base of the season, becoming the first player in Trash Pandas history to accomplish the feat.
Rocket City starter Victor Mederos began the game with a one, two, three top of the first. However in the second, the Barons were able to open the scoring. With runners on first and second and nobody out, Tim Elko hit a ground ball to third. Trash Pandas third baseman Jose Gomez fielded and stepped on third for the force out. But his throw to first in an attempt to complete the double play was off the mark for an error, allowing Alsander Womack to come home and score. An inning later, the Barons doubled the lead on an RBI single from Wilfred Veras.
Rocket City got on the board in the bottom of the fourth against Barons starter Jonathan Cannon. D’Shawn Knowles began the inning with a walk. An error put runners on the corners with two outs. Mac McCroskey cashed in with a line drive single to left-center, scoring Knowles from third. Birmingham then turned to reliever Garrett Schoenle. A walk to David Calabrese then loaded the bases. Cannon escaped by striking out Paris to hold the 2-1 lead.
Mederos (L, 4-9) was pulled after four innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits with one walk and two strikeouts to suffer the loss.
Birmingham doubled the advantage in the fifth off new reliever Houston Harding on an RBI single from Colson Montgomery and a sacrifice fly from Veras. Rocket City put two on in the bottom of the inning against Schoenle (W, 3-7), but he navigated through the jam to hold the lead. Jose Rodriguez drove in another run for the Barons in the sixth with a single to right, giving the visitors their biggest lead of the night at 5-1.
For the Trash Pandas, Harding allowed three runs over two relief innings with three walks and one strikeout. John Swanda was next into the game and pitched three scoreless relief innings, striking out four to keep the deficit at 5-1.
Birmingham reliever Yoelvin Silven entered in the sixth and pitched two scoreless innings. Adisyn Coffey finished the win with two clean innings of work.
For the Trash Pandas, Paris, Payne, and McCroskey each went 2-for-4 in the loss. Knowles scored the only run in a 1-for-4 performance while also recording his first Double-A stolen base.
The Trash Pandas (52-64, 21-26 second half) continue the series with the Barons (44-73, 19-29 second half) on Friday night. First pitch at Toyota Field 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 be broadcast locally on WAAY 31.6, This TV. Following the game, a stunning fireworks show will light up the sky above Toyota Field, presented by Bear Creek Collaborative.