Trash Pandas Winning Streak Snapped With 6-2 Loss
KODAK, Tennessee – The Rocket City Trash Pandas were held off the board at the plate for most of the night, and a late surge wasn’t enough in a 6-2 loss to the Tennessee Smokies, snapping a seven-game winning streak in the fourth game of their six-game series at Smokies
KODAK, Tennessee – The Rocket City Trash Pandas were held off the board at the plate for most of the night, and a late surge wasn’t enough in a 6-2 loss to the Tennessee Smokies, snapping a seven-game winning streak in the fourth game of their six-game series at Smokies Stadium on Friday night.
The Trash Pandas threatened right at the start, with Livan Soto reaching on a single, Logan O’Hoppe taking a walk, and Sonny DiChiara singling to left to load the bases with one out. But Tennessee starter Walker Powell got through the opening inning without further damage by getting Jeremiah Jackson to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Making his second Double-A start and first since returning from the injured list, Trash Pandas righty Landon Marceaux pitched a scoreless first. The Smokies then loaded the bases in the bottom of the second, and they took advantage. Bryce Windham was hit by a pitch to score the first run of the night. Cole Roerder’s ground out to first plated a second run, and Delvin Zinn’s double to left scored two more to put Tennessee up 4-0 after two.
That would be all against Marceaux. Over three innings, he (L, 0-1) gave up four runs on five hits with one walk and two strikeouts to suffer his first Double-A loss. Glenn Albanese was first out of the Rocket City bullpen and gave up a run in the fifth on Jake Slaughter’s RBI single, extending the Tennessee lead to 5-0.
Following their first inning threat, the Trash Pandas could do little against Powell (W, 4-2), who threw six scoreless innings, allowing three hits and three walks and five strikeouts to earn the win.
Albanese threw a scoreless fifth to bring an end to his second Double-A outing after two innings and one run against with three strikeouts. Jack Dashwood was next out of the bullpen in the sixth and Cole Roederer’s solo home run quickly made it a 6-0 game.
In the eighth, the Trash Pandas offense finally broke through. Gustavo Camepro began the frame with a walk and Aaron Whitefield signed to put two on with nobody out. Soto cashed in with an RBI single to center, scoring Campero with his first career Double-A run. A sacrifice fly from Logan O’Hoppe plated Whitefield to make it 6-2 before reliever Dalton Stambaugh got through the inning. In the ninth, Eduarniel Nunez retired the Trash Pandas in order to finish the win for Tennessee.
Soto led the way offensively for Rocket City, going 3-for-4 with an RBI while O’Hoppe was 0-for-1 with two walks and an RBI and DiChiara went 1-for-3 with a walk. In his third Double-A game, Campero went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.
The Trash Pandas (69-49, 28-21 second half) continue their series with the Smokies (62-56, 25-24 second half) on Saturday 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.