Trash Pandas Clinch Series Victory With 9-4 Win

The Rocket City Trash Pandas got a game-changing catch from outfielder Bryce Teodosio in the bottom of the third and rode the momentum to turn a deficit into a lead, eventually defeating the Birmingham Barons 9-4 on Friday night in front of 8,038 at Regions Field.

The win clinches a series victory for the Trash Pandas after winning four of the first five games of the seven-game series. Rocket City has now defeated Birmingham in all four series between the Alabama rivals during the 2023 season.

After two scoreless innings, the Barons broke through against Trash Pandas starter Robinson Pina in the bottom of the third with Terrell Tatum’s two-out RBI single, scoring Moises Castillo and putting runners on the corners. Bryan Ramos then crushed a fly ball to deep left center. Running at full speed from left field, Teodosio made a spectacular catch while crashing into the fence, holding onto the ball while falling to the ground to save two runs and end the inning with Rocket City only down one.

The Trash Pandas offense turned the game around in the fourth against Birmingham righty Matt Thompson (L, 4-12). A single and two walks loaded the bases with two outs. Mac McCroskey hit a ground ball to second. Looking to get the Barons through the inning unscathed, second baseman Jose Rodriguez fielded the grounder. But his throw to first was off the mark, allowing two runs to score and putting Rocket City ahead for the first time 2-1.

Pitching with the lead for the first time, Pina quickly set the Barons down in order in the fourth. With new reliever Yoelvin Silven in the game for the Barons in the fifth, the Trash Pandas broke through again.

Kyren Paris got the inning started with a single and promptly stole second for his team-leading 33^rd steal of the season. Three hitters later, Gabe Matthews hit a grounder to first with Paris on third. Breaking for the plate on contact, Paris slid home ahead of the throw by Barons first baseman Luis Mieses to give the Trash Pandas a 3-1 lead. Teodosio capped the inning’s scoring with a sharp two-out, two-run single to left, giving the Trash Pandas a 5-1 lead.

Pina cruised through the fifth and sixth to hold the four-run lead before the Trash Pandas broke the game open for good in the seventh with a two-out rally. Tucker Flint got the inning started with a single and stole second. Reliever Tommy Sommer struck out the next two hitters he faced. The third out wouldn’t come as easily. Jose Gomez blooped an RBI single just beyond the second base bag to score Flint. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases again, and McCroskey cashed in with a line drive two-run single to center for an 8-1 lead.

Pina issued his first walk of the night with two outs in the seventh before rebounding to end his start with a ground out from Castillo. In his longest outing of the season, Pina (W, 3-1) threw seven strong innings, allowing one run on four hits with one walk and eight strikeouts to earn his second consecutive victory.

Gomez added to the lead in the eighth with a sacrifice fly to score Paris, who began the inning with a walk.

Luke Murphy was first out of the Trash Pandas bullpen in the bottom of the eighth and was only able to record one out, allowing three hits to score a run, including a ground ball that deflected off his face after hitting his glove. Kenyon Yovan was next into the game and allowed two more RBI hits to Edgar Quero and Wilfred Veras, making it a 9-4 game after eight. Yovan finished the victory with a scoreless ninth.

Offensively, Gomez was the only Trash Panda to record more than one hit, going 2-for-4 with two RBI. Teodosio went 1-for-3 with two runs, two RBI, and two walks while Paris and Flint each went 1-for-3 with two runs and two walks.

The Trash Pandas (46-54, 15-16 second half) continue the series with the Barons (34-66, 9-22 second half) on Saturday night. First pitch at Regions Field is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio.