Trash Pandas Bash Records In Historic 26-3 Win

In a remarkable offensive showing, the Rocket City Trash Pandas blasted off early and often for an incredible 26-3 victory over the Chattanooga Lookouts to clinch a series win on Sunday afternoon at AT&T Field.

From the first pitch to the last, Sunday’s matchup belonged to the visiting Trash Pandas. For the second straight game, the Trash Pandas established a new record for runs in a game, this time nearly doubling the 14 they posted in Saturday night’s win. The 23 hits are also a new record, with seven of the nine Rocket City starters posting a multi-hit game.

The onslaught at the plate began with the very first pitch as Luis Aviles Jr. took the opening offering from Mac Sceroler over the left field fence to begin the scoring. David MacKinnon drove home the second run with a double to right and Izzy Wilson plated MacKinnon with a single to right. Wilson used his legs to score a fourth run by stealing second and third before coming home on a wild pitch to put Rocket City up 4-0 in the first.

In the second, the Lookouts appeared to be out of the frame when Orlando Martinez lined out to left with a runner on base and two outs. However, catcher’s interference was called, letting Martinez reach first and continue the inning. MacKinnon made the error pay with a two-run single to right, and Wilson again plated MacKinnon with a single to right for a 7-1 Trash Pandas advantage.

Chattanooga got a pair of runs back in the bottom of the frame to make it 7-3. But the Trash Pandas put the game out of reach for good in the third.

With two outs and a runner on first, Aviles Jr. kept the inning alive with an RBI double into the right field corner. Martinez again nearly ended the inning by striking out on a ball in the dirt. But the ball got away from the Chattanooga catcher, allowing Martinez to get to first and Torii Hunter Jr. to score from third. Brendon Davis and MacKinnon kept the rally going by lacing back-to-back doubles to score three more runs. Wilson followed by connecting on a two-run homer to right-center, his team-leading 18th of the season. Mitch Nay and Ray-Patrick Didder capped the eight-run inning with back-to-back doubles of their own to make it 15-3 Trash Pandas.

Davis kept the rout going with a leadoff home run in the fifth for his sixth home run with Rocket City. Michael Cruz later recorded his first RBI of the game with a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch.

In the seventh, the Trash Pandas pushed five more runs including Aviles Jr.’s second home run of the day, a three-run shot to center, to break the 20-run barrier and give the Trash Pandas a 22-3 lead. Didder added to the attack with a two-run home run of his own in the eighth, his third homer of the season. Davis drove in the final run of the night with a single to center in the ninth to score Aviles Jr.

On the mound for the Trash Pandas, Aaron Hernandez got the start and allowed three earned runs on five hits with three walks and four strikeouts over 2.2 innings. Cristopher Molina (W, 2-1) was stellar in relief to earn the victory after throwing 5.1 scoreless innings with three hits against, two walks, and two strikeouts. Matthias Dietz finished the win with a clean ninth.

Individually, Wilson led the way with a double, home run, four RBI, and two stolen bases in a career-best 6-for-7 performance. Aviles Jr.’s third multi-home run game included his fourth leadoff home run in a 4-for-5 game with five RBI. Davis and MacKinnon each drove in four runs of their own and four Trash Pandas scored four times in the victory.

As a team, the Trash Pandas hit 10 doubles to break the previous high of five and the five home runs tied the mark set twice earlier this season, both times in Chattanooga on May 7 and June 27.

The Trash Pandas set numerous Double-A South/Southern League records in the win. The 26 runs are a new league record, breaking the previous mark of 25 set by Memphis against Nashville on August 1, 1993. Four players scoring four runs eclipsed the previous mark of three, accomplished most recently by the same Memphis squad on August 1, 1993. Fifteen extra base hits (10 doubles, five home runs), tops the old record of 13, most recently accomplished by Jackson against Mississippi on July 11, 2012. With six hits, Wilson tied the record and became the 15th player in league history to accomplish the feat.

The Trash Pandas (41-40) continue their road trip with a six-game series against the Tennessee Smokies beginning on Tuesday night. First pitch at Smokies Stadium is scheduled for 6 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio.