Trash Pandas Erase Seven-Run Deficit in 9-8 Win 

The Rocket City Trash Pandas stormed back to take the lead with one massive swing in the eighth inning, earning a thrilling 9-8 win over the Birmingham Barons on Sunday night in the fifth game of their six-game series at Regions Field.

After having already cut an 8-1 deficit down to three at 8-5, the Trash Pandas turned the game around for good with a two-out rally in the top of the eighth against Barons reliever Ben Holmes (L, 2-3). Jose Gomez took a walk and Mariano Ricciardi reached on an error to put runners at the corners. A passed ball scored Gomez and moved Ricciardi to second. David Calabrese fought back from an 0-2 count to take a walk. Kyren Paris then delivered the decisive swing, a towering three-run shot to left field with an exit velocity of 109 miles per hour to put the Trash Pandas ahead 9-8.

THAT KID KP IS SPECIAL. @kyren_paris WITH A THREE-RUN ROCKET FOR THE LEAD! pic.twitter.com/t8r7bvtki4

— Rocket City Trash Pandas (@trashpandas) July 3, 2023

Nathan Burns was next out of the Trash Pandas bullpen and needed just seven pitches to set the Barons down in order in the eighth. In the ninth, Kenyon Yovan (S, 8) shut the Barons down one, two, three on 10 pitches to finish the incredible win and earn his eighth save of the season.

Although the Trash Pandas scored first, the night didn’t begin as well as it ended for the visitors.

Rocket City opened the scoring in the first when Paris singled, stole second, advanced to third on a balk by Barons starter Cristian Mena, and scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Edgar Quero.

The lead wouldn’t last long for Rocket City. Trash Pandas starter John Swanda was erratic to start, with the first four Birmingham hitters reaching with either a hit batter or a walk to tie the game at one. After striking out Luis Mieses to keep the bases loaded, Swanda allowed a two-run single to Yoelqui Cespedes that put the Barons up 3-1. Chris Shaw kept the runs coming with an RBI double, and then Xavier Fernandez reached on a throwing error by Swanda, allowing Shaw to score and make it a 5-1 game in the first.

Swanda was removed after getting just two outs, allowing five runs, four earned, on four hits with two walks and one strikeout. Alan Carter was first out of the Rocket City bullpen and allowed three runs in the third, with a pair coming on Shaw’s two-run single before Moises Castillo’s RBI single made it an 8-1 game after two.

Rocket City began the comeback attempt in the fourth. Jeremiah Jackson reached with a one-out walk. Sonny DiChiara kept the inning alive with a two-out single. Tucker Flint knocked them both home with a two-run double off the left field wall to make it 8-3. Gomez followed with a single to center to make it 8-4. Mena wouldn’t get through the fourth, allowing four runs on six hits over 3.2 innings.

Rocket City got a little closer in the fifth, with Paris starting the inning with a single and coming all the way home on Orlando Martinez’s two-out RBI double off the left field wall to cut the deficit to three.

Houston Harding entered from the Rocket City bullpen in the fourth and pitched two scoreless innings with five strikeouts to maintain the deficit. Nick Jones (W, 1-0) was next into the game and did the same with two clean frames to keep the deficit at three. He would earn the win thanks to the eighth inning outburst.

Paris was the star for the Trash Pandas, tying a career-high with four hits including a double and a home run in a 4-for-5 performance with three runs scored. Flint and Gomez each recorded a pair of hits while all nine Trash Pandas starters reached base at least once in the win.

The Trash Pandas (34-40, 3-2 second half) conclude their series against the Barons (27-47, 2-3 second half) on Monday night. First pitch at Regions Field is set for 6:05 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio.