Rocket City Rallies For 5-3 Win Over Tennessee

The Rocket City Trash Pandas battled on the mound to keep the game close, then stormed back in the bottom of the seventh to defeat the Tennessee Smokies 5-3 on Thursday night at Toyota Field.

Down 3-2 at the seventh inning stretch, the Trash Pandas began the comeback. Tyler Payne walked, Mariano Ricciardi was hit by a pitch, and Kyren Paris walked to load the bases with one out against Smokies reliever Braylin Marquez (L, 0-1). Jeremiah Jackson then laced a single to center, plating Payne and Ricciardi to put the Trash Pandas in front 4-3. Sonny DiChiara later took a bases-loaded walk, extending the lead to 5-3, the first time the Trash Pandas have led in the series to date.

Kelvin Caceres (W, 1) returned to the mound in the eighth and struck out three to work around a leadoff double. In the ninth, Nick Jones (S, 1) induced a game-ending double play from pinch-hitter BJ Murray to finish the win, snapping the Trash Pandas’ four-game winning streak.

The game began in an inauspicious fashion for the home team as for the third straight night, the visiting Smokies wasted little time in opening the scoring. Pete Crow-Armstrong began the game with a walk and quickly stole second against Trash Pandas starter Victor Mederos. Levi Jordan was then hit by a pitch. A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third. Bradlee Beesley put the visitors ahead with a two-run single to center. Two hitters later, Cole Roederer’s RBI single plated Beesley to give the Smokies a 3-0 lead in their first turn at the plate.

Rocket City quickly responded against Tennessee starter Chris Kachmar. Walks to David Calabrese, Paris, and Jackson loaded the bases with nobody out. Tucker Flint dunked an RBI single to center to score Calabrese and get the Trash Pandas on the board. DiChiara followed with a fielder’s choice ground ball, plating Paris to make it a one-run game after one inning.

Rocket City threatened to get even in the fourth. Infield singles from Jose Gomez and Bryce Teodosio along with Payne being hit by a pitch loaded the bases with nobody out. Tennessee reliever Joe Nahas escaped the jam by inducing a ground ball double play from Ricciardi and a ground out from Calabrese to end the inning with the 3-2 lead intact.

Mederos settled down after the rocky first to keep the Smokies at bay for the rest of his outing. He notched a pair of strikeouts in the third, got an inning ending double play in the fourth, and worked around a single from Crow-Armstrong to pitch a scoreless fifth.

In the sixth, Mederos quickly struck out the first two hitters he faced. The third out wouldn’t come as easily. Two walks and a single loaded the bases as Tennessee looked to pull away. Manager Andy Schatzley let Mederos stay in to face Andy Weber and try and get out of the jam. On Mederos’ 104^th pitch of the night, Weber lifted a deep fly ball to left. With his back against the left field fence, Teodosio made the catch to end the inning, and Mederos’ start.

In six innings, the Trash Pandas starter allowed three runs on four hits with five walks and eight strikeouts to keep the Trash Pandas in the game. Caceres was first out of the bullpen and pitched a scoreless seventh, setting the stage for the Rocket City comeback.

Offensively, Jackson’s two-run single was the difference while DiChiara also drove in a pair of runs in the victory. Paris scored twice while stealing his team-leading 27^th base of the season.

The Trash Pandas (40-52, 9-14 second half) continue the series with the Smokies (53-39, 17-7 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 televised locally on WAAY 31.6, This TV.

Upon entry to Friday’s game, 5,000 fans will receive a Trash Pandas Blast Off rally towel, presented by WOW! Following the game, a stunning fireworks show will light up the sky above Toyota Field, also presented by WOW!