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Early Runs Propel Trash Pandas Past Smokies 9-2

Nay, Wilson homer in victory in Tennessee
David MacKinnon and Izzy Wilson each had a big night at the plate in Saturday's win. (Tennessee Smokies)
By Aaron Cheris
July 3, 2021

The Rocket City Trash Pandas got off to a fast start at the plate and never looked back in a 9-2 win over the Tennessee Smokies in front of a crowd of 6,907 at Smokies Stadium on Saturday night. Rocket City wasted no time in striking first. Orlando Martinez and

The Rocket City Trash Pandas got off to a fast start at the plate and never looked back in a 9-2 win over the Tennessee Smokies in front of a crowd of 6,907 at Smokies Stadium on Saturday night.

Rocket City wasted no time in striking first. Orlando Martinez and Luis Aviles Jr. reached with one-out singles in the top of the first. David MacKinnon drove them both home with a double to left to put the Trash Pandas in front. Izzy Wilson followed with a walk to put runners on first and second. Mitch Nay then crushed a towering three-run blast down the left field line for his team-leading 13th home run of the season and a 5-0 Rocket City advantage.

Pitching with a big lead, Trash Pandas starter Cooper Criswell kept the game out of reach for the duration of his outing. He held the Smokies hitless until the fourth inning, when back-to-back singles put runners on the corners with one out. But Criswell responded by striking out Brennen Davis and inducing a pop up from Andy Weber to keep Tennessee off the board.

In the fifth, MacKinnon doubled off the base of the center field wall for his third double of the night. Wilson followed with a long two-run home run to right, his 12th of the season, to increase the score to 7-0.

Criswell (W, 6-3) limited the Smokies to one run in the sixth, and that would be all he gave up. Over 6.0 innings, he allowed just the one run on five hits while walking none and striking out nine to earn the win. The victory is his fourth in a row and league-leading sixth of the season. For the year, he now has issued only six walks and struck out 72 over 58.2 innings.

In relief of Criswell, Nathan Bates pitched a scoreless seventh and Connor Higgins conceded a run in the eighth.

Rocket City added two runs in the ninth as Michael Cruz came home on an error and Aviles Jr. drove in Torii Hunter Jr. with a single to restore the seven-run lead at 9-2.

Higgins returned to the mound and pitched a scoreless ninth to finish the win to put the Trash Pandas back at .500 with a 26-26 record.

MacKinnon went 3-for-5 with three doubles, two RBI, and two runs scored to lead the way for the Trash Pandas while Nay’s three-run homer tied him for the league lead with 13. Wilson also scored a pair of runs while going 1-for-2 with two RBI and two walks.

The Trash Pandas (26-26) and Smokies (20-31) conclude their six-game series with an Independence Day showdown on Sunday night. First pitch at Smokies Stadium is set for 6 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio.

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