Trash Pandas Blast Past Smokies To Win Finale 11-2
The Rocket City Trash Pandas led from start to finish, getting a quality performance on the mound and timely run support at the plate, led by their newest player, to defeat the Tennessee Smokies 11-2 on Sunday afternoon at Toyota Field in the finale of the six-game series. The win
The Rocket City Trash Pandas led from start to finish, getting a quality performance on the mound and timely run support at the plate, led by their newest player, to defeat the Tennessee Smokies 11-2 on Sunday afternoon at Toyota Field in the finale of the six-game series.
The win gives the Trash Pandas a split of the series against their North Division rivals in their final trip to Toyota Field this season.
Making his third start of the season, Rocket City righty Robinson Pina got into and out of a jam in the first. Bradlee Beesley led off the game with a single for the Smokies but was quickly erased when Anthony Mulrine caught him stealing second to help Pina get through the first unscathed.
For the first time in the series, the Trash Pandas were the ones to open the scoring. With one out in the bottom of the first against Tennessee starter Manuel Espinoza (L, 1-1), Kyren Paris doubled off the right field wall for the first Trash Pandas hit. Nolan Schanuel followed with a ground ball single to right for his first Double-A hit, scoring Paris from second.
Tennessee got the run back in the third, loading the bases with one out and tying the game on Owen Caissie’s RBI fielder’s choice. Pina kept the score tied by picking Caissie off first to end the inning with the score tied.
Schanuel started the third with another single to right. He promptly stole second and advanced to third when catcher Casey Optiz’s throw sailed into center field. A wild pitch from Esinoza allowed Schanuel to come in with the go-ahead run.
Pitching with the lead again, Pina got a double play to get through fourth-inning trouble before a one, two, three fifth. The Trash Pandas loaded the bases with three walks in the bottom of the fifth. Sonny DiChiara added to the lead with a clutch two-run single to right, plating Paris and Jeremiah Jackson to put the Trash Pandas up 4-1 after five.
Pina finished his best outing with the Trash Pandas with an inning-ending double play in the sixth, returning to the Rocket City dugout for handshakes and hugs after a job well done. In six innings, Pina (W, 2-1) allowed one run on two hits with five walks and five strikeouts to earn his second victory of the season and first as a starter.
Kelvin Caceres was first out of the Rocket City bullpen in the seventh and pitched a scoreless frame to maintain the 4-1 edge. The Trash Pandas broke the game open for good in the bottom of the inning.
A hit batter and two walks loaded the bases with one out against Tennessee reliever Braylin Marquez. Hunter Bigge entered for Tennessee and struggled. The first batter Bigge faced, Anthony Mulrine, lined a single to center, scoring two runs for a 6-1 Rocket City edge. Two hitters later, Paris singled to load the bases with two outs. Schanuel then delivered the crushing blow with a line drive down the right field line for his first professional triple, scoring all three runs to make it 9-1. Jeremiah Jackson continued the inning’s scoring with an RBI double to left as Rocket City broke into double digits. David Calabrese capped the home team’s scoring with an RBI single to right in the bottom of the eighth.
Jake Lee fired a scoreless top of the eight and Kenyon Yovan gave up a run in the ninth but was able to finish the victory.
Offensively, the Trash Pandas took 11 walks and produced 12 hits in the win. All nine starters reached with either a hit or a walk. Schanuel led the way in his second Double-A game by going 3-for-4 with a triple, two walks, a stolen base, and four RBI. Paris went 3-for-4 with three runs while Flint took three walks in the victory.
The Trash Pandas (42-53, 11-15 second half) hit the road to begin a seven-game series against the Birmingham Barons on Tuesday night. First pitch at Regions Field is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio.
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition:
Southpaw Spring Breakout: White Sox future on display with Schultz, Smith
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is
In first pro game, Rainer offers pop, promise to Tigers fans
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
'Me and Brady on the dirt again': House, King reunite at Spring Breakout
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The 2025 Spring Breakout was a flashback for Brady House and Seaver King. Over 10 years ago, the infielders were travel ball teammates in Georgia who shared the dream of making it to the Major Leagues. Now, they are top prospects in the same organization,
Lambert -- 'an adrenaline guy' -- hoping to be next Mets bullpen gem
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Lambert loves throwing hard. He relishes the idea of getting to two strikes and blowing hitters away. “Get me in a game,” Lambert said, “cool things will happen.”
Stewart embraces Spring Breakout: 'What's not to love?'
PHOENIX -- Sal Stewart was one fired-up Reds prospect. On Sunday in the first inning during the organization's 9-7 Spring Breakout win over Brewers prospects, Stewart lifted a 2-2 pitch that sailed over the center fielder's head to the wall. Already not known as a speedster, he stumbled running between
Prospect Peña quietly drawing raves in Brewers' farm system
PHOENIX – Jesús Made was at the top of the Brewers’ lineup for Sunday’s 9-7 loss to the Reds in the finale of MLB’s four-day Spring Breakout, a fitting perch when you consider that the 17-year-old infielder is under a bright spotlight as MLB Pipeline’s No. 55 prospect. Made could
Brecht -- in 1st outing since '24 Draft -- wows at Spring Breakout
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Sunday's Spring Breakout showcase was the perfect unveiling for Rockies No. 5 prospect Brody Brecht. A right-handed pitcher from the University of Iowa whom the Rockies selected 38th overall last summer, Brecht had a nice collegiate resume, an interesting backstory as a former wide receiver for the
Braves prospects show promise in Spring Breakout
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- As Terry Pendleton prepared to serve as the manager of the Braves prospect team that played the Tigers prospect team in a Spring Breakout game on Sunday afternoon, he said fans should be patient with John Gil and Luis Guanipa, a pair of teenagers who have
Yanks' Lagrange flashes triple-digit heat in Spring Breakout
SARASOTA, Fla. -- There was an audible “Ooh” from the crowd at Ed Smith Stadium, and Carlos Lagrange quickly glanced beyond the right-field wall, checking the velocity of the pitch he’d just thrown in Saturday’s 5-4 Spring Breakout loss to the Orioles. It had registered in the triple digits, and
Bradfield dedicates Spring Breakout performance to late friend
SARASOTA, Fla. -- It was about more than playing in the national spotlight. More than the dinner bet placed with an old college teammate earlier in the month. More than a game. As Enrique Bradfield Jr. slid home to score a run during the first inning of Saturday night’s Spring
'Hungry' Alcántara hoping to pounce on big league prey in '25
MESA, Ariz. -- The thing about jaguars is, you don’t want to see one when it’s hungry. So when Cubs legend Sammy Sosa spoke to the organization’s No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline -- and the No. 89 prospect overall -- the former slugger gave him some apt advice. “His
Rainiers broadcaster Pay talks historic role on MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Prospect Santos 'electric' in Spring Breakout start
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Malcolm Moore knew Winston Santos was locked in before he even threw a pitch. In the second annual Spring Breakout game, Santos -- the Rangers’ No. 5 prospect, per MLB Pipeline -- was throwing to Moore, the Rangers’ No. 4 prospect and highest-ranked catcher. The battery more
Switch-pitcher Cijntje deals from both sides in Spring Breakout
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Jurrangelo Cijntje knew who’d be waiting for him in the batter’s box when he emerged from the visiting bullpen on Friday evening. The Mariners’ switch-pitcher had seen Guardians infielder Travis Bazzana recently at a card-signing event, to which they each joked, “I’m going to see you soon,”
Fans in this Minor League town are hungry for ... the Spicy Meatballs?!?
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Chandler adds mix to upper-90s heat in stellar Spring Breakout start
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- In the inaugural Spring Breakout game a year ago, as he was coming out to pitch the ninth inning, Bubba Chandler slammed a Red Bull and declared “let’s do this” before pumping upper-90s heat.