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 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.