Trash Pandas Hang On For 7-6 Win Over Barons

Following a rough start to the second half on Wednesday night, the Rocket City Trash Pandas rebounded with a 7-6 win over the Birmingham Barons on Thursday night at Regions Field.

With Wednesday’s 18-4 loss behind them, the Trash Pandas came to play early on Thursday. In the top of the second, Sonny DiChiara reached on an error. With two outs, Bryce Teodosio kept the inning alive with a walk and a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third. In his first start with the Trash Pandas, Mariano Ricciardi drove in the first runs of the game with a sharp single to left, giving the visitors the early 2-0 lead.

An inning later, Kyren Paris and Jeremiah Jackson walked before Gabe Matthews was hit by a pitch to load the bases. DiChiara kept the rally going by lacing a double down the left field line, scoring two more to double the Trash Pandas’ lead to 4-0 against Barons starter Brooks Gosswein (L, 0-2).

The four runs proved plenty of early support for Rocket City starter Robinson Pina. Making the spot start, Pina pitched four scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and one walk to face two over the minimum, striking out four in his first start of the year.

Rocket City continued to extend the lead in the fifth against Barons relievers Jeremiah Burke and Jonah Scolaro. Matthews singled, while DiChiara and Tucker Flint walked to load the bases. Bryce Teodosio laced a single to center to score Matthews with the fifth Rocket City run. Two hitters later, David Calabrese singled to right, plating two more for a 7-0 Trash Pandas lead.

Ivan Armstrong was first out of the Trash Pandas bullpen in the fifth and allowed a pair of runs to cut the lead to 7-2. Nick Jones was next in for the Trash Pandas and pitched a scoreless sixth. Jose Rodriguez pulled the Barons within three in the bottom of the seventh with a two-run homer off Jones, his tenth of the season to make it 7-4.

Kelvin Caceres (W, 1-0) maintained the three-run lead with a scoreless bottom of the eighth. Kenyon Yovan (S, 1) struggled in the ninth, allowing two runs before striking out Bryan Ramos and Chris Shaw to finish the 7-6 win and earn his team-leading seventh save of the year.

Offensively, Ricciardi went 2-for-4 with two RBI from the bottom of the lineup while DiChiara and Calabrese each drove in a pair in the victory.

The Trash Pandas (32-39, 1-1 second half) continue their series against the Barons (26-45, 1-1 second half) on Friday night. First pitch at Regions Field is set for 7:05 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio.