Trash Pandas Survive Slugfest With 10-9 Win
In a wild, back-and-forth affair that saw the lead change multiple times, the Rocket City Trash Pandas emerged victorious with their second straight one-run win, 10-9 over the Tennessee Smokies in game two of their six-game series on Wednesday night at Smokies Stadium. With the score tied 9-9 in the
In a wild, back-and-forth affair that saw the lead change multiple times, the Rocket City Trash Pandas emerged victorious with their second straight one-run win, 10-9 over the Tennessee Smokies in game two of their six-game series on Wednesday night at Smokies Stadium.
With the score tied 9-9 in the eighth, Mitch Nay reached second base on a throwing error by Tennessee third baseman Grayson Byrd. David MacKinnon followed with a single up the middle, scoring Nay with the go-ahead run.
From there, Rocket City reliever Boomer Biegalski (W, 2-1) worked around a two-out double in the bottom of the frame to hold the Trash Pandas lead. In the bottom of the ninth, Connor Higgins (S, 4) allowed a leadoff single but retired the next three hitters to finish the thrilling win for the Trash Pandas.
The game began as well as it ended for Rocket City as the visitors put four runs across in the top of the second on an RBI infield single from Torii Hunter Jr., a bases-loaded walk from Orlando Martinez, and a two-run double from Nay.
Tennessee responded with three runs off Trash Pandas starter Denny Brady to make it a one-run game. Over 3.2 innings, Brady gave up three earned runs on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts in a no-decision.
The Trash Pandas extended the lead in the top of the fifth behind a two-run home run to right-center from Ibandel Isabel, his fourth of the season, before another infield single from Hunter Jr. plated Izzy Wilson with the seventh Trash Pandas run.
However, the Rocket City lead quickly vanished in the bottom of the frame as the Smokies rallied for six runs, capped by a grand slam home run from D.J. Artis to put Tennessee ahead 9-7 after five.
Nay’s ground out scored Ray-Patrick Didder to get one of the runs back for Rocket City in the sixth and Anthony Mulrine tied the game 9-9 with a double to deep center field in the top of the seventh.
That set the stage for the two-out Rocket City rally to plate the winning run in the top of the eighth.
Biegalski was strong in long relief, giving up just one earned run on two hits over 4.0 innings to earn the win. Higgins pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his team-leading fourth save of the season.
At the plate, all nine Trash Pandas hitters recorded at least one hit while eight scored a run in the win. Martinez, Mulrine, and Hunter each recorded two hits while Nay drove in three runs for the Trash Pandas.
The Trash Pandas (15-16) continue their series with the Smokies (10-20) on Thursday 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.