Trash Pandas Walk Off With Wild 11-10 Win

Down to their last three outs, the Rocket City Trash Pandas stormed back to defeat the Birmingham Barons 11-10 on Tucker Flint’s walk-off double, clinching a series victory over their North Division rivals on Sunday afternoon at Toyota Field.

Trailing 10-9, the Trash Pandas sent the top of their lineup to the plate against former Angels pitcher Nash Walters (L, 0-2) in the bottom of the ninth. Orlando Martinez began the frame with a towering game-tying solo home run, his seventh of the season, onto the Inline Electric Rock Porch in right field, sending the crowd at Toyota Field into a frenzy. Quero followed with a single and was replaced with pinch-runner Aaron Whitefield. Two hitters later, Flint laced a 1-2 pitch to the wall in left, allowing Whitefield to come all the way home with the winning run.

The win puts the Trash Pandas back above .500 at 20-19 and gives them a series victory, winning four of six, including the last three, over the Barons.

The game didn’t begin as well as it ended for Rocket City. Birmingham wasted little time in jumping out to an early lead in the second with an RBI fielder’s choice from Taylor Snyder. The Barons added three more in the second on a solo homer from Jose Rodriguez and a two-run blast from Alsander Womack for a 4-0 lead off Trash Pandas starter Victor Mederos.

Rocket City responded in the bottom of the third. David Calabrese got it started with a solo home run 399 feet to right-center, his fourth of the season to get the home team on the board. Three hitters later, Kyren Paris laced an RBI double into the left field corner to score Martinez and make it 4-2. Flint followed with a ground ball through the right side of the infield for a single, plating two more runs to even the score 4-4. The rally continued with Jeremiah Jackson’s RBI double off the left field wall to bring Flint home and put Rocket City ahead. Jackson then stole third and came home on a sacrifice fly from Ryan Aguilar, giving the Trash Pandas a 6-4 lead after three.

The Barons came right back to tie it at six with two runs in the fifth against new Trash Pandas reliever Kelvin Caceres in his Double-A debut. In the sixth against Eric Torres, the Barons restored their lead, loading the bases with two singles and a hit batter before Rodriguez hit his second home run of the day, a grand slam to left to put the Barons up 10-6.

Rocket City again responded in the bottom of the frame. Paris reached with a one-out single, stole second for his team-leading 13^th stolen base of the season. Flint walked to put two on with two out. Aguilar got one run back with an RBI single to right to score Paris. Jose Gomez cut the deficit to one with a two-run double down the left field line to make it 10-9.

From there, the Trash Pandas bullpen shut the door. Ben Joyce entered in the top of the sixth and pitched two scoreless innings, striking out three. José Soriano pitched a scoreless eighth and Kenyon Yovan (W, 2-1) did the same in the ninth with a little help from a leaping catch at the wall by Calabrese, setting up the late heroics from the offense.

Flint led the way for Rocket City by going 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI including the Trash Pandas’ first walk-off hit of the season. Paris went 3-for-5 with two runs and a stolen base while Gomez and Martinez each recorded a pair of hits.

The Trash Pandas (20-19) continue their homestand on Tuesday night against the Chattanooga Lookouts (19-19). First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. at Toyota Field. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio. The game will be broadcast locally on WAAY 31.6, This TV.

At Tuesday’s game, 1,000 children ages 17 and under will receive a limited-edition pair of socks featuring Buzz, the orange racer in the nightly Astronaut Race, presented by WayFM. The Trash Pandas will also be celebrating Faith Night on Tuesday, with a testimonial from a Trash Pandas player taking place at the Budweiser Berm before the game. Each Tuesday is Ladies Night, presented by Reeds Jewelers, with all fans in attendance having the opportunity to win great prizes and enjoy wine specials throughout the night.