Kerry Earns First Win In 5-0 Shutout Of Lookouts

MADISON, Alabama – With a patient approach at the plate and a powerful performance on the mound, the Rocket City Trash Pandas defeated the Chattanooga Lookouts 5-0 in the opener of a crucial six-game series at Toyota Field on Tuesday night.

Rocket City starter Brett Kerry was phenomenal on the mound, throwing seven scoreless innings with just three hits against, one walk, and six strikeouts to earn his first professional win in the longest outing of his pro career.

As a team, the Trash Pandas drew a franchise record 11 walks in the game to pace the offense, breaking the previous record of 10 set at Toyota Field against Tennessee on May 11, 2021.

In the top of the first, Kerry needed just six pitches to stet the Lookouts down in order. At the plate, the Trash Pandas took their time while scoring the game’s first runs. Aaron Whitefield led off with a walk. Livan Soto followed with a single to put runners on the corners. On Sam McWilliams’ 3-2 pitch to Trey Cabbage, Soto broke for second. The pitch was called ball four, but Chattanooga catcher Chuckie Robinson fired to second base anyway. His throw went into center field, allowing Whitefield to trot home with the game’s first run.

Following a Braxton Martinez walk, Preston Palmeiro was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Soto and Humphreys drew a bases-loaded walk to plate Cabbage, giving the Trash Pandas a 3-0 lead on only one hit.

Chattanooga threatened in the top of the second on an error and a single. Kerry got through the frame by striking out Matt Lloyd and Quincy McAfee to end the inning.

Rocket City again manufactured a run in the bottom of the third with four walks against Lookouts reliever Miguel Medrano, capped by Whitefield’s free pass with the bases loaded to extend the lead to 4-0.

From there, Kerry continued his stellar outing for the rest of his start. He ended the fourth with a double play ball from Robbie Tenerowicz. A leadoff walk didn’t deter Kerry in a clean sixth. The Rocket City righty ended his outing with two ground outs and a fly out in a one, two, three top of the seventh.

Soto’s second hit of the night, an RBI double in the bottom of the eight, scored Whitefield to put Rocket City up 5-0, the eventual final.

Trash Pandas reliever Luke Murphy was equally as sharp as Kerry, finishing the win with two clean innings and three strikeouts.

From the top of the lineup, Whitefield went 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored to extend his hitting streak to 12 games, tied for the longest hitting streak in Trash Pandas history with David MacKinnon from 2021. On his 25th birthday, Cabbage went 1-for-4 with a run, a walk, and two stolen bases as Rocket City claimed first place in the Southern Leauge’s North Division at 14-8/

The Trash Pandas (14-8) continue their series against the Lookouts (13-9) on Wednesday night. First pitch at Toyota Field is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio. The game will also be televised locally on WAAY-31.6, This TV (Ch. 1181 on XFinity, Ch. 155 on WOW! Legacy, Ch. 45 on WOW'S TV+, Ch. 150 on Scottsboro Cable, Ch. 176 on Fayetteville Utilities).

Wednesday night is Star Wars Night at Toyota Field, with characters available for photos. The Trash Pandas will be wearing specialty Boba Fett themed jerseys, presented by the Huntsville/Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau. Fans can bid on game worn, autographed jerseys from the Trash Pandas throughout the game by texting ‘bobafett’ to 76278 and by visiting bobafett.givesmart.com. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Rocket City Trash Pandas Foundation and North Alabama Foster Closet.

Wednesday at Toyota Field is also an IDEXX Labs Dog Day, where fans can bring their furry friends to the game and sit when them on the Budweiser Berm. A $1 donation per dog is requested, benefitting the Sartec K-9 unit.