Trash Pandas Walk Their Way to 5-1 Win

Behind a patient approach at the plate and a timely pitching performance, the Rocket City Trash Pandas started their road trip with a 5-1 victory over the Chattanooga Lookouts on Tuesday night at AT&T Field.

The Trash Pandas drew 10 walks and needed only four hits to plate five runs, giving them a win to remain two games ahead of the Tennessee Smokies for first place in the Southern League’s North Division. At 28-18, Rocket City is now 10 games above the .500 plateau for the first time in franchise history.

Persistence paid off for the Trash Pandas from the outset against Chattanooga starter Eduardo Salazar (L, 3-5). Livan Soto and Aaron Whitefield began the game with walks and advanced to second and third on a wild pitch with Orlando Martinez at the plate. Soto came home on another wild pitch as Martinez took ball four for the game’s opening run. Zach Humphreys followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Whitefield, giving the Trash Pandas two runs without a hit to start the night.

On the mound for the Trash Pandas, Brett Kerry worked into and out of trouble several times to preserve the lead. Two walks in the first weren’t enough for the Lookouts. Chattanooga responded by loading the bases with one out in the second in a bid to get even. But Kerry induced a double play ground out from Mike Siani to escape the jam and end the inning.

Kerry allowed a two-out double to Robbie Tenerowicz in the third before getting Ivan Johnson to pop out and end the frame.

Leading off the fourth, Trash Pandas shortstop Jeremiah Jackson unloaded for a 422-foot solo home run over the tall fence in center for his first Double-A homer and a 3-0 Trash Pandas lead. Bryce Teodosio’s RBI ground out later in the inning put Rocket City ahead 4-0.

After a one, two, three fourth, Kerry issued a walk and hit Isiah Gilliam to put two on with two out in the fifth. The Rocket City righty ended his night on the mound by getting Tenerowicz to fly out, holding the 4-0 advantage.

In the sixth, Soto grounded a single to center, plating Preston Palmeiro, who began the inning with a walk for the fifth Trash Pandas run of the night.

Kerry (W, 2-1) finished his ninth start of the season with five scoreless innings, allowing five hits and walking three while striking out two to pick up his second win of the season. Both of his wins in 2022 have come against the Lookouts, as Kerry has combined to throw 12 scoreless innings between the two starts, striking out eight and walking four.

Aaron Hernandez tossed a clean sixth and Kolton Ingram did the same in the seventh to keep the shutout bid alive.

The Lookouts finally got on the board in the eighth when Johnson took Luis Ledo’s offering over the wall in right for a solo home run, his first of the season. Ledo rebounded for a scoreless ninth inning to finish the win, the Trash Pandas’ sixth in seven games over Chattanooga to start the season.

Jackson was the only Rocket City player to record a pair of hits with the home run and a double while Palmeiro drew three walks and scored a run. Soto and Whitefield also took two walks apiece in the win.

The Trash Pandas (28-18) continue their series with the Lookouts (24-22) on Wednesday night at AT&T Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio.