Trash Pandas Bullpen Strong In 6-2 Victory 

The Rocket City Trash Pandas got enough timely hits to back a stellar night from the bullpen in a 6-2 victory over the Tennessee Smokies on Friday night at Toyota Field, snapping a three-game losing streak.

Making the spot start, Trash Pandas righty José Soriano got off to an inauspicious start, hitting Pete Crow-Armstrong with the first pitch of the game. Soriano then picked Crow-Armstrong off first, getting through the top of the first unscathed.

The Trash Pandas offense went to work in the bottom half, drawing three consecutive walks against Tennessee starter Ryan Jensen to load the bases. Orlando Martinez drove in the first run of the game with an RBI ground out to first. Jeremiah Jackson followed with a single through the left side of the infield, plating two more to give the Trash Pandas a 3-0 lead.

Tennessee got back into the game in the second with a solo home run from BJ Murray. A two-out RBI single from Caleb Knight made it a one-run game before Soriano got Crow-Armstrong to fly out and strand the strand the tying and go-ahead runs on base.

Soriano ended his first start of the season with three ground outs in a scoreless top of the third. Over three innings, he gave up two runs on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Kyren Paris got the Trash Pandas started in the third with a single and promptly stole second. A passed ball moved him to third. Two hitters later, Martinez delivered with a clutch two-out single to center, plating Paris to double the lead to 4-2.

Kolton Ingram was first out of the bullpen and retired six straight hitters after a leadoff single in the fourth. He began the sixth by hitting Chase Strumpf. Ingram got the first out of the inning before being relieved by Kenyon Yovan. He immediately struck out Haydn McGeary before a walk put two on with two outs. Jordan Nwogu looked to get the Smokies closer with a sharp single to left. But a perfect throw from Jackson in left to Edgar Quero at the plate nailed Murray trying to score, preserving the Rocket City lead at 4-2.

Yovan returned to the mound in the seventh and ended his night with a strikeout of Owen Caissie. He struck out three over 1.2 innings to earn a hold. Rocket City broke the game open in the seventh, with David Calabrese cashing in for a two-run single to give the Trash Pandas their biggest lead of the night at 6-2.

Ben Joyce entered for the Trash Pandas in the eighth and worked into a bases loaded jam with one out. He escaped it by striking out Nwogu and inducing a fly out from Knight to hold the four-run lead. In the ninth, Joyce got the first two outs with strikeouts. The third out wouldn’t come as easy, with a pair of walks extending the game. Luke Murphy (S, 1) was called on and finished the game with one pitch, getting Murray to fly out to center and earn the save.

At the plate, the Trash Pandas were held to only four hits, all singles, but made the most of them to snap a six-game home losing streak. Martinez, Jackson, and Calabrese each drove in a pair while the Trash Pandas took eight walks in the win.

In relief of Soriano, the Trash Pandas bullpen quartet of Ingram (W, 1-0). Yovan, Joyce, and Murphy combined to pitch six scoreless innings in the win. Ingram earned the victory with 2.1 clean innings, striking out four.

The Trash Pandas (13-12) and Smokies (14-11) continue their series with a 6:35 p.m. matchup at Toyota Field on Saturday night. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio. The game will also be broadcast on WAAY 31.6, This TV. Following Saturday’s game, a stunning fireworks show will light up the sky above the ballpark, presented by Bill Penney Toyota.