Home Runs Sink Trash Pandas In 4-2 Loss

The Rocket City Trash Pandas were unable to hold a tie in the middle innings, with a pair of home runs from the Biloxi Shuckers’ leadoff hitter handing the Trash Pandas a 4-2 loss on Friday night at Toyota Field.

The loss ends the Trash Pandas’ winning streak at four games and keeps Rocket City three games ahead of Tennessee in the second half standings with 14 games remaining in the regular season.

The Shuckers opened the scoring in the top of the second, with Gabe Holt’s single to left plating Thomas Dillard, who beat a close play at the plate to get the first run of the night against Rocket City starter Mason Erla. The Shuckers got one more in the third on Garrett Whitley’s RBI single to left, with Terence Doston sliding home for a 2-0 Shuckers advantage.

The Trash Pandas responded in the bottom of the fourth, loading the bases with one out for Sonny DiChiara. His fielder’s choice ground out plated Livan Soto to get the Trash Pandas on the board. Preston Palmeiro followed with an infield single, scoring Zach Neto from third with the tying run against Biloxi’s Brandon Knarr.

The Shuckers got the lead right back to open the fifth as Corey Ray crushed a solo home run to dead center on Erla’s third pitch of the inning, putting the Shuckers up 3-2. They nearly added on, loading the bases to end Erla’s night. But Glenn Albanese induced a ground out from Holt to end the inning and strand the runners. Erla (L, 4-5) threw 4.2 innings, allowing three runs on five hits with three walks and six strikeouts to suffer his fifth loss of the season.

An inning later, Ray struck again, hitting his second home run of the night off the batter’s eye in center, this time off Albanese to restore the two-run lead at 4-2. Albanese threw a clean seventh to end his outing after 2.1 innings on the mound.

Pitching with the lead, Knarr (W, 2-6) worked around base runners in the fifth and sixth before two strikeouts in the seventh ended his night. The lefty struck out nine, allowing two runs on five hits over seven innings to pick up the win, his second with the Shuckers.

Kolton Ingram kept the score close with two clean innings between the eighth and ninth for the home team. Harold Chirino was first out of the Biloxi bullpen and pitched a scoreless eighth. Zach Vennaro (S, 10) did the same in the ninth to finish the win and earn the save for the Shuckers.

On his 26th birthday, Aaron Whitefield went 2-for-4 from the leadoff spot while Logan O’Hoppe took three walks in the defeat.

The Trash Pandas (73-51, 32-23 second half) continue their series with the Shuckers (58-63, 24-30 second half) on Saturday night. First pitch at Toyota Field is set 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 on WAAY 31.6, This TV.

After Saturday’s game, a fireworks spectacular will light up the Rocket City sky, presented by Parsons Corporation. The Trash Pandas will be hosting a Canned Food Drive at Saturday’s game, benefitting One Generation Away. Fans are encouraged to donate non-perishable canned food at the Pepsi and Trustmark VIP Gates. For each item donated, fans will receive a raffle ticket for a chance to win autographed Trash Pandas memorabilia, with a maximum of 10 tickets per person.