Late Hits Propel Trash Pandas Past M-Braves 4-2 

The Rocket City Trash Pandas got the clutch hits they needed late in the game, breaking a tie in the eighth inning for a 4-2 win over the Mississippi Braves on Saturday night at Trustmark Park.

The game began as a matchup of dueling Double-A debuts on the mound, with Mississippi’s Hurston Waldrep and Rocket City’s Bryce Osmond matching each other zero for zero.

Rocket City put runners on base in each of the first three innings against Waldrep. However, the Atlanta Braves first round selection in the 2023 draft was able to work around the traffic each time. He pitched three scoreless innings, giving up two hits while walking three and striking out four in a no-decision.

In his first start since joining the Trash Pandas from High-A Tri-City yesterday, Osmond was stellar. He retired the first eight hitters he faced and did not allow a hit until the bottom of the fourth. The hit was quickly erased, as Anthony Mulrine made a strong throw to second to catch Luke Waddell trying to steal and keep the game scoreless after four.

Rocket City was able to capitalize on a Mississippi mistake in the top of the fifth against reliever Jose Montilla. With one out, Adrian Placencia hit a ground ball to second base. Second baseman Cal Conley’s throw was off the mark for an error, moving Placencia to second. Sonny DiChiara followed with a ground ball up the middle for a single, scoring Placenica from second with the first run of the night.

Osmond continued with a one, two, three bottom of the fifth. The Braves responded in the sixth to tie the game on a solo home run from Javier Valdes, his eighth of the season. Osmond rebounded to retire the next three hitters he faced to end his night with a quality start. Over six strong innings, he allowed just one run on two hits with one walks and five strikeouts.

The Trash Pandas took the lead right back in the top of the seventh. Facing new Braves reliever Peyton Williams, Mac McCroskey began the inning with a deep drive into the right field corner for his first professional triple. Mulrine followed with a double to the wall in left, plating McCroskey for a 2-1 Trash Pandas lead.

Mississippi came right back and tied it in the bottom of the inning on a two-out RBI single from Josh Fuentes against reliever Jake Lee. The Rocket City reliever kept the score tied by striking out Valdes to end the inning with the go-ahead run on second.

Again, Rocket City didn’t let the tie last long. Gabe Matthews started the top of the eighth with a double to deep right on the fifth pitch thrown by Braves reliever Trey Riley (L, 2-3). A ground out from Arol Vera moved Matthews to third. D’Shawn Knowles delivered the big hit the Trash Pandas needed with a sharp single to center, scoring Matthews with the go-ahead run.

Hayden Seig made his Double-A debut in the eighth and quickly set the Braves down in order.

The Trash Pandas caught another break to add a critical insurance run in the ninth. Mulrine started the inning with a walk. On a ground ball that looked destined to be a double play, Fuentes’ throw to second hit Mulrine in the back, allowing him to advance safely and extend the inning. DiChiara cashed in with his second RBI single of the night to center to plate Mulrine for a 4-2 lead.

Seig returned to the mound in the ninth and allowed a leadoff walk before recording the first two outs. With the tying run at the plate, Mulrine nabbed Waddell trying to steal second base to end the game, eliminating a chance for Mississippi to get even.

Lee (W, 1-2) earned the win out of the Rocket City bullpen, his first victory for the Trash Pandas since May 14, 2021 vs. Tennessee. Seig (S, 1) pitched the final two innings to earn the save in his Rocket City debut, walking one. At the plate, Knowles went 3-for-4 with an RBI while tying a Rocket City single-game record with three stolen bases. DiChiara went 2-for-5 with two RBI and Matthews was 1-for-3 with two walks and a run. From the bottom of the lineup, Mulrine was 1-for-3 with a run scored, an RBI, and a walk.

The Trash Pandas (57-68, 26-30 second half) and Braves (54-70, 21-35 second half) wrap up the series at Trustmark Park on Sunday night. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio.