Trash Pandas Split Doubleheader on Wednesday in Chattanooga

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee – The Rocket City Trash Pandas were on both ends of walk-off scenarios against the Chattanooga Lookouts on Wednesday evening, by scores of 2-1 and 5-4 respectively.

Following an offensive shutout on Tuesday night, Rocket City’s bats struggled to get going once again in game one. Facing top Reds pitching prospect Rhett Lowder, the Trash Pandas were blanked for the first four frames.

However, they would break through in the 5th inning. Sam Brown walked to lead off, advanced to second on a grounder, but was then thrown out at home on a Myles Emmerson single. Emmerson moved up into scoring position on that throw, though, and came home on a subsequent single by Denzer Guzman.

Mason Erla was on opener duty in the first game, and newcomer Carlos Espinosa followed him out of the bullpen. They each tossed a pair of scoreless innings. Luke Murphy, returning to Rocket City after a stint in High-A, threw a clean 5th inning but surrendered the tying run in the 6th.

In the bottom of 7th, Hayden Seig retired the leadoff man before Bubba Thompson singled and stole second. With two outs, Francisco Urbaez bopped a ball into the right-center gap for a walk-off victory.

Angels first round draft pick and second-ranked prospect, Christian Moore, was held in check offensively but did have a double off Lowder in the 6th inning.

However, the Trash Pandas would bounce back in game two of the twinbill.

Their top-ranked prospect, Caden Dana, got the ball to start and immediately stretched his scoreless streak to 20 consecutive innings.

Staked to a 1-0 lead, some traffic ensued in the 4th inning. Dana walked three Lookout hitters and the defense committed back-to-back errors, flipping the scoreboard to a 3-1 ballgame.

Rocket City dug deep in the final frames, though. David Mershon led off the 6th with a single, worked his way to third, and came home on an Orlando Martinez double to make it 4-2.

In the last inning, the line kept on moving. Matt Coutney walked, Tyler Payne singled, and Tucker Flint walked to load the bases with nobody out. Following a Nelson Rada groundout, Mershon singled once again to make it 4-3 and Gustavo Campero finished it by ripping a liner down the first base line for a rare walk-off victory in an away ballpark.

The Trash Pandas (49-59) match up with the Lookouts (34-75) once again on Thursday night at AT&T Field. First pitch is set for 6:15 PM Central, and Josh Caray will have the call on 97.7-2 Talk Radio WZZN.