SL Rocket City Trash Pandas

Brilliant Trash Pandas Bullpen Baffles Barons in 6-4 Win

Published on April 16, 2023 under Southern League (SL)
Rocket City Trash Pandas News Release


BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - The Rocket City Trash Pandas used a two-out rally to turn a deficit into a lead in the middle innings, then got perfect pitching from the bullpen to defeat the Birmingham Barons 6-4 in the finale of their six-game series on Sunday afternoon at Regions Field.

The victory wraps up a strong week for the Trash Pandas, who won five of six games in Birmingham, including the final four in a row, on their first road trip of the season to improve their record to 6-3 through nine games.

The game didn't begin as well as it ended for the visitors. The Barons opened the scoring in the bottom of the second with Andy Atwood's RBI single to deep center off Trash Pandas starter Victor Mederos.

Rocket City responded immediately in the top of the second against Birmingham starter Cristian Mena. Aaron Whitefield reached with a one-out walk and Jose Gomez singled to put runners on the corners. David Calabrese evened the score at 1 with an RBI ground out to first. Gomez used his legs to give Rocket City the lead by stealing third and coming home on a wild pitch.

The lead didn't last long. Luis Mieses tied the game with an RBI single, a wild pitch allowed Tyler Osik to come home with the go-ahead run for the Barons, and Atwood's sacrifice fly made it a 4-2 game with two outs. That would be the end of Mederos' start, as Zac Kristofak entered and closed out the inning with a ground out. Over 2.2 innings, Mederos (L, 0-1) allowed four runs on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts in his second start of the season.

Barons reliever Hunter Dollander (L, 0-2) looked to maintain the lead in the fifth with two quick outs. But the third out wouldn't come easy. Calabrese made it a one-run game by lining a solo home run into the right field bleachers, his first Double-A home run. Kyren Paris kept the inning alive with a single and promptly stole second. Edgar Quero followed with a single to right, plating Paris with the tying run. Tucker Flint then turned the game around with one swing, crushing a two-run opposite field home run into the Trash Pandas bullpen in left-center, also his first Double-A homer, for a 6-4 Trash Pandas advantage.

Kristofak ended a strong relief outing with two strikeouts in the bottom of the fifth. José Soriano was next out of the Trash Pandas bullpen and struck out two in a one, two, three sixth. Kolton Ingram did the same in the seventh, getting a strikeout and two groundouts to retire the side in order.

Eric Torres entered in the eighth and continued the Trash Pandas' bullpen dominance with two more strikeouts in a one, two, three eighth. In the ninth, Ben Joyce ran into trouble with a leadoff walk. With one out, Yoelqui Cespedes sent a deep drive to left-center, where a leaping catch at the wall by Trash Pandas center fielder Bryce Teodosio prevented an extra-base hit for the second out. Joyce (S, 1) ended the game by striking out Osik to earn his first save of the season.

Kristofak (W, 1-1) would earn the win with 2.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, striking out two. The five Trash Pandas relievers combined to pitch 6.1 scoreless innings, striking out nine while allowing two hits and walking two to finish an impressive win.

At the plate, the Trash Pandas were outhit 8-6 but earned the win with the big fifth inning rally. Calabrese and Flint each hit his first Double-A home run and drove in two, while Quero went 2-for-4, the only Rocket City player to record more than one hit.

The Trash Pandas (6-3) return home to begin a six-game series with the Biloxi Shuckers (5-4) on Tuesday night. First pitch at Toyota Field is scheduled for 6:05 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 locally on WAAY 31.6, This TV.

On Tuesday, 1,500 adults ages 18 and up will receive a limited-edition bobblehead of former Trash Pandas star and current Los Angeles Angels rookie catcher Logan O'Hoppe, presented by Trustmark. Tuesday is also Utility Worker Night, where the Trash Pandas will celebrate local utility workers throughout the night, presented by Huntsville Utilities. The homestand begins with Ladies Night, presented by Reeds Jewelers. All fans in attendance will have the chance to win great prizes and enjoy drink specials throughout the game.

Check out the Rocket City Trash Pandas Statistics

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Southern League Stories from April 16, 2023


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