SL Rocket City Trash Pandas

Errors Sink Trash Pandas in 6-0 Loss

Published on September 3, 2023 under Southern League (SL)
Rocket City Trash Pandas News Release


The Rocket City Trash Pandas made crucial mistakes to let a close game fall out of reach, suffering a 6-0 loss to the Mississippi Braves in the finale of their six-game series on Sunday night at Trustmark Park.

Making his Double-A debut, Rocket City righty Michael Darrell-Hicks (L, 0-1) was stellar. But his one blemish cost the Trash Pandas. On his first pitch, Mississippi leadoff man Cody Milligan bunted a soft ground ball back to the mound. Darrell-Hicks fielded and threw to first, but it was off the mark for an error, allowing Milligan to advance all the way to third with nobody out. Cal Conley followed with a sacrifice fly to left, brining Milligan home to open the scoring.

Darrell-Hicks rebounded with two strikeouts in the second before striking out the Braves in order in the third. Two baserunners reached for the Braves in the fourth before Darrell-Hicks struck out a pair to end the inning. The Rocket City righty ended his start with a scoreless bottom of the fifth. Over five innings, he allowed one unearned run on three hits with one walk and nine strikeouts.

Dylan Phillips made his Double-A debut for Rocket City in the bottom of the sixth and struggled, walking two and hitting a batter to load the bases with two outs. Phillips appeared to be out of the jam as he induced a ground ball on the infield. However, Trash Pandas second baseman Adrian Placencia's throw to second was wide for another error, allowing two runs to score and increase the lead to 3-0. Willian Suarez was next into the game for the Trash Pandas and allowed two more runs on wild pitches, breaking the game open for the home team at 5-0. Mississippi scored four runs off the two debuting Trash Pandas relievers in the sixth without a hit.

However, the night belonged to Mississippi starter Alan Rangel (W, 3-15). He was perfect early, retiring the first 14 hitters he faced. The first Trash Pandas baserunner came on Arol Vera's two-out single in the top of the fifth. Rangel rebounded to not let Vera advance past first, retiring the next seven hitters he faced to end his outing. Over seven shutout innings, he allowed just the one hit, walked none, and set a new career-high with 12 strikeouts to lead the Braves to victory.

Braves relievers Domingo Gonzalez and Tyler Owens each pitched a scoreless inning to finish the shutout.

Mississippi capped the scoring with Bryson Horne's RBI single off Ivan Armstrong in the bottom of the eighth. John Swanda struck out two in a scoreless bottom of the eighth to end the night on the mound for the visitors.

Rocket City was held to four hits and walked only one time in the shutout loss. The loss keeps the Trash Pandas six games behind the Tennessee Smokies in the North Division second half standings with 12 games left in the season.

The Trash Pandas (57-69, 26-31 second half) return home to begin their final homestand of the season on Tuesday night at Toyota Field. First pitch against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio.

At Tuesday's game, 1,500 adults ages 18 and up will receive a limited-edition Halo Blue bobblehead of Trash Pandas first baseman Sonny DiChiara, presented by ManTech. Before the game, DiChiara will be signing autographs on the concourse from 5:10-5:30 p.m. so fans can get their bobblehead signed.

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Southern League Stories from September 3, 2023


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