Game Info: Saturday, June 14 vs. Pensacola: 6:35 PM: Toyota Field

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SL Rocket City Trash Pandas

Game Info: Saturday, June 14 vs. Pensacola: 6:35 PM: Toyota Field

June 14, 2025 - Southern League (SL)
Rocket City Trash Pandas News Release


Saturday, June 14, 2025 - 6:35 PM - Toyota Field - Madison, Alabama

Matchup: Rocket City Trash Pandas - LAA (24-35, 4 th SL North, 7.5 GB) vs. Pensacola Blue Wahoos - MIA (30-31, 3 rd SL South, -6.5 GB)

Pitching Matchup: RHP Joel Hurtado (5-4, 3.06) // LHP Dax Fulton (2-4, 3.63)

GAME: 60 of 137 - Home Game: 31 of 69

Top 30 Prospects | Upcoming Promotions | Trash Pandas News

Today's Promotions:

Saturday, June 14 | First Pitch: 6:35 pm | Gates Open: 5:30 pm | Trustmark VIP Gates: 5:00 pm

Saturday Night Fireworks: Enjoy Saturday Night Fireworks after the game presented by Astrion. Come out to Toyota Field with your friends and family for a BLAST!

Alabama White Sauce Night: Born in 1925 at Big Bob Gibson's Bar-B-Q in Decatur, AL, our state's favorite condiment is undoubtedly the tangy taste of Alabama White Sauce. Whether chicken, pork, seafood or anything else your taste buds desire, this creamy concoction is a Southern sensation. Our Saucy Squirt Bottle Scientist has been honing his craft for 100 years, searching far and wide for the best culinary combinations. The recipe may be a secret, but trust us - it goes great on everything.

"Best White Sauce" Sampling and People's Choice Contest: Fans are invited to purchase sampling ticket packages (limit of 200 available) to taste the best of our local culinary scene and vote for their favorites. The winning restaurant will receive $1,500, knowing they are Alabama's best White Sauce connoisseur! Click HERE to add a sampling pass to your game ticket.

FOR STARTERS: The Rocket City Trash Pandas continue their longest homestand of the 2025 season tonight with game five of a six-game series against the Miami Marlins' affiliate Pensacola Blue Wahoos.

PANDAS COMEBACK TO WIN AGAIN ON THURSDAY: The Trash Pandas, playing as the Bama Butts, celebrated Alabama's BBQ history by defeating the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 4-1 in front of 5,381 fans at Toyota Field. This marked Rocket City's third consecutive win and extended their series lead to 3-1. Pitcher George Klassen delivered 6.0 shutout innings, while Travis Blankenhorn returned to the lineup with two hits and two RBIs. The team's strong performance included multiple hits from Sam Brown and Nelson Rada, contributing to a solid game as they improved to 10-6 over their last 16 outings.

pandas pitching, leading season turnaround: Since May 26, the Trash Pandas are 10-6 and have posted a 2.59 ERA, which ranks second in the Southern League, third in Double-A, and T-6th among all full-season Minor League teams. During the 4-2 series win over the Shuckers at Toyota Field, May 27-June 1, the pitching staff posted a 1.98 ERA, plus struck out 50 to only 16 walks, and had the second-best WHIP in Double-A baseball, 0.88.

KEEP IT CLOSE...OR SCORE FOUR: Of Rocket City's 59 games this season, 31 have been decided by two runs or less, posting a 17-14 record. The Pandas are 9-10 in one-run games overall, including a 7-4 mark at home, and 8-4 in two-run games, 3-1 at home. Also, when the Pandas score four runs or more, they have a 17-9 record.

SWEET HOME ALABAMA: The Trash Pandas are in the midst of a 13-game homestand and are currently in a stretch of 34 consecutive games played in the state of Alabama. This stretch began on May 27 and will continue through July 3. During this time, the Pandas will play six road games in Birmingham from June 3 to June 8, six games in Montgomery from June 24 to June 29, and 22 home games at Toyota Field against teams from Biloxi, Pensacola, Chattanooga, and Knoxville.

C-MO MAKES HIS MLB DEBUT ON FRIDAY NIGHT: The Angels top prospect, Christian Moore, former Trash Pandas infielder, had his contract purchased by the Angels on Friday, and he made his major league debut last night. He batted ninth and went 0 ‚¬â€˜for ‚¬â€˜3 with one strikeout. In his first at-bat vs. veteran Charlie Morton, he struck out. He then grounded out and later lined out to shortstop. Played solid defense at second base: made two routine plays in the first inning and notably started a 4-6-3 double play in the fourth. His first MLB putout came on a ground ball by Jackson Holliday. Moore described the day as "the real... ‚ best day of my life."

He ended his time in Rocket City by reaching base safely in 16 of his final 17 games, with a .234 average over 34 games in 2025, posting five homers and five stolen bases. Moore saw lots of success at Triple-A Salt Lake after he was promoted from Rocket City on May 20, hitting four homers and driving in 18 runs in 20 games with a remarkable .424 batting average. He was drafted eighth overall by the Angels in 2024. He is the first Trash Panda on the 2025 roster to be promoted to the majors, fifth overall this season, and 41st all-time from Rocket City.

CELEBRATING BBQ WITH BUTTS AND SAUCE WEEKEND: The Trash Pandas are celebrating Alabama's rich BBQ history this weekend with two unique identities. The Alabama White Sauce will take the field tonight to celebrate the state's signature condiment. Alabama White Sauce, born in 1925 at Big Bob Gibson's Bar-B-Q, is the state's favorite tangy sauce to go on chicken and pork. Another sampling contest will take place, with a prize of $1,500 for the best White Sauce. Last night, the Bama Butts took the field to honor the backbone of Alabama BBQ, its pork.

Ureña-ble to Touch Him: RHP Walbert Ureña has delivered three-straight quality starts going back to May 29, including a seven-inning complete game in game one of a doubleheader against Biloxi. The Trash Pandas are 3-0 in those games, and he's won two of them, going 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA (4 ER/20 IP). The 21-year-old has shown steady improvement this season after posting a 7.36 ERA in April; he had a 3.21 ERA in May and has a 2.08 ERA so far in June. He ranks among the league leaders in starts (T-1st, 12) and innings pitched (4th, 59.1).

19 and "Rada-cal": CF Nelson Rada, the youngest player in the Southern League at 19 years and 9 months, leads the Southern League and is 2nd in Double-A with 27 stolen bases this season, including 19 in May. Rada ranks among the league leaders in stolen bases (1st, 27), OBP (2nd, .403), batting average (3rd, .291), walks (T-5th, 35), and hits (T-4th, 59).

ON-BASE STREAK ... Rada reached base safely in 16-straight games from May 21 to June 7 ... During the streak, he hit .364 (20-for-55), with six runs, 10 steals, 10 walks, and a .470 OBP ... He's been on base in 27 of 30 games since May 10, batting .330 with a .437 OBP.

STREAKS THIS SEASON ... (9-game hit streak, 5/21-30), (10-game on-base streak, 5/8-18), (16-game on-base streak, 5/21-6/7).

MULTI-HIT GAMES ... Rada has recorded a team-best 18 multi-hit games, including four three-hit games.

Southard, poppen on scoreless streaks: Trash Pandas reliever Jared Southard made his 22nd appearance on Friday night and recorded his fifth save. The right-hander out of Texas has allowed only two baserunners over his last eight outings and 10.2 innings pitched, one walk, and 16 strikeouts. Sean Poppen has not allowed a run over his last nine games, and 10.1 innings, nine hits, three walks, and 11 strikeouts.

PUTTING THE HURT ON 'EM: Starter Joel Hurtado leads the club with six quality starts and leads the Southern League with 61.2 innings pitched. He also ranks among the Southern League leaders in innings pitched (3rd, 61.2), starts (T-5th, 11), wins (T-4th, 5), ERA (9th, 3.06), and, WHIP (8th, 1.23).

TOPPING THE LEAGUE IN ATTENDANCE: The Trash Pandas have led the Southern League in attendance in each of the team's first four seasons, and there are no signs of it slowing down. Despite two brand-new ballparks, Rocket City leads the league by averaging 4,361 fans per game.

MAY WAS A GOOD MONTH FOR BROWN AND RADA: Over 26 games in May, Sam Brown finished 4th in the league in batting at .301 (28-for-93), with eight extra-base hits and 14 RBIs, and Nelson Rada finished 2nd in batting at .325 (27-for-83), and 2nd in OBP (.467). Rada led all of Double-A and was 3rd in MiLB with 19 stolen bases.

THE "GUZ" IS LOOSE: The 21-year-old has four doubles over his last 13 games, and he now ranks among the Southern League leaders in doubles (T-4th, 12), RBIs (T-8th, 29), and extra-base hits (T-7th, 18).

ANOTHER WALK-OFF AT TOYOTA FIELD: Wednesday night's walk-off single in the 10th inning by Cole Fontenelle was the second of the season for the Trash Pandas. This was the first walk-off since Denzer Guzman hit a walk-off homer in the ninth inning on April 5 against Chattanooga. It marked the 24th walk-off victory for the Trash Pandas at Toyota Field.

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