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SL Rocket City Trash Pandas

Late Pensacola Homer Hands Trash Pandas 3-2 Loss

September 14, 2021 - Southern League (SL)
Rocket City Trash Pandas News Release


MADISON, Alabama - In a tightly contested game, one pitch in the ninth inning made all the difference as the Rocket City Trash Pandas fell to the Pensacola Wahoos 3-2 in the opener of their six-game series at Toyota Field on Tuesday night.

With the score tied 2-2 in the ninth, Demetrius Sims put the Blue Wahoos ahead with a solo homer to right off Zach Linginfelter (L, 0-1), giving the visitors the 3-2 lead that would be decisive. Rocket City put the tying and winning runs on base in the bottom of the ninth before Pensacola closer Colton Hock induced a ground ball double play from Luis Aviles Jr. to end the game and secure his 19th save of the season.

The Blue Wahoos opened the scoring early as Kameron Misner led off the game with a double, advanced to third on a fly out from Peyton Burdick, and scored on a sacrifice fly from JJ Bleday against Rocket City starter John Swanda.

Rocket City was quick to respond against Pensacola starter Kyle Nicolas. With the bases loaded and one out, Torii Hunter Jr. worked a walk off Nicolas to plate Aviles Jr. as the tying run.

In the second, Swanda got a double play ground out from Brian Navarreto to get through the inning unscathed.

Rocket City took the lead for the first time when Hunter Jr. stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in the third and laced a single to left, plating Mitch Nay with the go-ahead run.

Swanda got Navarro to ground into another double play in the fourth. But that would be the final pitch the Rocket City starter threw before departing with Athletic Trainer Yusuke Takahashi. Matthias Dietz entered and allowed an RBI single from Sims to tie the game 2-2.

Making his second Double-A start, Swanda gave up two runs on three hits over 3.2 innings with two walks and two strikeouts.

After Dietz worked a clean fifth, the game went into a 16-minute delay as heavy rain surrounded Toyota Field. When play resumed, Nicolas pitched a clean fifth to keep the score tied 2-2.

Boomer Biegalski was next out of the Rocket City bullpen and pitched three scoreless frames while striking out five to maintain the tie. He got some help from his defense in the eighth, as new Trash Pandas second baseman Carson Matthews made two terrific diving catches to prevent base hits and end the inning.

Dylan Bice (W, 5-3) worked a clean eighth for Pensacola, setting the stage for the ninth inning drama.

In just his second Double-A game, Matthews went 1-for-4 with a strikeout. At the top of the lineup, Aviles Jr. was 1-for-5 with a run scored and a stolen base. Hunter Jr. went 1-for-3 with a walk and drove in both of the Trash Pandas' runs in their eighth straight loss.

The Trash Pandas (53-56) continue their series with the Blue Wahoos (57-53) on Wednesday night. First pitch at Toyota Field is set for 6:35 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.

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