Smokies Strike Early, Pull Away Late in Series Finale Win over Trash Pandas

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SL Rocket City Trash Pandas

Smokies Strike Early, Pull Away Late in Series Finale Win over Trash Pandas

July 6, 2025 - Southern League (SL)
Rocket City Trash Pandas News Release


KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The Knoxville Smokies (6-6, 38-42) used an early offensive explosion to cruise to an 11-3 win over the Rocket City Trash Pandas (3-9, 27-53) on Sunday afternoon at Covenant Health Park. The club's split the two-city, six-game series, with each team winning two of three at home.

Knoxville wasted no time getting on the board, plating four runs in the first inning off Trash Pandas starter Mitch Farris (L, 0-6). After a single and a walk, a grounder from Corey Joyce got through third baseman Ben Gobbel, bringing home the game's first run. Pablo Aliendo added a sacrifice fly, and Reivaj Garcia drove in two more with a single to make it 4-0.

Gobbel quickly made up for the miscue, launching his first home run of the season-and the ninth of his Trash Pandas career-to lead off the second and trim the deficit to 4-1.

But the Smokies answered right back. They sent eight batters to the plate in the second, adding three more runs and chasing Farris from the game. Jaylen Palmer punctuated the frame with a two-run homer, extending Knoxville's lead to 7-1.

Felix Stevens tripled and scored in the third, and a dropped fly ball in right field by Sam Brown in the fourth led to another unearned run. Casey Opitz followed with an RBI single to push the lead to double digits at 10-1.

Smokies starter Antonio Santos (W, 3-2) picked up his second win of the series, allowing just the solo homer to Gobbel while striking out six and walking two over five innings.

Rocket City managed to scratch across two more runs-one on a sacrifice fly by Mac McCroskey in the sixth, and another in the eighth-but was limited to just two hits in the game. Denzer Guzman's 17th double of the season and team-best 27th extra-base hit was one of them.

The Trash Pandas allowed a season high 16 hits (14 singles), with Garcia and Murray each collecting three. The final run totals were capped with both teams trading tallies in the eighth to settle the score at 11-3.

After a Monday off day, the Trash Pandas hit the road again on Tuesday to open a new series in Chattanooga against the Lookouts. First pitch from AT&T Field is set for 6:15 PM CT. The game can be seen on Bally Sports Live and MiLB.tv, and heard on Talk Radio WZZN 97.7 FM HD-2.

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