SL Rocket City Trash Pandas

Trash Pandas, Blue Wahoos Split Pair on Thursday

Published on April 14, 2022 under Southern League (SL)
Rocket City Trash Pandas News Release


MADISON, Alabama - The Rocket City Trash Pandas got a late home run to earn their first home win of the season before the Pensacola Blue Wahoos rallied off the Rocket City bullpen to earn a victory in the nightcap, giving each team a win on Thursday at Toyota Field.

On Wednesday night, the Trash Pandas and Blue Wahoos played to a 3-3 tie in the seventh before rain suspended the game until Thursday. When play resumed, the Trash Pandas pulled ahead for a 5-4 win. In the regularly scheduled contest, Pensacola scored three runs in the sixth and one in the eighth to prevail 5-3.

Unlike Opening Night on Tuesday, the Blue Wahoos got the scoring started on Wednesday night against Rocket City starter Ky Bush on Jerar Encarnacion's RBI ground out.

In the third, the Blue Wahoos looked to add to the lead as Encarnacion reached on a fielder's choice, stole second, and advanced to third on an error. Bush avoided further damage by striking out Troy Johnston looking to end the frame. The Trash Pandas lefty was pulled with two outs in the fourth before Cristopher Molina ended the inning with a strikeout.

In his Double-A debut, Bush allowed one run on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts over 3.2 innings to keep the game close.

Rocket City responded in the bottom of the fourth. Braxton Martinez led off with a walk against Blue Wahoos starter Cody Mincey. Trey Cabbage followed by hitting a line drive down the right field line for a triple, plating Martinez from first with the tying run.

Pensacola restored the lead in the top of the fifth when Jerar Encarnacion hit a towering two-run home run off Molina that just stayed fair inside the foul pole

Again, the Trash Pandas answered. Bryce Teodosio lined a one-out double to the wall in left. Aaron Whitefield continued his torrid pace with a two-run shot of his own to left for his third home run of the young season to tie the game 3-3.

In the bottom of the seventh, rain caused the suspension of the game. When it resumed on Thursday afternoon, Martinez put the Trash Pandas ahead 5-3 with his first home run of the season, a long two-run blast to left in the eighth.

Kolton Ingram (W, 1-0) returned to the mound in the ninth and gave up a home run to Hayden Cantrelle to make it a one-run game. But he rebounded to close out the Trash Pandas' first home win of the season. Ingram earned his first win of the season in the opener, giving up the one run in two innings with two strikeouts.

Once the regular scheduled contest began, Trash Pandas starter Brett Kerry stole the show for the duration of his outing. He opened the night by striking out the top of the Pensacola lineup in order. He struck out two in the second and again struck out all three hitters he faced in the third, this time on just 11 pitches. For the third time in four innings, Kerry punched out the side in the fourth, this time working around a two-out walk.

The Trash Pandas got their starter support in the third on an RBI ground out from Martinez to open the scoring.

With two outs in the fifth, Pensacola evened the score off Kerry with a solo home run by Cobie Fletcher-Vance, the first run Kerry has allowed this season.

Kerry ended his start by recording his career-high 12th strikeout, this time on Luis Aviles Jr. to get through the frame. Over 5.0 brilliant innings, Kerry allowed just the one run on one hit with one walk and 12 strikeouts. In two starts to begin the season, Kerry has surrendered one run on six hits in 10 innings with one walk and 20 strikeouts.

Rocket City retook the lead in the bottom of the frame on a two-out double into the right field corner from Cabbage, scoring Whitefield and Martinez.

The Trash Pandas turned to Ivan Armstrong out of the bullpen in the sixth, and the righty struggled, giving up three runs without recording an out as the Blue Wahoos took the lead for the first time. Luke Murphy kept the deficit at one with two good relief innings before the visitors got another late run off Sean McLaughlin in the eight to pull ahead for good.

Whitefield stole two more bases in the loss to extend his team-leading total to eight on the season.

The Trash Pandas (4-2) and Blue Wahoos (2-4) meet in game four of their six-game set on Friday night. First pitch at Toyota Field is scheduled 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.

Check out the Rocket City Trash Pandas Statistics

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Southern League Stories from April 14, 2022


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