SL Rocket City Trash Pandas

Trash Pandas Defeated in Birmingham 11-4

Published on June 30, 2023 under Southern League (SL)
Rocket City Trash Pandas News Release


BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - The Rocket City Trash Pandas' late bid at a comeback was foiled by the Birmingham Barons in an 11-4 loss on Friday night at Regions Field in the third game of their six-game series.

Rocket City threatened in the top of the first against Barons starter Matt Thompson. Orlando Martinez walked, and Kyren Paris doubled to put men on second and third with one out. Thompson got through the jam, striking out Gabe Matthews and Sonny DiChiara to post a scoreless first. Trash Pandas starter Brett Kerry matched his counterpart with a scoreless first.

The starters traded zeroes until the fourth. In the bottom of the frame, Xavier Fernandez got Birmingham on the board with a sacrifice fly to plate Alsander Womack, who began the inning with a walk. Rocket City immediately got the run back in the fifth. Mariano Ricciardi reached second on an error with two outs. Jeremiah Jackson followed with a sharp single to right, scoring Ricciardi to even the score at one.

But in the bottom of the fifth, the game unraveled for the Kerry. Back-to-back walks to Ben Norman and Terrell Tatum got the inning starter. Chris Shaw then put the Barons back in front with a three-run home run to right, his 10th of the season. A walk to Bryan Ramos would end Kerry's night. Luke Murphy was next into the game and later surrendered a two-run single, increasing the Birmingham lead to 6-1. Over four innings, Kerry (L, 3-3) gave up five runs on four hits with five walks and five strikeouts to suffer the loss. Thompson (W, 3-8) pitched five innings for Birmingham, allowing one unearned run with three hits against, two walks, and six strikeouts to earn the win.

The visitors began a comeback in the sixth against the Barons' bullpen. Paris singled to start the sixth and stole second. With two outs, Jose Gomez hit a soft ground ball to third. Ramos' throw to first was off the mark and the ball got away, allowing Paris to slide home and get a run back for Rocket City.

In the seventh, Bryce Teodosio got the Trash Pandas started with a single. Two hitters later, Jackson crushed a two-run home run deep into the left field stands, his eighth of the season to get the Trash Pandas within two at 6-4.

Fernandez's RBI single off Nathan Burns put the Barons back up three in the bottom of the seventh. The Barons put the game out of reach for good in the eighth by plating four more off Houston Harding, capped by Luis Mieses' three-run homer.

Jackson paced the Rocket City attack, driving in three of the four runs while going 2-for-5 at the plate. Teodosio and Paris each went 2-for-4 with a run scored in the loss.

The Trash Pandas (32-40, 1-2 second half) continue their series against the Barons (27-45, 2-1 second half) on Saturday night. First pitch at Regions Field is set for 6:30 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio.

Check out the Rocket City Trash Pandas Statistics

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Southern League Stories from June 30, 2023


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