SL Rocket City Trash Pandas

Trash Pandas Fall 3-1 on Friday in Chattanooga

June 16, 2023 - Southern League (SL)
Rocket City Trash Pandas News Release


CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee - The Rocket City Trash Pandas put runners on base often throughout Friday's contest with the Chattanooga Lookouts. However, the visitors were unable to connect when they needed it most, suffering a 3-1 loss at AT&T Field in the fourth game of a six-game series.

Rocket City looked to get the scoring started in the top of the first against Chattanooga starter Christian Roa, putting runners on first and second two outs. Kevin Maitan couldn't cash in, flying out to center as the Trash Pandas came up empty.

In the bottom of the inning, the Lookouts' top slugger got them on the board off Rocket City starter Landon Marceaux. With one out and a runner on first, Rece Hinds hit a two-run homer to right-center, his sixth home run in his last five games to extend his home run streak to five games.

Down 2-0, the Trash Pandas nearly came right back in the second. A walk to Tucker Flint and a single by Aaron Whitefield put runners on the corners with nobody out. Roa was able to navigate through the jam when Whitefield was caught stealing second, Ryan Aguilar struck out, and Bryce Teodosio flew out to right to end the inning. Roa (W, 3-5) continued his scoreless work for five clean innings, allowing one hit while walking five and striking out eight to earn the win.

The Lookouts added one more off Marceaux in the bottom of the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Hinds, plating Francisco Urbaez, who began the inning with a single. Marceaux ended his night by working around a two-out jam in the sixth, striking out Torres to strand runners on first and second. Over six innings, Marceaux (L, 3-6) allowed three runs on seven hits with two walks and six strikeouts to suffer the loss.

Rocket City finally broke through in the seventh against Lookouts reliever Donovan Benoit. Whitefield crushed a one-out solo home run to right center, his third homer of the season, to cut the Lookouts' lead to 3-1 at the seventh inning stretch. Brandon Dufault maintained the two-run deficit with a clean bottom of the frame.

After getting the final out of the seventh, Evan Kravetz returned for the eighth and immediately hit Edgar Quero. The lefty then got the first two outs. Maitan kept the inning alive with an infield single and Flint walked to load the bases. With the tying and go-ahead runs on base, Kravetz was pulled in favor of Ryan Meisinger. The new Chattanooga reliever escaped the jam by striking out Whitefield to maintain the 3-1 lead.

Luke Murphy kept the deficit at two with a scoreless bottom of the eighth. Meisinger came back in the ninth and again worked through danger. Ryan Aguilar got the inning started with a single, advanced to third on a couple ground outs, and Quero walked to put the tying run on base with two outs. Meisinger (S, 6) ended the game by inducing a fly out to center from Kyren Paris to earn his sixth save of the year.

Despite taking nine walks offensively, the Trash Pandas went 0-for-8 at the plate with runners in scoring position, stranding 11 men on the basepaths. Whitefield recorded two of the team's four hits in the loss. Hinds drove in all three runs to lead the Lookouts to the win to even the six-game series at two games apiece.

The Trash Pandas (29-32) continue their six-game series with the Lookouts (33-27) on Saturday night. First pitch at AT&T Field is set for 6:15 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio.

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Southern League Stories from June 16, 2023


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