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SL Rocket City Trash Pandas

Trash Pandas Fall Friday in Mississippi 5-2

September 1, 2023 - Southern League (SL)
Rocket City Trash Pandas News Release


PEARL, Mississippi - In another well-contested battle, the Rocket City Trash Pandas couldn't keep the game close in the late innings, suffering a 5-2 loss to the Mississippi Braves in the fourth game of their six-game series on Friday night at Trustmark Park.

The Braves opened the scoring in the bottom of the first against Rocket City starter Jack Kochanowicz as a two-out double from Luke Waddell was followed by an RBI single from Jesse Franklin to bring in the first run of the game.

That would be the only run Kochanowicz allowed. The Trash Pandas righty was limited to two innings, giving up the run on two hits with a pair of strikeouts. Cole Percival entered for Rocket City in long relief in the third. The second batter Percival faced, Cody Milligan, quickly doubled the lead for the home team with a solo homer to right-center for a 2-0 lead.

Mississippi starter Domingo Robles made the two runs stand up early, shutting down the Trash Pandas for the first four innings. However in the fifth, two of the newest Trash Pandas would turn the tides.

Arol Vera began the top of the fifth with a bunt single for his first Double-A hit and advanced to second on an error from the Mississippi catcher. Gabe Matthews then grounded a single to center, plating Vera to get the Trash Pandas on the board. Later in the inning, David Calabrese walked to put two on with two out. Adrian Placencia tied the game with an RBI single to center to score Matthews but was thrown out trying to advance to second on the throw back to the infield.

Percival kept the score tied with a clean bottom of the fifth. He nearly escaped the sixth unscathed as well as the Trash Pandas caught a runner in a rundown between third and home for the second out of the inning to keep the score tied. But with the bases loaded and two outs, Percival's pitch to Landon Stephens went to the backstop for a passed ball, allowing Josh Fuentes to come home with the go-ahead run. The M-Braves added on in the seventh with two-out RBI hits from Franklin and Drake Baldwin to extend the lead to 5-2, ending Percival's night.

Percival (L, 1-3) took the loss, his third in a row, after allowing four runs, three earned, on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts over 4.2 innings. Nathan Burns was able to keep the deficit at three by striking out three over 1.1 clean frames.

Robles (W, 8-7) earned the win for Mississippi by striking out four and allowing two runs in six innings. Relievers Patrick Halligan, Brooks Wilson, and Tyler Owens (S, 3) each pitched a scoreless inning to finish the win for the home team.

Offensively, Placencia and Vera each went 1-for-4 in their Double-A debuts while Sonny DiChiara reached base three times, going 2-for-3 with a walk in the loss.

The Trash Pandas (56-68, 25-30 second half) and M-Braves (54-69, 21-34 second half) continue the series at Trustmark Park on Saturday night. First pitch is set for 6:35 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 September 1, 2023


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