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SL Rocket City Trash Pandas

Trash Pandas Fall to Barons in Slugfest 15-10

August 3, 2023 - Southern League (SL)
Rocket City Trash Pandas News Release


The Rocket City Trash Pandas let multiple leads slip away, dropping a wild back-and-forth affair to the Birmingham Barons 15-10 in the fourth game of their seven-game series at Regions Field on Thursday night.

The runs came early and often for both sides. Rocket City got it started in the top of the first, with Kyren Paris starting it off with a one-out single and Nolan Schanuel reached on an error to put runners on the corners. Sonny DiChiara cashed in for the first two runs of the night with a double to deep right against Barons starter Nick Nastrini.

Colson Montgomery got a run back for Birmingham in the bottom of the frame with a solo homer off Trash Pandas righty Cole Percival for his first Double-A home run of the season.

The Trash Pandas caught a break in the top of the second as Bryce Teodosio struck out on a pitch in the dirt, but reached on a dropped third strike and took second when Edgar Quero's throw to first was off the mark for an error. Tyler Payne followed with a towering two-run homer off the back of the Trash Pandas bullpen in left field, his first Rocket City home run to increase the lead to 4-1.

The Barons took the lead for the first time in the bottom of the inning on Jose Rodriguez's three-run homer down the left field line, his 15th homer of the season to give the home team a one-run lead off Percival. Montgomery added to the Barons' lead in the fourth with an RBI double to make it 6-4 after four.

Rocket City turned the game around in the fifth. Paris got the inning started with a single and promptly stole his team-leading 32nd base of the season. Schanuel singled to put runners on the corners. Tucker Flint then made it a one-run game with an RBI double to right-center. Later in the inning, Teodosio took a two-out walk against reliever Hunter Dollander to load the bases and keep the inning going. A wild pitch from Dollander allowed Schanuel to come in with the tying run. Payne kept the inning alive with a walk of his own. Mac McCroskey kept the rally going with a line-drive single to right to score Flint and Teodosio for his first professional RBI, giving Rocket City the lead again at 8-6.

Again, the Barons chipped away with a run on a double play ground out in the bottom half to make it 8-7. The Trash Pandas came right back to extend the lead in the sixth with a two-out, two-run single from Payne, bringing Rocket City into double digits at 10-7.

The Barons fought back to turn the game around again in the bottom half, knocking out Percival with a single and a hit batter. John Swanda (L, 0-4) entered from the bullpen and provided little relief. A sacrifice fly from Quero made it a 10-8 game. Then with two outs, Terrell Tatum's RBI single made it 10-9 and Luis Mieses laced a two-run double to left, putting Birmingham in front again 11-10.

Percival pitched into the sixth, getting credit for nine runs allowed on 12 hits with one walk and two strikeouts in five innings in his second Rocket City start.

Pitching with the lead, Barons reliever Adisyn Coffey set the Trash Pandas down in order in the seventh. The Barons put the game out of reach for good in the bottom of the inning. RBI singles from Montgomery, Quero, Alsander Womack, and an RBI double from Mises plated four more runs to make it 15-10 after seven.

Coffey (W, 1-0) continued his relief with a scoreless eighth. The Trash Pandas turned to backup catcher Anthony Mulrine on the mound in the bottom of the eighth and he pitched a scoreless inning to hold the deficit at five.

Jonah Scolaro finished the win with a scoreless ninth, snapping the Barons' 12-game losing streak.

Payne led the way for the Trash Pandas offense, going 2-for-4 with the home run and four RBI. DiChiara, Flint, and Paris all went 2-for-5 as Rocket City's four-game winning streak came to an end.

The Trash Pandas (45-54, 14-16 second half) continue the series with the Barons (34-65, 9-21 second half) on Friday night. First pitch at Regions Field is scheduled for 7:05 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 August 3, 2023


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