Trash Pandas Shut out Barons 1-0 in Wednesday's Rickwood Classic
SL Rocket City Trash Pandas

Trash Pandas Shut out Barons 1-0 in Wednesday's Rickwood Classic

June 4, 2025 - Southern League (SL)
Rocket City Trash Pandas News Release


BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Rocket City Trash Pandas (20-31) continued their winning ways on Wednesday afternoon, grabbing a 1-0 victory over the Birmingham Barons (28-24) during the Rickwood Classic. With this win, the Trash Pandas improved to 6-2 over their last eight games and took a 2-0 lead in the current series.

Wednesday's game celebrated the history of baseball and paid tribute to the Negro Leagues. The Trash Pandas honored the Huntsville Stars, a Negro Minor League team from the 1940s and 1950s, while Birmingham wore the historic uniforms of the Birmingham Black Barons. This annual game was held from 1996 to 2019 and returned in 2024 with the Montgomery Biscuits and Barons facing off, plus a Major League game between St. Louis and San Francisco. Rickwood Field, the oldest ballpark in America, opened in 1910 and is the oldest professional baseball park in the United States. It served as the home field for the Birmingham Barons and the Birmingham Black Barons, featuring legendary players like Willie Mays, who began his professional career there at age 17 in 1948. The modern Huntsville Stars participated in the Rickwood Classic three times, in 1999, 2003, and 2004.

Walbert Ureña (W, 3-3), Jordan Holloway (H, 3), Nick Jones (H, 2), and Camden Minacci (S, 1) combined to deliver a seven-hit shutout, marking the Trash Pandas' first 1-0 victory since September 17, 2022, against Birmingham at Toyota Field. Ureña made his team-leading 11th start for Rocket City and was exceptional, tossing 6.0 shutout innings while allowing only four hits, walking three, and striking out three. In his last two starts, the 21-year-old has given up just one run over 13.0 innings.

Rocket City took a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning. Cole Fontenelle began the inning with a single against Birmingham starter Shane Murphy (L, 3-3), and then stole second base to get into scoring position. After Murphy retired the next two batters, Mac McCroskey singled to left, bringing Fontenelle home to score.

The Trash Pandas threatened to extend their lead in the sixth inning with a single from Denzer Guzman, but Birmingham left fielder Rikuu Nishida threw out David Calabrese at the plate. Calabrese was thrown out again in the eighth inning on another single from Guzman.

Rocket City's pitching staff has been dominant over the past eight games, with a league-best 1.70 ERA since May 27, and on Wednesday, they recorded their second shutout of the season. Holloway took over for Ureña in the seventh inning, striking out two batters and allowing one hit. Jones pitched a perfect eighth inning. Minacci had some traffic in the ninth, allowing Ryan Galanie to lead off with a single. He retired the next two batters, including a strikeout of Jacob Gonzalez. However, after a wild pitch advanced Galanie, DJ Gladney hit a single off Minacci, putting the tying run on third base. Minacci managed to strike out Caden Connor on the fifth pitch of the at-bat, ending the game and sealing the win for the Trash Pandas.

Notably, Nelson Rada started the game at 12:33 pm with a single to left, upping his on-base streak to 13 games. Oscar Colás, a former Baron, made his Trash Pandas debut on Wednesday, going 2-for-4. Guzman also had a multi-hit afternoon, finishing 2-for-4. Calabrese, who entered the game as a defensive replacement in the fifth inning, had two plate appearances, recording a single and a walk, and successfully stole two bases. Evan Edwards, who signed with the Angels on Tuesday, made his Trash Pandas debut but went 0-for-4. The Trash Pandas were 3-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left five runners on base, while Birmingham stranded seven.

The game lasted 2 hours and 35 minutes, with an attendance of 4,190 fans.

Game three of the six-game series will move back to Regions Field on Thursday night, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:00 PM. The Rocket City Trash Pandas will send left-hander Mitch Farris (0-2, 4.03) to the mound to face Birmingham left-hander Tommy Vail (0-0, 3.38). Coverage will begin at 6:45 PM on Talk Radio WZZN 97.7 HD-2.

The Rocket City Trash Pandas will return to Toyota Field to host the Pensacola Blue Wahoos from June 10-15, marking the start of a two-week homestand that also includes games against the Chattanooga Lookouts from June 17-22. The series against Pensacola will feature BBQ Weekend on June 13 and 14. On both nights, the Trash Pandas will wear alternate identity uniforms, with the Bama Butts on the 13th and the Alabama White Sauce on the 14th. Fireworks will follow the game on the 14th.

Tickets are available starting at just $8 for general admission and $16 for field-level seats. They can be purchased online at tptix.com. Fans can also purchase tickets in person during regular business hours at the Wicks Family Foundation Box Office or by calling 256-325-1403, option 1. Fans can book their group outings for the 2025 season by visiting trashpandasgroups.com or calling the group sales department directly at (256) 325-1403, option 2. 20-game mini-plans are also available at tptix.com.

Check out the Rocket City Trash Pandas Statistics



Southern League Stories from June 4, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central