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SL Rocket City Trash Pandas

Trash Pandas Split Doubleheader with Biscuits

June 24, 2023 - Southern League (SL)
Rocket City Trash Pandas News Release


MADISON, Alabama - The Rocket City Trash Pandas rebounded from a tough 10-5 loss in the opener to rally and win the nightcap 6-5, earning a split of their doubleheader with the Montgomery Biscuits in front of an energetic crowd of 6,683 at Toyota Field on Saturday night.

The ball was flying out of Toyota Field in the first game. Making his first start of the season, Trash Pandas righty Ivan Armstrong fell behind two hitters into the game when Montgomery third baseman Junior Caminero hit a solo homer to right-center to open the scoring.

Diego Infante doubled the Montgomery lead to 2-0 with a solo homer of his own an inning later. In the bottom of the inning, the Trash Pandas got the run right back on Gabe Matthews' first Double-A home run, a 421-foot blast to deep right-center off Biscuits starter Patrick Wicklander to make it a 2-1 game.

Tristan Peters put the Biscuits back up two in the top of the third with an RBI double, bringing an end to Armstrong's (L, 0-3) start. Over 2.1 innings, he allowed three runs on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts to suffer his third loss of the season. Rocket City again cut the deficit to one in the fourth on a solo home run from Jeremiah Jackson, his third straight game with a homer.

Houston Harding was first out of the Trash Pandas bullpen in the third and was sharp until the sixth. A single and a walk put two on with nobody out. Logan Driscoll followed with a three-run homer to right, spoiling Harding's work on the mound to make it a 6-2 game. In his first appearance of the season with the Trash Pandas, Harding allowed three runs on two hits with five strikeouts. Nathan Burns was next out of the Rocket City bullpen and struggled, allowing four runs while getting only one out as Montgomery blew the game open at 10-2.

Jackson connected on his second home run of the game in the bottom half, blasting a mammoth 465-foot two-run blast to left for his second home run of the game and seventh of the season to make it 10-4. Orlando Martinez made it 10-5 with an RBI single in the seventh and the Trash Pandas loaded the bases. But Graeme Stinson (S, 1) struck out Tucker Flint with the bases loaded to end the game and earn the save. John Doxakis (W, 4-2) pitched three relief innings to earn the win for the Biscuits.

In the nightcap, Trash Pandas righty Jack Kochanowicz got off to a rocky start, allowing two runs in the top of the first inning. That would stake Montgomery starter Anthony Molina (L, 2-5) with an early lead that would last until the fourth inning.

Then, David Calabrese began the frame by cranking a solo homer 424 feet to right-center to put the Trash Pandas on the board. Sonny DiChiara kept the inning alive with a single to left and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Orlando Martinez followed with an RBI single to right to tie the game at two.

Montgomery restored the lead in the fifth on an Erik Ostberg home run to make it 3-2. In the bottom of the frame, the Trash Pandas took advantage of a pair of Montgomery errors to tie the game, with Jose Gomez scoring the tying run on a throwing error by Biscuits second baseman Ronny Simon. Two hitters later, Jackson laced a double down the left field line, scoring two more to put the Trash Pandas in front 5-3. Gabe Matthews then ripped an RBI single to center, putting the Trash Pandas up 6-3 after five.

Kochanowicz (W, 3-4) cruised through the sixth but ran into trouble in the seventh. With one out, Ostberg's second home run of the game, a two-run shot to right, made it a one-run game at 6-5. That would be the end of Kochanowicz's start. Over 6.1 innings, he allowed five runs on seven hits with six strikeouts to hold the lead and earn his third win of the year.

Luke Murphy (S, 2) entered from the bullpen and retired the first two hitters he faced to finish the one-run win and earn the save.

Offensively, Jackson had two RBI while Calabrese went 2-for-3 in the leadoff spot in the nightcap.

The Trash Pandas (31-37) wrap up the series with the Biscuits (35-33) with on Sunday afternoon. First pitch at Toyota Field is set for 4:05 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio. The game will also be broadcast locally on WAAY 31.6, This TV.

Sunday's game will be the second time the Lunaticos de Rocket City take the field. The Trash Pandas will be playing as the Lunaticos de Rocket City for three games as part of Minor League Baseball's "Copa de la Diversión" or "Fun Cup." The Lunaticos moniker pays homage to North Alabama's growing and diverse Hispanic community, allowing everyone to show off their wild side at Toyota Field. The game will feature a Fiesta in the Outfield, with DJ Rafi Torres performing, food trucks available with Hispanic dishes, and more.

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Southern League Stories from June 24, 2023


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