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SL Rocket City Trash Pandas

Trash Pandas Win Back-And-Forth Affair 7-5

July 1, 2022 - Southern League (SL)
Rocket City Trash Pandas News Release


In a tightly-contested affair that featured late runs on both sides, the Rocket City Trash Pandas scored two runs in the eighth inning to earn a 7-5 win over the Tennessee Smokies, evening their six-game series in the fourth game on Friday night at Smokies Stadium.

Neither team could score in the first inning, despite the best efforts of both offenses. Rocket City put runners on the corners with nobody out against Tennessee starter Chris Clarke. But Jeremiah Jackson struck out and Preston Palmeiro grounded into a double play to end the threat. Tennessee responded by loaded the bases against Rocket City's Ky Bush with nobody out. Bush then struck out Chase Strumpf and Bryce Ball before Alexander Canario flew out to end the threat.

Tennessee opened the scoring in the bottom of the second on Bradlee Beesley's two-run double against Bush. The second would be Bush's last inning. He left after allowing two runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

Cristopher Molina entered in long relief for the Trash Pandas in the third and allowed a run in the fifth before the offense could finally break through. The Trash Pandas got on the board with four straight single to start the fifth, capped by RBI hits from Jackson and Palmeiro. Two hitters later, Torii Hunter Jr.'s RBI ground out to short tied the game. Jordyn Adams followed with a single to left to put Rocket City ahead. Anthony Mulrine capped the inning's scoring with an infield chopper that was misplayed for an error as Braxton Martinez came home with the fifth Trash Pandas run.

Tennessee got a run back off Molina in the sixth and put the tying run at third with two outs. Luis Ledo was next into the game from the visitors bullpen and got Beesley to line out, ending the threat. The lead wouldn't last much longer, as Tennessee tied the game with a solo home run from Matt Mervis in the bottom of the seventh.

Rocket City wasted little time in retaking the lead. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with nobody out. Mulrine restored the lead with a bases-loaded walk for his second RBI of the night. Adams then came home on a wild pitch, putting the Trash Pandas up 7-5 in the eighth.

Aaron Hernandez held the lead with a clean eighth and Kolton Ingram (S, 6) was dominant in the ninth, striking out three to finish the win and earn the save, his sixth of the season.

Adams led the way for the Trash Pandas offense, going 3-for-4 in his second Double-A game with a run scored, and RBI, and a walk. Livan Soto and Jose Gomez each chipped in with two hits and Mulrine was the only Trash Pandas player to record two RBI in the win. Ledo (W, 4-3) picked up the win on the mound, allowing one run over 1.1 innings of relief.

The first-half North Division Champion Trash Pandas (43-30 overall, 2-2 second half) continue their series with the Smokies (39-34 overall, 2-2 second half) on Saturday night. First pitch at Smokies Stadium is scheduled 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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