Trash Pandas edged by Biscuits in extra innings 4-2
MADISON – Despite a valiant effort on the mound, the Rocket City Trash Pandas suffered a 4-2 loss in 10 innings to the Montgomery Biscuits on Wednesday night in the second game of their series on Wednesday night at Toyota Field.
With the game tied 2-2 in the top of the 10th, Trash Pandas reliever Boomer Biegalski got the first two outs to keep the automatic runner on the second base. But a two-out single to right by Garrett Whitley plated Moises Gomez with the go-ahead run. Whitely later came around to score on an error, giving Montgomery a 4-2 lead that would stand.
In the bottom half, Biscuits reliever Alex Valverde (W, 2-1) worked around a pair of base runners to keep the Trash Pandas off the board and finish the win of the visitors.
Making his final start before heading to the All-Star Future Game in Denver on Sunday, Trash Pandas starter Reid Detmers was phenomenal. In the first, he got back-to-back strikeouts to end the frame. An inning later, he worked around a one-out single to keep the game scoreless before recording one strikeout in the top of the third.
In the bottom of the third, the Trash Pandas’ hottest hitter gave his team the lead. With two outs and nobody on base, Luis Aviles Jr. launched a solo home run 383 feet to left field for his third home run in two games for the first run of the night.
Pitching with the lead, Detmers ended his start with a flourish in the fourth, striking out the side in order. Over 4.0 scoreless innings, the Trash Pandas lefty allowed just one hit while walking none and recording seven strikeouts to increase his team-leading total to 91 on the season.
Montgomery tied the game in the top of the fifth on a solo home run from Ford Proctor off Biegalski.
The Trash Pandas retook the lead in the bottom of the inning as Aviles Jr. doubled off the base of the wall in center, scoring Ray-Patrick Didder from third.
Again, the Biscuits got the run right back on a solo homer to left center from Whitley to tie the game 2-2 in the sixth.
Biegalski and Biscuits reliever Cristofer Ogando each recorded three strikeouts in a scoreless seventh to keep the score level.
Biegalski again struck out the side in the ninth to maintain the 2-2 score. The Trash Pandas couldn’t score in the bottom half, setting the stage for the Biscuits to score the winning runs.
In the longest relief outing by a Trash Panda, Biegalski (L, 2-4) gave up four runs, three earned, on six hits with no walks in nine strikeouts over 5.2 innings. However, he was saddled with the loss.
At the plate, Aviles Jr. drove in both Rocket City runs in a 2-for-4 performance while David MacKinnon also recorded two hits in the loss.
The Trash Pandas (26-29) and Biscuits (27-27) continue their series on Thursday night. First pitch at Toyota Field is set for 6:35 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio. The game will also be televised locally on WAAY-31.6, This TV.
