Aviles Jr. leads Trash Pandas to 7-4 win
MADISON – With the one of the most impressive power performances in team history, Luis Aviles Jr. powered the Trash Pandas to a 7-4 walk-off win over the Montgomery Biscuits on Thursday night in the third game of their six-game series.
With the score tied 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth, Ray-Patrick Didder reached with a walk to put the winning run on base. Two batters later, Torii Hunter Jr. singled to keep the inning alive. Aviles then capped his incredible night with a walk-off three run homer 364 feet to left for his fifth home run in three games to give the Trash Pandas the much-needed victory.
Montgomery got the scoring started in the top of the first on an RBI single from Joey Roach to score Xavier Edwards against Rocket City starter Aaron Hernandez.
The Trash Pandas were quick to equalize in the bottom of the frame as Aviles Jr. lead off with a 370-foot solo home run to right for his second leadoff home run of the series.
Rocket City used the long ball to take the lead three innings later. Mitch Nay led off with a walk. Izzy Wilson followed by launching a two-run home run 364 feet on to the Inline Electric Rock Porch for his team-leading 14th blast of the season. Ibandel Isabel then connected on the longest home run in Toyota Field history, a 471-foot moonshot to left field with an exit velocity of 118 miles per hour. The big fly is his 10th of the season to put Rocket City up 4-1 after four.
Cal Stevenson got a run back for the Biscuits in the top of the sixth with a solo homer off Hernandez. That would be all the Trash Pandas starter gave up. Over 5.1 solid innings, Hernandez allowed two runs on six hits with four walks and three strikeouts.
Hernandez would not factor in the final decision as the Biscuits rallied to tie the game with two runs off reliever Nathan Bates in the top of the seventh.
Bates kept the score at 4-4 with a clean eighth and Oliver Ortega (W, 2-2) did the same by setting the Biscuits down in order in the ninth. He would earn the win behind the ninth inning rally.
Aviles Jr. led the way with bookend home runs in the first and ninth in a 2-for-4 performance with four RBI. Wilson also recorded a pair of hits and two RBI in the win for Rocket City.
The Trash Pandas (27-29) and Biscuits (27-28) continue their series on Friday 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.
