Late comeback propels Trash Pandas to 6-4 victory
CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee – The Rocket City Trash Pandas scored three runs in the eighth to turn a deficit into a lead for a 6-4 victory over the Chattanooga Lookouts in the second game of their six-game series on Wednesday night at AT&T Field.
Down 4-3 in the eighth, the Trash Pandas turned the game around. Ray-Patrick Didder was hit by a pitch, Michael Cruz singled, and Torii Hunter Jr. walked to load the bases with one out. Luis Aviles Jr. then tied the game with a single to left to score Didder. But Cruz was thrown out at the plate trying to score the go-ahead run. Orlando Martinez followed with a clutch two-out single to left to score Hunter Jr. with the go-ahead run, and Aviles Jr. came home on a throwing error from Lorenzo Cedrola to give the Trash Pandas a 6-4 lead.
Kolton Ingram entered for Rocket City in the eighth retired the Lookouts in order to protect the lead. In the ninth, the Trash Pandas turned to Kyle Tyler and the righty delivered a one, two, three inning to record his first save of the season in just his third relief outing to finish the win for the visitors.
For the second straight night, the Trash Pandas jumped ahead in the top of the first. Martinez reached with a one-out single. Brendon Davis broke through with a two-run blast to left-center for his fifth home run over his first 12 games for the Trash Pandas.
An inning later, Chattanooga got a run back as a passed ball from Rocket City catcher Anthony Mulrine plated Wilson Garcia to make it a 2-1 game.
In both the third and fourth, Trash Pandas starter Janson Junk retired the Lookouts to maintain the one-run lead.
Rocket City restored the two-run lead in the fifth when Martinez came home on a throwing error by Lookouts shortstop Errol Robinson. Junk was unable to hold the lead in the bottom of the frame as RBI singles from Brian Rey and Cedrola tied the game 3-3.
With two outs in the sixth, the Lookouts took the lead for the first time at 4-3 off Junk on an RBI single from Quincy McAfee. That would be the end of the night for the Rocket City starter. Elvis Peguero entered and struck out Yoel Yanqui to end the inning and strand a runner on second base.
In his first appearance in the Los Angeles Angels organization after being acquired from the New York Yankees at the trade deadline, Junk gave up four runs, three earned, on eight hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
Peguero kept the score at 4-3 Chattanooga with a clean seventh inning to set the stage for the eighth-inning magic from the Trash Pandas.
Acquired in the same deadline deal from the Yankees, Peguero (W, 1-0) earned the win with 1.1 scoreless innings and three strikeouts in his second outing with the Trash Pandas .
The Rocket City bullpen trio of Peguero, Ingram, and Tyler combined to throw 3.1 hitless innings while striking out four to even the series.
Offensively, Martinez went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored to lead the way while Davis’ two-run shot in the first was the only home run for either team, extending the Trash Pandas’ league-leading total to 117 for the season.
The Trash Pandas (38-39) continue their series with the Lookouts (40-37) on Thursday night. First pitch at AT&T Field is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio.
