Trash Pandas drop finale in Tennessee 12-3
By Aaron Cheris
KODAK, Tennessee – The Rocket City Trash Pandas ended their road trip with a 12-3 loss to the Tennessee Smokies on Sunday afternoon at Smokies Stadium. Despite the loss, the Trash Pandas earned a split of the six-game series with the Smokies and ended their 12-game road trip with a winning record at 7-5.
In the first, a two-out rally gave the Smokies a lead that would last the rest of the afternoon. Rocket City starter Janson Junk was able to record the first two outs with runners on first and second. A walk to Chase Strumpf loaded the bases before an error by Trash Pandas shortstop Carlos Herrera and a two-run single from Tyler Payne put Tennessee ahead 3-0.
Rocket City got a run back in the second when Herrera launched his first Trash Pandas home run, a solo blast down the right field line to make it a two-run game against Smokies starter Cam Sanders.
Strumpf responded for the Smokies with a two-run homer of his own to left off Junk in the third, and that would be all for the Rocket City starter. In his third start for the Trash Pandas, Junk (L, 0-2) gave up five runs, two earned, with four walks and two strikeouts over 3.0 innings to take his second straight loss.
The teams traded runs over the next couple innings, with Ray-Patrick Didder’s RBI double matched by Nelson Maldonado’s RBI single in the fourth.
Rocket City got one back in the fifth when Orlando Martinez’s 20th double of the season scored Anthony Mulrine and put runners on second and third with one out. Brendon Davis then lifted a fly ball to right for the first out of the inning. Trying to score from third on the play, Luis Aviles Jr. was thrown out at the plate by Smokies right fielder Brennen Davis for the second out to snuff out a Rocket City rally and get Sanders (W, 4-6) through the fifth.
From there, Tennessee relievers Erich Uelman, Eury Ramos, and Garrett Kelly combined to keep the Trash Pandas off the board for the rest of the game.
In relief of Junk, Elvis Peguero gave up one run in the fourth and Adrian Almeida pitched two scoreless innings to keep the score 6-3. Luke Leftwich entered in the seventh and allowed five runs as the Smokies put the game out of reach. Nathan Bates ended the game on the mound for the Trash Pandas after giving up a run in the eighth.
At the plate, Martinez led the way for the Trash Pandas by going 3-for-5 with two doubles and a run batted in. Didder was 1-for-3 to extend his season-best hitting streak to 10 games.
The Trash Pandas (44-43) return home to begin a seven-game series with the Chattanooga Lookouts on Tuesday night. First pitch at Toyota Field is scheduled 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 be televised locally on WAAY-31.6, This TV.
