Trash Pandas struggle in 6-2 loss to Shuckers

BILOXI, Mississippi – The Rocket City Trash Pandas offensive woes continued with a 6-2 loss to the Biloxi Shuckers in the third game of their six-game series at MGM Park on Thursday night.

The defeat puts the Trash Pandas 3.5 games out of the final playoff spot in Double-A South with 22 games remaining in the regular season.

For the first time in the series, the Trash Pandas broke the scoreless deadlock in the top of the first. With two outs and Orlando Martinez on second base, David MacKinnon laced a double into to right, plating Martinez with the first run of the night.

Rocket City starter Robinson Pina was able to hold the lead for the first two innings. But a walk and a single with one out in the third set the table for Korry Howell to launch a three-run homer to left for the first home run of the series and a 3-1 lead for Biloxi.

Two more walks in the third ended Pina’s night. In his second Double-A start, Pina (L, 0-2) took the loss after allowing three earned runs on two hits with four walks and five strikeouts over 2.2 innings.

In the fourth, the Shuckers rallied off reliever Nathan Bates, scoring three runs on four hits and a walk before a double play finally ended the inning with Trash Pandas trailing 6-1.

However, the Rocket City bats were held silent for most of the night by starter Lucas Erceg (W, 2-5) followed relievers Braden Webb and Leo Crawford.

Kieran Lovegrove was sharp in long relief for the Trash Pandas, keeping the Shuckers off the board for three innings while striking out three. Keith Rogalla finished on the mound for the visitors with a clean eighth.

The Trash Pandas got a run back in the ninth when MacKinnon hit his second double of the night to increase his league leading total to 29 and came around to score on a single from Mitch Nay.

Held without a home run for the third straight game, the Trash Pandas were also limited to just two runs and have scored only six through the first three games of the series.

Rocket City (49-48) and Biloxi (37-62) meet again on Friday night. First pitch at MGM Park is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio.