Trash Pandas edged in Biloxi 6-5
BILOXI, Mississippi – A five-run deficit proved too much for the Rocket City Trash Pandas to overcome in a 6-5 loss to the Biloxi Shuckers in the second game of their six-game series at MGM Park on Wednesday night.
The Shuckers opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with doubles from Corey Ray and Garrett Whitley, taking an early 1-0 lead off Rocket City starter Brett Kerry (L, 3-6).
Rocket City answered in the top of the second. Jeremiah Jackson and Zach Humphreys drew one-out walks, and Bryce Teodosio singled to center, plating Jackson from second to even the score.
Biloxi got the lead back in the bottom of the inning on Nick Kahle’s sacrifice fly and Andruw Monasterio’s RBI single, taking a 3-1 advantage to the third. Kerry’s night would end after three innings on the mound, allowing three runs on six hits with two runs and three strikeouts.
Braden Olthoff was first out of the Rocket City bullpen in the fourth, and the Shuckers quickly teed off on him to double their run total. Ray connected on a two-run homer to right following a walk by Kahle and Whitley added a solo home run to give the Shuckers a 6-1 lead after four.
The Trash Pandas began the comeback in the fifth as Jordyn Adams led off with a single, stole second, advanced to third on an error and scored on a wild pitch from Shuckers starter T.J. Shook. An inning later, Humphreys walked and Kevin Maitan doubled to put two in scoring position with one out. Teodosio then connected on a line drive three-run home run over the left-center field fence for his team-leading 13th home run of the season, making it a one-run game at 6-5 Biloxi. But they would get no closer.
Biloxi relievers Kent Halser and Nash Walter combined to pitch 2.2 scoreless innings in relief of Shook (W, 3-1), keeping the Shuckers ahead 6-5 going to the ninth. There, Harold Chirino (S, 2) struck out the first two hitters before a diving catch from Ray robbed Livan Soto of a hit to end the game.
Over four relief innings for the Trash Pandas, Olthoff allowed three runs on three hits including a pair of homers with two walks and four strikeouts. Aaron Hernandez kept the deficit at one with a scoreless bottom of the eighth.
At the plate, Teodosio led the way by going 2-for-4 with the home run and four RBI while the bottom three hitters in the Rocket City lineup accounted for four of the team’s five hits. In his Double-A debut, 2022 Angels first round pick Zach Neto went 0-for-3 with a hit-by-pitch.
The Trash Pandas (59-45, 18-17 second half) and Shuckers (52-50, 18-17 second half) continue their series on Thursday 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.
