Trash Pandas swept by Shuckers in twin bill on Saturday
Rocket City looking for series split this afternoon
By Aaron Cheris
MADISON – The Rocket City Trash Pandas suffered a pair of defeats in Saturday’s doubleheader against the Biloxi Shuckers, dropping the opener 12-4 before an 8-0 loss in the nightcap in front of an energetic crowd of 5,932 at Toyota Field.
In the opener, the Trash Pandas got off to a good start, scoring three in the first inning on Jeremiah Jackson’s ground ball to short and a two-run ground rule double from Kevin Maitan.
Pitching with the lead, Rocket City starter Sam Bachman quickly got into trouble in the second as two walks and two hit batters got Biloxi on the board. Shuckers third baseman Ethan Murray then propelled the visitors in front with a grand slam for a 5-3 lead. The Shuckers added one more run off Zac Kristofak, taking a 6-3 lead with just one hit in the second. Bachman (L, 2-1) suffered his first loss of the season, allowing six runs on one hit with four walks and one strikeout in one inning of work.
Maitan’s second hit of the day, an RBI single, got the Trash Pandas to within two at 6-4 after three. But the Trash Pandas would get no closer.
Biloxi pulled away with a run off Kristofak in the fourth, four against Dakota Donovan in the fifth in his Double-A debut, and another run against Brandon Dufault in the seventh to cap the scoring at 12-4.
Maitan drove in three of the Trash Pandas’ four runs in the game one loss, while Tucker Flint and Livan Soto each recorded a pair of hits. Kristofak tied a career-high with three innings pitched in relief, allowing one run.
In the nightcap, Trash Pandas starter Victor Mederos worked into and out of a first inning jam, striking out Lamar Sparks to strand runners on second and third. He wouldn’t escape in the third. Jackson Chourio began the inning with a single and promptly stole second. A single from Sparks put runners on the corners with two outs. Sparks then stole second himself. Freddy Zamora dove them both home with a single to left, giving Biloxi the early 2-0 lead.
Mederos ended his outing with a scoreless fourth. In his Toyota Field debut, Mederos (L, 0-1) allowed two runs on seven hits with one walks and a career-high nine strikeouts over the four innings.
The Shuckers doubled the lead to 4-0 in the fifth with Freddy Zamora’s two-run homer against Ivan Armstrong. The four runs were more than enough support for Shuckers starter Justin Jarvis (W, 1-1). Over six scoreless innings, Jarvis allowed four hits and struck out 10 to earn the win.
Out of the Trash Pandas bullpen, Armstrong allowed two runs over two innings. Kolton Ingram walked five in the ninth, with four coming in to score, doubling the Biloxi lead again at 8-0. Orlando Martinez was the only Rocket City player to record a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with a pair of singles.
The Trash Pandas (8-6) wrap up their series with the Shuckers (8-6) on Sunday afternoon. First pitch at Toyota Field is scheduled for 2:35 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.
At Sunday’s game, 1,000 kids ages 17 under will receive a free bobblehead of Trash Pandas mascot Sprocket in his signature all-terrain vehicle, presented by the Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau. After the game, kids are also invited to run the bases.
