Trash Pandas welcome record playoff crowd; Shuckers force game 3 with 7-0 win
Southern League championship to be decided today at Toyota Field
MADISON – A Trash Pandas postseason-record crowd of 4,756 filled Toyota Field on Tuesday night—the largest crowd for a Southern League postseason game since 2024 and the third-largest since 2014. Biloxi’s 7-0 victory forces a decisive Game 3 on Wednesday, giving Rocket City another opportunity to capture its first Southern League championship in front of its home fans.
Angels top pitching prospect Tyler Bremner delivered 5.0 scoreless innings for Rocket City, but Biloxi broke through against the bullpen with three runs in the sixth. Andrew Fischer homered and doubled, driving in four runs, while Bishop Letson (W, 2-0) and Wande Torres combined on a four-hit shutout with 17 strikeouts.
The loss was Rocket City’s first of the postseason after sweeping Knoxville in the Division Series and taking Sunday’s Championship Series opener, 5-4, in Biloxi.
The Trash Pandas threatened in the first inning when Nick Rodriguez singled with one out and Jacob Cozart followed with a two-out double to left. Rodriguez attempted to score from first, but left fielder Josh Adamczewski’s throw to catcher Darrien Miller cut him down at the plate to keep the game scoreless.
Bremner matched Letson through five innings, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out seven. The right-hander struck out the side in the second and escaped a third-inning jam after consecutive one-out walks, striking out Braylon Payne before getting Jesús Made to line out to left. Bremner threw 50 of his 78 pitches for strikes. The Angels’ first-round pick in 2025 posted a 1.80 ERA across two postseason starts, allowing two earned runs on five hits over 10 innings, with 11 strikeouts and four walks.
Biloxi took the lead against Chris Cortez (L, 0-1) in the sixth. Payne singled with one out and advanced to second on a wild pitch before Made doubled him home with the game’s first run. Fischer followed with a two-run homer to center on the next pitch, giving the Shuckers a 3-0 advantage.
Lucas Mahlstedt kept the deficit at three with 1.1 scoreless innings in relief, but Biloxi added two runs in the eighth. Payne singled, and Made walked against Nicolo Pinazzi, then the pair executed a double steal. Fischer drove in both runners with a double to right for a 5-0 lead.
The Shuckers capped the scoring with two runs in the ninth. Miller singled and came around to score on Dylan O’Rae’s bunt single and a throwing error. Made later singled home O’Rae to make it 7-0.
Letson earned his second win of the postseason, scattering four hits over 7.0 scoreless innings with a career-high 12 strikeouts and no walks. Torres retired all six batters he faced, striking out five over the final two innings.
Cozart’s double was Rocket City’s lone extra-base hit. Rodriguez, Jake Munroe and Anthony Scull each added a single. Payne led Biloxi with three hits, while Made and Fischer collected two apiece and combined for six RBIs. Cortez took the loss after allowing three runs in one-third of an inning.
Rocket City will have another opportunity to claim its first Southern League championship Wednesday in the decisive Game 3. The Trash Pandas will send their Opening Night starter, RHP Austin Gordon (1-0, 0.00), to the mound on Wednesday, and will be opposed by Biloxi LHP J.D. Thompson (1-0, 1.80). Gates will open at 5:30 pm.
Tickets can be purchased HERE, at the Wicks Family Foundation Box Office, or by calling (256) 325-1403.
