Crow, Comeback lead Trash Pandas to 5-3 victory
By Aaron Cheris
MADISON, Alabama – Starter Coleman Crow had a career night on the mound and the Rocket City Trash Pandas rallied in the middle innings to erase an early deficit for a 5-3 win over the Biloxi Shuckers on Thursday night at Toyota Field.
The win improves the Trash Pandas’ record to 8-4 through the first couple weeks of the season heading into the second half of their six-game series with the Shuckers.
Crow got off to a quick start in the first, striking out the side to begin the game. The Trash Pandas got him a lead in the bottom half, with Livan Soto coming home on a fielder’s choice ground out from Orlando Martinez to open the scoring.
Biloxi responded to take the lead in the top of the second. Zavier Warren began the inning with a double to right. Noah Campbell followed with a long two-run homer to right, putting the Shuckers ahead 2-1. The home run snapped a streak of 12 scoreless innings for Crow to begin the season. In the fourth, Biloxi added one more on Carlos Rodriguez’s RBI single to score Campbell, who reached with a two-out double.
Crow got out of a jam in the fifth to strand a runner on third. Trailing 3-1, the Trash Pandas offense went to work to turn the game around in the bottom half. Soto got the rally started with a bunt single. Edgar Quero walked, and Martinez reached on an error to load the baes with one out. Tucker Flint tied the game by hitting a sharp ground ball inside the first base line for a two-run double. Jeremiah Jackson then crushed his first hit of the season, a double to the gap in right center for a 5-3 Trash Pandas lead.
Crow (W, 2-0) ended his start with a dominant top of the sixth, retiring the side in order with a couple strikeouts and a ground out. He finished a brilliant start with a career-high 12 strikeouts in six innings, allowing three runs on four hits without issuing a walk to earn his second consecutive win.
Luke Murphy was first out of the bullpen and got the first out in the seventh before leaving with a runner on first and one out. Kenyon Yovan entered and got out of the inning with one pitch, inducing a double play from Freddy Zamora to keep the Trash Pandas up 5-3.
Yovan returned in the eighth and struck out the side in order, wrapping up a nice relief outing with a 98 mile per hour fastball to strike out Jackson Chourio for the third out.
Closer Ben Joyce issued a leadoff walk in the ninth. With the tying run at the plate, the Shuckers couldn’t get closer, as Joyce (S, 2) got two ground outs and a fly out to end the game and earn his second save of the season.
At the plate, Soto went 2-for-4 with two runs scored while Flint and Jackson each drove in a pair in the victory.
The Trash Pandas (8-4) continue their series with the Shuckers (6-6) with on Friday 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 also be televised locally on WAAY 31.6, This TV.
Friday night will be the debut of the Trash Pandas’ new Halo Blue uniforms, which honor both the Trash Pandas’ parent club, the Los Angeles Angels, and the local aerospace community. Fans can also enjoy berry blue lemonade, Halo Blue draft beer, signature blue cocktails, and blue ice cream.
After the game, a stunning fireworks show will light up the sky above Toyota Field, presented by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The Trustmark VIP Gate will open at 5 p.m. All gates will open at 5:30 p.m.
