Wade Meckler homer lifts Trash Pandas to doubleheader split on Sunday at Toyota Field

MADISON – The Rocket City Trash Pandas (7-8) split a doubleheader with the Birmingham Barons (6-9) on Sunday afternoon in front of 4,939 fans at Toyota Field, finishing the first of five series between the clubs with a split. Birmingham took game one, 8-4, while Rocket City erased a 2-0 deficit to win game two, 4-2.

Game 1

The opener featured early back-and-forth action. Birmingham jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a two-run home run by Alec Makarewicz, his second since joining the Barons on Thursday. Rocket City answered in the second, capitalizing on back-toback walks by Tucker Flint and Cole Fontenelle to open the inning. JJ D’Orazio singled home Flint, and Fontenelle scored on a Nick Rodriguez groundout to even the game at 2-2.

Birmingham regained the lead in the third, as Braden Montgomery tripled home a run and another scored on a sacrifice fly to make it 4-2. The top prospect for the White Sox had 11 hits in the series, which included seven extra-base hits. The Trash Pandas responded in the bottom half, as Flint doubled with two outs and came home on a Fontenelle triple, trimming the deficit to 4-3.

Rocket City starter Bryce Os- mond (L, 0-2) worked 4.2 innings and exited in the fifth after allowing a twoout RBI single. He finished with five runs allowed on six hits, with two walks and five strikeouts, leaving with the Pandas trailing 5-3.

Efrain Contreras made his organizational debut in relief and surrendered back-to-back home runs to Adam Fogel and Samuel Zavala in the sixth, extending Birmingham’s lead to 8-3. Rocket City added a run in the bottom of the inning when Flint doubled to lead off and later scored on Rodriguez’s second RBI single of the game. Luke Murphy walked one and struck out one in a scoreless eighth inning.

Birmingham used four pitchers in the win, with White Sox No. 7 prospect Christian Oppor allowing three runs over 3.0 innings in the start. Jake Bockenstedt (W, 1-0) earned the win with a scoreless fourth inning.

Flint finished 2-for-2 with two doubles, a walk, and three runs scored.

Game 2

The nightcap was controlled early by strong starting pitching. Rocket City’s Ryan Costeiu (W, 1-0), making his second start of the series after being lifted in the first inning on Tuesday, bounced back with 5.0 solid innings. He allowed two runs on four hits, walked one, and struck out four to earn the win.

Birmingham broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning on a two-run home run by Samuel Zavala, his fourth of the season, to take a 2-0 lead.

Jake Palisch (L, 0-1), facing Rocket City for the 15th time in his career, was dominant through four innings, holding the Trash Pandas hitless with just two baserunners. But Rocket City broke through in the bottom of the fifth. Flint drew a leadoff walk, and David Calabrese followed with an automatic double that bounced over the center field wall, putting two runners in scoring position. David Mershon brought home Flint with a sacrifice fly, and Mac McCroskey singled in Calabrese to tie the game at 2-2.

Wade Meckler then gave Rocket City the lead for good with a 406-foot, two-run home run over the right field wall, his team-leading third of the season, making it 4-2.

McCroskey has now reached base safely and scored a run in nine straight games. Meckler ended the day leading the Southern League with a .405 batting average and a .500 on-base percentage. Flint scored four runs in the doubleheader and now ranks tied for sixth in the league with 11 runs on the season.

Leonard Garcia (S, 1) pitched the final 2.0 innings to earn his first save of the season. The lefty struck out three and retired all six batters to finish off the win.

The Trash Pandas hit the road for a six-game road series in Biloxi, starting on Tuesday night at Keesler Federal Park. The first pitch is set for 6:05 pm with Rocket City sending out RHP Austin Gordon (1-0, 3.86) against RHP Ryan Birchard (0-0, 4.00). Fans can catch the broadcast with Josh Caray and Chris Harris on ESPN 97.7 The Zone and Talk Radio WZZN 97.7 HD-2. The game can be viewed on MiLB.tv, MLB.TV, and the free Bally Sports Live app.

Rocket City returns to Toyota Field for a sixgame homestand against the Knoxville Smokies, April 28 to May 3.