Rocket City defeats Knoxville 9-2, moves within one victory of Southern League Championship Series
MADISON — Eddie Micheletti Jr. broke a sixth-inning tie with a three-run home run, and four Rocket City relievers combined for four perfect innings as the Trash Pandas (1-0) defeated the Knoxville Smokies (0-1), 9-2, Tuesday night at Toyota Field in Game 1 of the best-of-three Southern League North Division Series.
The victory was Rocket City’s first postseason win at Toyota Field and moved the Trash Pandas within one win of their first Southern League Championship Series appearance. Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville, with first pitch at 6:00 pm.
After closing the regular season with 14 home runs during a 5-1 series victory at Chattanooga, Rocket City carried that power into the postseason. Caleb Bartolero, Micheletti and Arjun Nimmala each homered, while the pitching staff limited Knoxville to three hits and retired its final 16 batters.
With the game tied 2-2 in the sixth, Jacob Cozart singled with one out to end Knoxville starter Brooks Caple’s night. Bartolero reached on a fielder’s choice against reliever Tyler Schlaffer, and Tucker Flint was hit by a pitch to put two runners aboard with two outs. Micheletti drove Schlaffer’s first pitch over the center-field wall for a 5-2 lead as chants of “Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!” rang out at Toyota Field.
The decisive swing continued Micheletti’s strong finish to the regular season. After collecting three hits and three RBI in Sunday’s division-clinching win at Chattanooga, he matched both totals Tuesday, finishing 3-for-4 with a homer, three RBI and two runs scored.
Rocket City added four runs in the eighth to put the game away. Flint walked, and Micheletti singled before Jake Thompson drove both home with a triple to center. Anthony Scull’s RBI groundout brought home Thompson, and Nimmala capped the inning with a two-out solo homer to left-center, stretching the advantage to 9-2.
Nimmala’s blast followed a seven-homer September that led Minor League Baseball during the regular season. The Angels’ top prospect also delivered go-ahead home runs in two of Rocket City’s final four regular-season games.
Bartolero opened the scoring on Caple’s first pitch of the second inning, launching a solo homer to left-center. Flint followed with a walk and moved around the bases before scoring on Scull’s groundout for a 2-0 lead. Bartolero entered the playoffs after batting .385 with two homers and 10 RBI during the Chattanooga series.
Knoxville answered with Angel Cepeda’s leadoff homer in the third. An inning later, Ariel Armas drew a two-out walk and scored on Carter Trice’s double to tie the game. The Smokies did not put another runner aboard.
Making his professional postseason debut, Tyler Bremner allowed two runs on three hits over five innings, walking two and striking out four. The Angels’ top pitching prospect threw 79 pitches, including 50 strikes, and finished by retiring his final four batters.
Camden Minacci (W, 1-0) struck out two in a perfect sixth to earn the victory. Lucas Mahlstedt followed with two strikeouts in the seventh, Chris Cortez added a perfect eighth with one strikeout, and Kenyon Yovan retired the side in order in the ninth. The four relievers needed just 51 pitches to record the final 12 outs.
Caple (L, 0-1) took the loss after allowing three runs on four hits over 5.1 innings, with two walks and four strikeouts.
Thompson finished 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBI, while Cozart added two hits. Flint reached base in all four plate appearances with two walks and two hit-by-pitches, scoring three runs. Scull drove in two runs, and Rocket City collected four more two-out RBI after producing 31 during its final regular-season series.
One year after finishing 45-92, the Trash Pandas followed a 72-65 regular season—the second-best record in club history—with a victory in their first playoff appearance since 2022. Rocket City also won the opener against the Smokies that year before dropping the final two games.
The Trash Pandas will look to finish the series Thursday, with RHP Austin Gordon scheduled to face Knoxville RHP Brody McCullough. If necessary, Game 3 will be played Friday in Knoxville at 6:00 pm CT. Should Rocket City advance, Toyota Field will host Game 2 of the Southern League Championship Series on Tuesday, September 22, and Game 3, if necessary, on Wednesday, September 23.
Tickets are on sale now for potential Southern League Championship Series games at Toyota Field. If the Trash Pandas advance, Rocket City will host Game 2 on Tuesday, September 22, and Game 3, if necessary, on Wednesday, September 23. Fans can purchase tickets HERE, at the Wicks Family Foundation Box Office, or by calling (256) 325-1403.
