Championship Bound! Trash Pandas rout Smokies 13-3 to complete sweep of Smokies
KNOXVILLE— The Rocket City Trash Pandas (2-0) punched their ticket to the Southern League Championship Series for the first time in franchise history Thursday night, overpowering the Knoxville Smokies (0-2), 13-3, at Covenant Health Park to complete a two-game sweep of the North Division Series.
Four years after the Smokies ended Rocket City’s first postseason appearance in the 2022 North Division Series, the Trash Pandas emphatically won the rematch — and extended their season to the championship round.
Jacob Cozart collected three hits and four RBI; Tucker Flint and Arjun Nimmala joined him in the home run column, and Austin Gordon delivered five scoreless innings as Rocket City followed Tuesday’s 9-2 victory with another commanding performance. The Trash Pandas outscored Knoxville 22-5, outhit the Smokies 23-12 and launched six home runs during the sweep, never trailing in either game.
Rocket City will open the best-of-three championship series Sunday evening, at 6:35 pm, in Biloxi against the Shuckers, who completed their own South Division Series sweep Thursday with an 8-3 victory over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. The Trash Pandas will host Game 2 on Tuesday, September 22, and Game 3, if necessary, on Wednesday, September 23, at Toyota Field.
The championship berth adds another milestone to a remarkable turnaround. One year after finishing 45-92 with Minor League Baseball’s worst record, Rocket City improved by 27 wins, finished 72-65 and captured the North Division second-half title. Now, the Trash Pandas are two wins from their first Southern League championship.
Flint got Thursday’s scoring started in the second inning. After Caleb Bartolero opened the frame with a single, Rocket City’s career home run leader drove a two-run shot to center field off Knoxville starter Brody McCullough for a 2-0 lead.
The Trash Pandas broke the game open with four more runs in the third. Nimmala reached on an error and Nick Rodriguez doubled before Jake Munroe’s sacrifice fly made it 3-0. Cozart followed with an RBI double, chasing McCullough after 2.1 innings. Bartolero was hit by a pitch, and Eddie Micheletti Jr. delivered a two-out, two-run double off Dawson Netz to stretch the advantage to 6-0.
Rocket City kept swinging in the fourth. Nimmala belted a solo homer to left, giving him a home run in both games of the series after leading Minor League Baseball with seven during the regular-season portion of September. Following a Rodriguez walk, Cozart added a two-out, two-run homer to right for a 9-0 cushion.
Gordon made that early support stand up in his postseason debut. The Southern League’s August Pitcher of the Month scattered five hits and a walk while striking out four, throwing 52 of his 72 pitches for strikes. He induced double plays in the fourth and fifth innings and earned the victory after keeping Knoxville off the scoreboard through five.
The Smokies threatened in the sixth, loading the bases against Nicolo Pinazzi on a walk and two hit batters. Lucas Mahlstedt entered and allowed an RBI single to Ariel Armas before retiring the next three hitters, including two on strikeouts, to strand the bases loaded and preserve a 9-1 lead. Camden Minacci followed with a perfect seventh, striking out two.
Rocket City added another four-run inning in the eighth. Consecutive singles by Jake Thompson, Rodriguez, Munroe and Cozart produced two runs before Bartolero lifted a sacrifice fly. Cozart later scored on a balk to extend the lead to 13-1.
Knoxville scored once in each of the final two innings, but Carlos Espinosa prevented further damage. He entered with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth and immediately induced an inning-ending double play. In the ninth, he struck out Andy Garriola for the final out to seal the division title.
Cozart finished 3-for-5 with a double, a homer, four RBI and three runs, going 5-for-9 in the series. Nimmala, Rodriguez, Bartolero and Thompson each added two hits Thursday as Rocket City totaled 14 hits, including six doubles and three home runs. Eight of the nine starters recorded a hit.
Micheletti finished the series 4-for-8 with a homer, a double and five RBI, while Bartolero went 3-for-7 and Thompson finished 4-for-9 with a double and a triple. Rocket City’s pitching staff struck out 20 over the two games and posted a 2.50 ERA.
Tickets are on sale now for the Southern League Championship Series games at Toyota Field! Rocket City will host Game 2 on Tuesday, September 22, and Game 3, if necessary, on Wednesday, September 23. Tickets are available at TPTix.com.
