Biscuits Top Trash Pandas, 8-6

MADISON, Ala. – In what was the inaugural game between the Biscuits (26-27) and the Rocket City Trash Pandas (26-28), the Butter Blue put together an impressive ninth-inning comeback in what turned into a wild 8-6 Montgomery win in Tuesday night’s series opener at Toyota Field.

Former big leaguer Chris Rodriguez got the start for the Trash Pandas, and Biscuits lead-off hitter Garrett Whitley tallied the first-ever hit against Rocket City with a hustle infield single in the game’s first at-bat. A few batters later, Miles Mastrobuoni knocked in the first Biscuit run against the Trash Pandas with an RBI-single to make it 1-0 in the top of the first.

Tobias Myers started on the other side for the Biscuits and surrendered a towering lead-off home run to Luis Aviles Jr. that tied things up at one in the bottom of the first. Rodriguez and Myers each struck out four batters through the first two innings.

Rodriguez would finish his night with six strikeouts over the four innings of one-run ball before handing the reins to Ryan Clark. Clark worked a scoreless fifth, before Jonathan Aranda and Ford Proctor tagged the right-hander for an RBI-single each, handing the Biscuits the lead back at 3-1 in the sixth.

Myers went back out for the sixth, but allowed the first two batters to reach on a walk to Aviles Jr. and a single David MacKinnon. Jack Labosky was then summoned from the bullpen, and the right-hander struck out Orlando Hernandez, and then got Mitch Nay to ground into the inning-ending 6-4-3 double play. Laboksy would allow a sac fly to Gavin Cecchini in the seventh to make it a 3-2 contest.

Ivan Pelaez (5-5) came on for Labosky in the bottom of the eighth, and after allowing a lead-off single to Torii Hunter Jr., the southpaw served up another home run to Aviles Jr.—this one a two-run shot to left—to give the Trash Pandas their first lead of the game at 4-3.

The Biscuits would mount a comeback in the ninth, however. After Jim Haley grounded out against Keith Rogalla (0-2) to begin the inning, Moises Gomez was hit by a pitch. Cal Stevenson then walked before Whitley flew out to deep left and advanced both runners. Xavier Edwards then drew an impressive walk on a 3-2 pitch, and Mastrobuoni came through with a clutch two-out, two-run single on a two-strike pitch dumped into left to hand the Biscuits the lead back at 5-4. Aranda then crushed a two-run triple to right-center, and Ruben Cardenas yanked an RBI-single into left to cap off the five-run frame and make it 8-4.

Dalton Moats surrendered a two-run homer to left to Cecchini in the bottom of the ninth before striking out Anthony Mulrine. Then Chris Muller entered the game and very nearly allowed a game-tying two-run homer to Aviles Jr. whose double smacked off the top of the wall in left after a walk to Hunter Jr.. With runners at second and third and only one out, Muller buckled down and struck out MacKinnon and got Orlando Martinez to pop out to third to end a wild first game at Toyota Field.

The Biscuits will try to make it back-to-back wins against the Trash Pandas on Wednesday when Tommy Romero (0-0) squares off against Reid Detmers (2-3) at 6:35 PM CT.

The Biscuits will return to Riverwalk Stadium for a 12-game home stand starting on a Golden Biscuits Tuesday, with the first six-game series against the Biloxi Shuckers starting at 6:35 PM CT. The rest of the series will include a Military Wednesday presented by WOW! on Wednesday, July 14; Wizard Night with a T-Shirt Giveaway on Thursday, July 15; Korean Heritage Night with Jersey Auction supporting A-KEEP on Friday, July 16; 2K Night with MAX Fireworks on Saturday, July 17; and a Kids Jersey Giveaway presented by Hyundai Motor Manufacturing of Alabama on Sunday, July 18.