Kerry Stellar In 5-3 Trash Pandas Win
Rocket City Trash Pandas starter Brett Kerry was superb on the mound and everyone in the offense chipped in for a 5-3 victory over the Mississippi Braves in front of an electric crowd of 6,435 at Toyota Field on Saturday night. Kerry (W, 5-4) earned his team-leading fifth win of
Rocket City Trash Pandas starter Brett Kerry was superb on the mound and everyone in the offense chipped in for a 5-3 victory over the Mississippi Braves in front of an electric crowd of 6,435 at Toyota Field on Saturday night.
Kerry (W, 5-4) earned his team-leading fifth win of the season with incredible efficiency on the mound. The righty needed just 73 pitches to tie a career-high with seven innings pitched, allowing two runs on six hits with no walks and six strikeouts to lead Rocket City.
He got double plays to work around trouble in each of the first two innings. The Trash Pandas would stake Kerry to a lead in the bottom of the second. Jose Gomez and Bryce Teodosio started the inning with singles to put runners on the corners. Mac McCroskey then placed a perfect squeeze bunt down the first base line, allowing Gomez to score the game’s first run.
Kerry picked off a runner in a scoreless third and shut the Braves down in order in the fourth. The Trash Pandas doubled the lead in the bottom of the frame on an RBI double from Tyler Payne to score Teodosio, who began the inning with a single.
Mississippi got on the board in the fifth a solo home run from Drew Campbell to cut the lead in half at 2-1. Kerry maintained the one-run lead with a quick top of the sixth. McCroskey started the bottom half with a single, advanced to second on an error and went to third on a ground ball before scoring on a wild pitch by Braves reliever Tyler Owens. Sonny DiChiara then laced an RBI single to center to make it a 4-1 game.
The M-Braves got a run back in the top of the seventh on Drew Lugbauer’s solo homer, his 22nd of the season. But that would be all they could muster against Kerry, who struck out Cal Conley to end a strong start.
Rocket City restored the lead in the bottom of the inning when Gomez started with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, stole third, and scored on an RBI fielder’s choice from Payne.
Nick Jones (S, 2) was first out of the Trash Pandas bullpen and fired a clean eighth with two strikeouts. Jones allowed a run in the ninth on a wild pitch. However, he was able to retire the next three hitters he faced after a leadoff double to finish the win and earn the save, his second of the season.
All nine Rocket City starters reached with either a hit or a walk. Payne drove in a pair in a 1-for-4 performance while Gomez and Teodosio each recorded two hits. Nolan Schanuel, Kyren Paris, and David Calabrese each took two walks from the top of the Rocket City lineup.
Mississippi starter Luis De Avila (L, 6-7) took the loss after giving up two runs in four innings. Lugbauer’s home run put him back into the Southern League lead with 22.
The Trash Pandas (49-58, 18-20 second half) wrap up the series against the M-Braves (49-57, 16-22 second half) on Sunday afternoon. First pitch at Toyota Field is set for 4:05 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.
At Sunday’s game, 1,000 kids ages 17 and younger will receive a special Trash Pandas youth replica jersey, presented by Wicks Family Foundation. The Trash Pandas will also be hosting a School Supplies Drive at Sunday’s game, benefitting Free2Teach. Fans that donate school supplies upon entry will receive raffle tickets for a chance to win autographed Trash Pandas memorabilia.