Dingers Doom Trash Pandas In 13-3 Loss

A barrage of home runs in the middle innings from the Chattanooga Lookouts handed the Rocket City Trash Pandas a 13-3 loss in the fifth game of their seven-game series on Friday night in front of a crowd of 6,531 at Toyota Field.

The Trash Pandas got the scoring started in the bottom of the first against Chattanooga starter Randy Wynne. Ray-Patrick Didder led off with a line drive single that deflected off the glove of the Chattanooga shortstop. Orlando Martinez followed with a towering 404-foot two-run homer to right to give Rocket City the early 2-0 edge.

Making his Double-A debut, Trash Pandas starter Robinson Pina was able to make that lead stand for the first few innings. In the second, catcher Michael Cruz threw out Quincy McAfee trying to steal to get Pina through the inning unscathed.

Didder kept his hot streak going in the bottom of the third by leading off with a single, stealing second, and coming home to score on a ground ball to extend the Rocket City lead to 3-0.

After cruising through the third, Pina began to unravel in the fourth. Wilson Garcia and Robbie Tenerowicz each singled to start the inning. Mark Koloszvary then tied the game with a three-run homer to left.

Chattanooga again began the inning with back-to-back singles in the fifth before Lorenzo Cedrola hit a three-run homer of his own to left-center to give the Lookouts the lead for the first time. Drew Mount added to the lead with a solo shot to left to make it 7-3 Chattanooga.

In his first start with Rocket City, Pina (L, 0-1) gave up seven earned runs on seven hits with two walks and seven strikeouts over five innings to suffer the loss.

Kieran Lovegrove was first out of the bullpen for Rocket City and struggled, allowing six runs over two innings, including a grand slam from McAfee, to put the game out of reach at 13-3.

Luke Leftwich finished the game on the mound for the Trash Pandas by striking out five over two scoreless innings.

Martinez led the way at the plate by going 3-for-4 with his 14th home run of the season and two RBI while Didder was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

The Trash Pandas (47-45) resume their series with the Lookouts (44-47) on Saturday night. First pitch at Toyota Field is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio. The game will be televised locally on WAAY-31.6, This TV.