Trash Pandas Fall In Finale To Barons 12-4

The Rocket City Trash Pandas fell behind early and were unable to stifle the Birmingham Barons attack in a 12-4 loss in the finale of their six-game series on Sunday afternoon at Toyota Field.

Despite the loss, the Trash Pandas won the series four games to two and hold a 13-8 record through the first 21 games of the season.

Leading off the game, Lenyn Sosa gave the Barons the lead with a home run on Cristopher Molina’s sixth pitch of the afternoon. Alex Destino’s RBI single made it 2-0 before Molina (L, 1-1) could get through the frame.

Rocket City got one back in the bottom of the inning against Birmingham’s Scott Blewett (W, 1-0) when Preston Palmeiro crushed a double off the wall in center, scoring Livan Soto to make it a 2-1 game.

Craig Dedelow homered to get the run back in the second and Evan Skoug’s RBI single increased the lead to 4-1. Raudy Read added on with a solo homer in the third for the visitors.

Molina lasted 1.2 innings, giving up four home runs on seven hits with one walk and one strikeout to take the loss in his first start of the season.

Trash Pandas catcher Zach Humphreys launched his fourth homer of the season in the bottom of the sixth to make it 5-2. But Rocket City would get no closer.

Read’s second home run of the day, a three-run shot off reliever Luis Ledo, broke the game open at 8-2. Evan Skoug and Tyler Neslony each added a two-run shot for the Barons in the ninth to break into double digits for the second time in three days.

Rocket City center fielder Bryce Teodosio crushed a pair of solo home runs, first in the seventh inning and then in the ninth, to record his first career multi-home run game and bring the score to 12-4, the eventual final. The home runs give Teodosio five for the season and four in the six-game series against the Barons.

Birmingham was led by a pair of home runs from Read in a 3-for-4 performance with four RBI. For the Trash Pandas, Teodosio, Humphreys, and Jose Gomez each recorded a pair of hits while Aaron Whitefield’s ninth-inning single extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

The Trash Pandas (13-8) continue their homestand with a six-game series against the Chattanooga Lookouts (13-8) beginning on Tuesday 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 also be televised locally on WAAY-31.6, This TV (Ch. 1181 on XFinity, Ch. 155 on WOW! Legacy, Ch. 45 on WOW'S TV+, Ch. 150 on Scottsboro Cable, Ch. 176 on Fayetteville Utilities).

At Tuesday’s game, 2,000 adults ages 18 and older will receive a special Trash Pandas Duffel Bag, presented by Accenture. Every Tuesday at Toyota Field is Reeds Jewelers Ladies Night, where ladies will have the opportunity to win great prizes while everyone can enjoy drink specials. Tuesday is also Public Services Appreciation night, where the Trash Pandas will recognize local members of the community servicing in the Federal, State, and Local government in Huntsville.