Trash Pandas Downed By Tennessee 19-2

Early defensive woes put the Rocket City Trash Pandas in a hole that only grew bigger as the night went on in a 19-2 loss to the Tennessee Smokies in front of a crowd of 5,767 at Toyota Field on Thursday night.

The ballgame began as a sloppy defensive affair. Rocket City starter Mason Erla (L, 1-2) nearly got through the first unscathed. But he was unable to handle a throw from first baseman Kevin Maitan while covering first base, allowing a run to score. On the very next play, second baseman Jose Gomez dropped a throw from shortstop Livan Soto, allowing a second run to score.

The Trash Pandas got the pair of runs back in the bottom of the inning. Edgar Quero reached with a one-out walk and Orlando Martinez doubled to put runners on second and third. Jeremiah Jackson got the Trash Pandas on the board with a single to left. Martinez came home with the tying run on an error from Tennessee first baseman Haydn McGeary on Tucker Flint’s ground ball, capping a first inning that saw four total runs and four total errors.

Luis Vazquez restored the Tennessee lead in the second with a two-run double to left and came home to score himself on a double play ground out from Chase Strumpf.

Two innings later, the Smokies broke the game open for good. Back-to-back home runs from Pete Crow-Armstrong and Vazquez got the inning started. RBI doubles from McGeary and Pablo Aliendo scored three more, and Andy Weber’s RBI single off Ivan Armstrong made it 11-2.

Over 3.1 innings, Erla allowed 11 runs, nine earned, on nine hits with five walks and two strikeouts to suffer his second loss of the season. Armstrong allowed two runs over 1.2 innings. Tennessee poured it on with six runs in the sixth against Dakota Donovan, led by BJ Murray’s grand slam to make it 19-2.

Brandon Dufault was next out of the Trash Pandas bullpen and pitched a scoreless seventh. Jose Gomez moved from second base to the mound for his first career pitching appearance in the eighth and retired the Smokies in order on just six pitchers. He finished the game on the mound for the Trash Pandas with a scoreless ninth.

Martinez was the only Rocket City player to record a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.

Tennessee was led at the plate by Vazquez, who went 5-for-7 with a home run, three RBI, and three runs scored. He and Crow-Armstrong each finished a triple shy of the cycle. The 19 runs scored by the Smokies tied for the most runs scored by an opponent in Trash Pandas history.

The Trash Pandas (12-12) and Smokies (14-10) continue their series with a 6:35 p.m. matchup on Friday night at Toyota Field. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio. The game will also be broadcast on WAAY 31.6, This TV. Following Friday’s game, a stunning fireworks show will light up the sky above the ballpark, presented by the United States Army.