Trash Pandas Eliminated With 3-1 Loss
The Rocket City Trash Pandas season came to an end on Friday night, lacking the clutch hit they desperately needed in a 3-1 loss to the Tennessee Smokies in Game 3 of the North Division Series at Toyota Field. The Smokies used power pitching to win both games at Toyota
The Rocket City Trash Pandas season came to an end on Friday night, lacking the clutch hit they desperately needed in a 3-1 loss to the Tennessee Smokies in Game 3 of the North Division Series at Toyota Field.
The Smokies used power pitching to win both games at Toyota Field, allowing just three runs over the two games to win the series two games to one, advancing to the Southern League Championship Series against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
Trash Pandas starter Mason Erla worked around a one-out single in the first to begin the night with a scoreless frame. In the second, he retired the side in order, with the help of his defense. With two outs and nobody on, Luis Vazquez crushed Erla’s 1-1 pitch to deep center. Racing back to the wall, Trash Pandas center fielder Bryce Teodosio made an incredible leaping catch near the fence to rob Vazquez of extra bases and keep the game scoreless. Tennessee starter Chris Clark was equally as sharp, setting down the first six Trash Pandas in order.
Lading off the third, former Angels farmhand Harrison Wenson broke the tie for the Smokies with a solo home run to left field. Singles from Yonathan Perlaza and Jake Slaughter put two on with one out. Erla escaped further damage by striking out Bryce Ball and getting Nelson Maldonado to ground out, ending the inning with one run across. That would be Erla’s final inning. Over three innings, Erla allowd one run on four hits, striking out five.
In the bottom of the frame, Jeremiah Jackson roped a leadoff single to start the inning, the first base runner against Clarke. Teodosio also singled and Zach Neto walked to load the bases with one out. In a patient eight pitch at-bat, Preston Palmeiro took a walk to tie the game 1-1. Clarke (W, 1-0) also got through the inning with one run across, getting Logan O’Hoppe to pop up to first and Aaron Whitefield to fly out to right, stranding the bases loaded. Coleman Crow made a rare relief appearance for the Trash Pandas in the fourth, striking out a pair in a one, two, three inning.
Luke Murphy (L, 0-1) was next into the game for Rocket City in the fifth and struggled, as a walk and a throwing error on a bunt put two on with nobody out. Slaughter put the Smokies back in front with a single to center, plating Wenson. The run is the first allowed by Murphy at home in the entire season, spanning 20 relief appearances and 27.2 innings. He left the bases loaded, striking out Cole Roederer to end his only inning on the mound.
Closer Eric Torres entered early in the top of the sixth to keep the game close, and he did just that by throwing two scoreless innings, ending his night with a strikeout of Roederer to strand runners on second and third in the seventh.
For Tennessee, Clarke pitched six strong innings, allowing one run on five hits with one walk and seven strikeouts. Samuel Reyes was first out of the bullpen in the seventh and got out of a jam by striking out Palmeiro to end the inning with runners on first and second.
Tennessee native Ben Joyce was called on in the eighth and struck out the first two men he faced. However, Wenson followed by delivering the crushing blow, a solo homer to left for his second big fly of the night and a 3-1 Smokies lead in the eighth.
From there, Reyes (S, 1) pitched a scoreless eighth and Kolton Ingram did the same in the ninth for Rocket City. Down to their last three outs, the Trash Pandas began the inning with a single by Jackson. But Reyes ended the game by retiring the next three hitters, finishing the series by getting Zach Neto to pop out to Strumpf at second.
The loss wraps up an incredible season for the Trash Pandas that saw them finish as first and second half regular season champions with a record of 81-57, ending with the regular season with the most home wins in Minor League Baseball with 49.
The third season in Trash Pandas history begins on Thursday, April 6, 2023 against the Chattanooga Lookouts at Toyota Field.
Debating best Minor League home caps on podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
The Omaha Storm Chasers' 'Take Meow-t' cat night included a Litter Box Sundae
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Boston's Triple-A affiliate throws birthday bash for Roman Anthony
With all the hype that has surrounded Roman Anthony over the past two seasons, it’s easy to forget how young he really is. MLB's No. 1 prospect played 70 games at the highest level of the Minors before he could order a beer. But he can now. Roman Anthony turned
Friendly foes, 2024 first-rounders Moore and Caglianone trade first Triple-A homers
For years, Christian Moore and Jac Caglianone laced up their cleats against one another in the SEC. A rivalry that spanned Florida, Tennessee and other landmarks across the South moved to Salt Lake City this week as the Royals and Angels' top prospects got simultaneous Triple-A promotions. So it was
Phillies' Moore, Fausnaught join MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Red Sox prospect rips double THROUGH Fenway-esque scoreboard
Red Sox No. 4 prospect Franklin Arias, an infielder for High-A Greenville, REALLY didn’t want to let visiting Asheville score any runs in the top of the eighth inning on Friday night. With runners on first and second base in the bottom of the fourth, Arias showed he apparently held
April's hottest hitting prospects -- one for each organization
The Minor League season is a month old and several of the game's best hitting prospects are off to fast starts. Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony is tearing up Triple-A (just like he did at the end of last year), Padres shortstop Leo De Vries is leading the High-A Midwest
Check out the best -- and wackiest -- Minor League promos happening in May
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Orioles' Honeycutt joins The Show Before the Show
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
MiLB podcast coming LIVE to a Somerset this June
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
New ballparks highlight 2025 MiLB road trip stops
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Minor League Baseball partners with TruGreen
FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- TruGreen, the nation's leading lawn care treatment provider, is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Minor League Baseball that includes activations across all 120 clubs, a makeover of the home dugout in each market, sponsorship of select MiLB team grounds crews, and a new initiative called
Podcast explains why the Syracuse Mets are looking for Jim Morrison
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Dash im-prom-tu promo and Mets' Suero joins the podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Minor League Baseball partners with Circle K
Minor League Baseball announced a new national partnership with Circle K, which will see the convenience store giant become the “Official Convenience Store of Minor League Baseball.” During the 2025 season, the Circle K brand will be integrated into the MiLB in-stadium experience through in-game video board assets at most
These 15 moments led to season No. 15 of Minor League road trips
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast crew makes Opening Day predictions
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Everything you need to know for Triple-A Opening Day
First, there was big league Opening Day. Now it's Triple-A's turn to take the spotlight. The Minor League season opens Friday when the Triple-A International League and Pacific Coast League seasons get underway for the first of MiLB’s two Opening Days. And right out of the gates, several of baseball's
Top prospects to watch at Triple-A -- one for each organization
It’s Triple-A’s turn up to bat on Friday. The regular season begins for the Minor Leagues’ highest level one day after the action starts on the Major League side. Fun fact: it’ll be the earliest start to a Minor League season since 1951 (March 27). Double-A, High-A and Single-A will
Here's where every Top 100 prospect is expected to start the season
The 2025 Opening Day prospect roster announcements began last week when the Cubs informed Matt Shaw (MLB No. 19) he was making the trip overseas to compete in the Tokyo Series. Roki Sasaki (No. 1) also received the good news, but his assignment was much less of a surprise. Now
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition: