Cabbage Slams Trash Pandas To 6-2 Win

MADISON, Alabama – On Fireworks Friday at Toyota Field, Trey Cabbage couldn’t wait for the lights to go out. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Rocket City Trash Pandas right fielder launched a walk-off grand slam to center for a 6-2 win over the Chattanooga Lookouts, sending the crowd of 6,108 into euphoria.

Tied at two in the bottom of the ninth, the Trash Pandas offense went to work. Pinch-hitter Zach Humphreys reached with a one-out single and stole second. Bryce Teodosio and Livan Soto then walked to load the bases, sending Cabbage to the plate with the game on the line. On reliever Ricky Salinas 2-2 pitch, Cabbage’s big fly went 413 feet off the batter’s eye in center field for his team-leading ninth home run of the season, ending Rocket City’s second straight walk-off win.

The win gives the Trash Pandas a 16-9 record over 25 games, the first time in Trash Pandas history the team has been seven games over .500.

Friday’s game also began in exciting fashion for the home team. Making his Double-A debut on the mound for the Trash Pandas, Angels top prospect Sam Bachman was sharp to start the game. In the first, he issued a two-out walk to Matt McLain before striking out Isiah Gilliam to end the inning.

Robbie Tenerowicz was hit by a pitch to start the second. Bachman quickly erased the runner as a nifty defensive play from Soto started a double play for the first two outs in a scoreless frame. In the third, Bachman needed just four pitches to induce two fly outs and a ground out to end his outing.

Bachman needed 33 pitches to throw three scoreless innings, allowing one hit and one walk with one strikeout.

In the bottom of the inning, Teodosio was hit by a pitch and Aaron Whitefield singled to extend his franchise record hitting streak to 15 games and put two runners on with two outs. Cabbage then broke his bat but was able to bloop a base hit to center for a double, allowing both Teodosio and Whitefield to come home with the game’s first runs.

Sean McLaughlin was first out of the bullpen for Rocket City and allowed a run in the fourth before a line drive double play ended the inning with the tying run on third base. In the fifth, McLaughlin worked a one, two, three inning to preserve the one-run lead.

Luke Murphy was called on next and he delivered two scoreless innings, working around a runner on second base each time to keep the 2-1 advantage for Rocket City. Eric Torres kept the score at 2-1 by recording three strikeouts in the eighth.

In the ninth, Chattanooga got even off Rocket City reliever Kolton Ingram as Leonardo Rivas hit a game tying solo homer to left. The tie wouldn’t last, as Cabbage’s slam gave the Trash Pandas their third win in the first four games of the series with Chattanooga.

Cabbage drove in all six Rocket City runs in a 2-for-5 performance with a double and the grand slam. Soto also recorded two hits while drawing a pivotal walk in the ninth.

The Trash Pandas (16-9) continue their series against the Lookouts (14-11) on Friday 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).

Following Saturday night’s game, a dazzling fireworks show will light up the Rocket City sky, presented by Avid Hotel.