MADISON, Alabama — Despite an electric crowd at Toyota Field for Opening Night, the Rocket City Trash Pandas surrendered a late home run to fall 4-3 to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos in the opening game of a six-game series on Tuesday night.
With the game tied 3-3 in the ninth, former Trash Pandas infielder Luis Aviles Jr. led off the frame with a line drive home run that just eluded the glove of Torii Hunter Jr. at the left field wall, giving the Blue Wahoos their first lead of the game, and it would be enough for the visitors.
In the bottom of the ninth, reliever Colton Hock hit Trey Cabbage with a pitch before retiring the next three hitters he faced to give the Trash Pandas their first loss of the 2022 season.
In the top of the first, Trash Pandas starter Coleman Crow escaped a first and third jam with one out by striking out Griffin Conine and inducing a fly out from Jerar Encarnacion, stranding the pair of runners.
Aaron Whitefield led off the bottom of the frame by drawing an eight-pitch walk, and he quickly wreaked havoc with his prowess on the basepaths. With Livan Soto at the plate, Whitefield stole second as catcher Paul McIntosh’s throw sailed into center field, allowing Whitefield to advance to third. Pensacola center fielder Victor Victor Mesa’s throw also went array on the infield, allowing Whitefield to trot home with the game’s first run.
An inning later, Torii Hunter Jr. reached on an error to start the frame and stole second. Anthony Mulrine followed by lining a double to the gap in right-center, plating Hunter Jr. for the second Rocket City run. Whitefield made it a 3-0 game with a sharp single the other way to right, scoring Mulrine to send the crowd of 5,629 to its feet.
Pensacola got one back in the third when Aviles Jr. led off with a walk, stole second, and came around to score on a single from McIntosh.
With two outs and a pair of runners on base in the fourth, Rocket City manager Andy Schatzley turned to the bullpen, brining in Jack Dashwood to protect the 3-1 lead. Dashwood ended the fourth with a strikeout of Aviles Jr, closing the book on Crow.
Over 3.1 innings in his Double-A debut, Crow allowed one run on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
However, he would not factor in the final decision as Pensacola rallied for two runs in the seventh off Dashwood to tie the game, capped by McIntosh’s RBI triple to score Mesa with the tying run.
Dashwood ended his Double-A debut by allowing two runs on four hits with five strikeouts over 3.1 innings. Zach Linginfelter kept the game tied for the Trash Pandas in the eighth, but Aviles Jr.’s shot in the ninth off Luis Ledo (L, 0-1) proved decisive.
Whitefield and Cabbage each stole a pair of bases for the Trash Pandas, who were held to two hits in the loss.
The Trash Pandas (3-1) and Blue Wahoos (1-3) continue their six-game series on Wednesday 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.