MADISON, Ala — The Birmingham Barons jumped all over Trash Pandas starting pitcher George Klassen (L, 0-1), who allowed five runs on five hits in his Double-A debut, en route to a 9-5 win over Rocket City in front of 6,841 fans Saturday night at Toyota Field.
Birmingham got the ball rolling in the first. With one away, a walk to shortstop Jacob Gonzalez, and a single from rightfielder Wilfred Veras, which included, an error from Rocket City centerfielder David Mershon on Veras’ single put runners at second and third with one out. Leftfielder D.J. Gladney followed and blooped a single into center to score Gonzalez to put Birmingham on the board and move Veras to third. With runners at the corners, catcher Michael Turner followed with an RBI single of his own and the Barons led 2-0.
The visitors tacked on three more in the second. Two walks and a single loaded the bases with nobody out when Gonzalez lofted a sacrifice fly to center. The other two runners moved up on the play before Veras roped an RBI single to make it 4-0. Another sac fly from designated hitter Tyler Neslony to centerfield produced another run and put the Barons up five.
Birmingham scored another run in the fourth as Gonzalez walked with one away, went to third on a double from Veras, then scored on another sacrifice fly to center by Neslony to make the score 6-0.
The Trash Pandas finally got on the scoreboard in the fourth. First baseman Sam Brown led the inning off with a walk, went to second on a wild pitch, then scored when third baseman Ben Gobbel grounded a single into center.
However, Birmingham would respond with two more in the fifth. Centerfielder Terrell Tatum started the inning with a walk, then went to third on a single from first baseman Shawn Goosenberg. Second baseman Mario Camilletti came up next and lofted the fourth sac fly of the night, this time to left, as Tatum came across. Gonzalez then stood in and rocketed a double to center, scoring Goosenberg from first and making the count 8-1.
Rocket City got back into the game with three runs in the bottom-half. Second baseman Christian Moore started the inning with a single, then went to second on a walk to leftfielder Orlando Martinez. Designated hitter Chad Stevens came up next and rifled a two-run double to right-center to pull the Trash Pandas to within five. Later, Stevens advanced to third on a groundout, then scored on an RBI groundout to short from third baseman Ben Gobbel to make the score 8-4.
The home team got a run closer in the seventh when Stevens shot a line drive over the leftfield wall. The solo homer was his second dinger of the series and brought the count to 8-5.
The Barons, though, got that run back in the eighth. Gladney started the inning with a double. After a hit-by-pitch, a walk to Tatum would load the bases before a passed ball from Trash Pandas catcher Tyler Payne scored Gladney.
That was enough for the Barons bullpen as three pitchers held the Trash Pandas to a run on one hit over the final four frames with only one walk. The win went to reliever Jake Palisch (W, 4-2) who allowed a run on a hit over two frames with two strikeouts.
Birmingham banged out 11 hits with Veras going 3-5 with a double, run and RBI. Gladney finished 2-4 with a double, run and RBI as well.
Rocket City, on the other hand, had seven hits. Stevens went 2-5 with a homer, double and three RBI to lead the way. Moore was 2-5 with two singles and a run. He is now 13-24 (.542) with the Trash Pandas with four homers and six RBI.
The Trash Pandas and Barons will go at it in the final game of their six-game series Sunday afternoon with first pitch slated for 4:05. There will be a Sugar Skull Bobblehead Giveaway presented by Early Services. It will also be the final Lunaticos game of 2024 for the Trash Pandas. Afterwards, kids will get to run the bases sponsored by Listerhill Credit Union.
