MADISON, Ala — The Rocket City Trash Pandas (45-47, 12-12) offense was silenced for the second straight night in a pitchers duel between a pair of top prospects, falling 2-0 to the Chattanooga Lookouts (28-65, 8-16) on Friday night at Toyota Field. It was the 12th time this season Rocket City has been shut out.
With the shutout, Rocket City has now been held scoreless over their last 26.1 innings dating back to a four-run first inning in Tuesday’s win.
Neither team scored a run until the fourth when Lookouts infielder Francisco Urbaez laced an RBI double down the left-field line against Trash Pandas starting pitcher Caden Dana (L, 6-7) to score center fielder Bubba Thompson from second. Chattanooga added to its lead in the seventh when infielder Ruben Ibarra struck a solo home run that just cleared the glove of center fielder Nelson Rada to make the score 2-0.
The Lookouts got six shutout innings from starting pitcher and Cincinnati Reds top prospect Rhett Lowder (W, 2-4) who allowed one hit and struck out six batters on only 63 pitches. It was the fourth time this season that Dana, the top prospect for the Los Angeles Angels, faced the top pitching prospect of an opposing organization this season. He has now lost three 1-0 games and tonight’s 2-0 affair. It is also the fifth time he has pitched in a game where the Trash Pandas have been shut out.
Dana kept the Trash Pandas in the fight as he tossed a complete game and allowed just two runs on three hits and struck out 10 batters. The Trash Pandas right-hander became the club’s seventh pitcher in team history to throw a complete game. It’s also the third complete game by a Rocket City hurler this season with Jack Kochanowicz registering the other two.
The Trash Pandas will have two chances on Saturday to stop the drought as they face the Lookouts in a 7-inning doubleheader. First pitch of game one is set for 4:05 CT.
