On the strength of three home runs, the Rocket City Trash Pandas rebounded for a 9-2 win over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
Moved up to the No. 2 spot in the lineup, outfielder Gustavo Campero hit a two-run home run in the third for his second of the season. That followed Nelson Rada’s first Double-A extra-base hit one batter prior.
Infielder Arol Vera doubled in the fourth to add two more onto the Trash Pandas lead. Rada hit a sacrifice fly later in the frame to bring Vera around.
The big hit in the fourth came from Campero who hit his second home run of the game, this time a solo shot, again off Pensacola starting pitcher Luis Palacios
(L, 0-2). It’s the second multi-homer game in Campero’s career who last did so in July of last season with High-A Tri-City.
Pensacola finally cracked Trash Pandas starting pitcher Chase Chaney (W, 1-0) in the sixth as infielder Harrison Spohn doubled to drive in a run. Outfielder Javier Sanoja hit a line drive for another run-scoring single later in the inning.
Chaney was taken out after that hit after tossing 5.2 innings and working around 11 hits, Eric Torres entered from the bullpen and struck out the first man he faced to end the inning.
The Rocket City starting pitcher earned his first Double-A win.
Rocket City got those runs back in the seventh as catcher Tyler Payne hit a run-scoring single and infielder Kyren Paris grounded into a fielder’s choice to get the Trash Pandas back to an 8-2 advantage.
Infielder Cole Fontenelle added another with a ninth-inning home run for his first at the Double-A level.
That would be more than enough for the Trash Pandas to even the series back up and get back over .500 at 6-5 on the season.
The Trash Pandas and Blue Wahoos will meet again on Thursday at 6:05 p.m. at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Josh Caray will have the call on WZZN 97.7-HD2.
