An early 3-0 lead was enough for the Rocket City Trash Pandas (16-16, 51-49) as the Columbus Clingstones (16-16, 45-51) got a two-RBI game from Luke Waddell but little else on offense in their 3-2 loss on Saturday night at Synovus Park.
Decisive Plays: Rocket City took a 1-0 first inning lead on an RBI double from Tucker Flint. An RBI double from Jake Munroe and an RBI single from Caleb Bartelero in the third inning extended the lead to 3-0. Columbus punched back with a solo home run from Wadell (8) in the fourth. After a leadoff triple from Dalton McIntyre in the sixth, Waddell drove him in on an RBI groundout to cut the deficit to one. The Columbus bullpen held Rocket City scoreless, but Columbus managed only three hits on offense and went down in order in the ninth.
Key Contributors: Waddell (1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI) provided the offense for Columbus while Isaac Gallegos (3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO) anchored 6.2 scoreless innings for the Columbus bullpen. For Rocket City, Munroe (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) and Flint (1-for-4, 2B, RBI) drove in runs with extra-base hits.
Notable: Gallegos tied his single-game career high of 3.0 innings. Columbus struck out 10 batters as a pitching staff for the 17th time in 32 games in the second half. Columbus falls to 14-15 in one-run games this season.
Next Game (Sunday, August 2): Columbus vs. Rocket City, 4:05 p.m. ET at Synovus Park. LHP Julio Robaina (3-3, 2.87 ERA) will start for Columbus opposed by RHP Eybersson Polanco (4-6, 3.42 ERA) for Rocket City. Radio Broadcast: 3:50 p.m. ET on SportsVisions 92.1 FM. Stream: Bally Sports Live.