MADISON, AL – Playoff baseball is returning to Toyota Field! The Rocket City Trash Pandas clinched their second postseason berth in franchise history Friday night following the Birmingham Barons’ loss to the Knoxville Smokies at Regions Field.
Rocket City will host Knoxville in Game 1 of the best-of-three Southern League North Division Series on Tuesday, September 15, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 pm at Toyota Field. The Trash Pandas’ playoff games are presented by Parsons! Tickets are available HERE.
The berth is Rocket City’s first since 2022 and sets up a postseason rematch with the Smokies. That season, the Trash Pandas won both halves of the North Division and finished a franchise-best 81-57 before falling to the Smokies in three games in the North Division Series.
With Knoxville already qualified as the first-half champion, Birmingham’s loss guarantees Rocket City a postseason spot regardless of which club wins the second half. The Trash Pandas can advance as the second-half champion or, if Knoxville wins both halves, as the club with the North Division’s next-best second-half record. Rocket City holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over Birmingham.
The Trash Pandas enter the final two games of the regular season with a 70-65 overall record and a 35-32 second-half mark. A 15-11 August, their best August since 2022, helped position the club for its return to the playoffs.
The season has featured several standout individual performances. Jake Munroe established a franchise record by reaching base in 38 consecutive games, while Tucker Flint became the club’s career leader in games, hits, home runs, RBI, runs, doubles and walks. Nick Rodríguez has collected 30 doubles and 120 hits through Friday.
On the mound, Austin Gordon earned Southern League Pitcher of the Month honors for August after going 4-0 with a 1.44 ERA and 33 strikeouts in four starts. Gordon also joined Lucas Mahlstedt and Camden Minacci in throwing the third no-hitter in franchise history, an 8-0 victory at Birmingham.
PLAYOFF TICKETS ON SALE NOW:
Tickets are on sale now for Trash Pandas playoff games at Toyota Field, presented by Parsons, including the North Division Series opener against Knoxville on September 15 at 6:35 pm and up to two Southern League Championship Series games, should Rocket City advance. Fans can purchase tickets HERE, at the Wicks Family Foundation Box Office or by calling (256) 325-1403.
ABOUT THE ROCKET CITY TRASH PANDAS
Owned and operated by BallCorps, LLC, the Rocket City Trash Pandas are the proud Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels in the Southern League. The Trash Pandas play at state-of-the-art Toyota Field in Madison, Alabama. The organization’s mission is to unite its communities by creating positive and lasting memories, one experience at a time.