MADISON, AL — The Rocket City Trash Pandas (23-23, 58-56) snapped a season-high five-game losing streak with a 7-3 victory over the Biloxi Shuckers (20-26, 55-56) on Tuesday night at Toyota Field. Arjun Nimmala, the Angels' No. 1 prospect, launched his first home run since joining the organization, while Austin Gordon turned in another quality start to earn his sixth straight decision. The victory moved Rocket City within 2.5 games of first-place Knoxville in the Southern League North Division second-half standings while maintaining a 2.0-game advantage over Birmingham for the second North playoff spot, lowering the Trash Pandas' magic number over the Barons to 21.
Rocket City wasted little time getting on the board against Biloxi left-hander J.D. Thompson. Jake Munroe drew a two-out walk in the first before Jacob Cozart drove a two-run home run to right, his third with the Trash Pandas, for an early 2-0 advantage. Munroe's walk extended his franchise-record on-base streak to 31 consecutive games.
Gordon matched the early offense by retiring Biloxi in order in the first and working around a walk in the second. The right-hander struck out Luis Peña and Damon Keith in the second before setting the Shuckers down in order again in the third.
Nimmala added to the lead in the bottom of the third. The 20-year-old shortstop turned on a Thompson pitch and sent a solo home run to left, his first as a member of both the Trash Pandas and Angels organization, extending Rocket City's advantage to 3-0. The homer came in Nimmala's seventh game with Rocket City after being acquired from Toronto earlier this month.
Gordon continued to control the Shuckers through the middle innings. He worked around a one-out single from Josh Adamczewski in the fourth before striking out the side in the fifth, fanning Matthew Wood, Keith and Mike Boeve in succession. Biloxi finally broke through against Gordon in the sixth. Dylan O'Rae drew a leadoff walk and moved to third on a Braylon Payne single before scoring on Andrew Fischer's sacrifice fly, cutting Rocket City's lead to 3-1. Gordon prevented any further damage, retiring Adamczewski to end the inning.
The Trash Pandas immediately answered in the bottom half. Caleb Bartolero reached on an infield single and Tucker Flint followed with a single to right before Cole Fontenelle lined a two-run double to right, scoring both runners and restoring a four-run advantage at 5-1.
Gordon (W, 7-6) finished with 6.0 innings of one-run baseball, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out seven on 88 pitches. The outing marked his eighth quality start of the season and fourth in his last five starts.
The right-hander has now won six consecutive decisions and is 6-0 with a 2.20 ERA over his last seven starts dating back to July 6, striking out 50 while issuing only 11 walks during that span. Gordon lowered his season ERA to 4.39, third-best in the Southern League, now boasting 114 strikeouts, also third in the circuit, while making his league-leading 23rd start of the season.
Biloxi made one final push in the seventh against Bryce Osmond. Peña singled and pinch-hitter Darrien Miller walked before Keith doubled to right to score Peña. Boeve followed with a groundout that brought home Miller, trimming the Trash Pandas' lead to 5-3. Osmond responded by striking out O'Rae and Payne to prevent the Shuckers from getting any closer.
Rocket City added two insurance runs in the eighth. Cozart opened the inning with a walk before Bartolero doubled to center to score him. After a wild pitch moved Bartolero to third, Fontenelle delivered his second RBI double of the night, bringing home Bartolero and extending the lead to 7-3.
Carlos Espinosa worked a scoreless eighth before returning for the ninth. After an error and walk put two runners aboard, Kenyon Yovan entered and stranded both, allowing only an infield single before striking out Payne to end the game and earn his 12th save of the season.
Fontenelle led the offense by going 2-for-3 with two doubles, a walk and three RBIs, while Bartolero finished 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI. Flint also recorded two hits, while Cozart and Nimmala supplied Rocket City's two home runs. The Trash Pandas finished with eight hits and scored seven runs despite striking out 15 times.
Munroe reached safely for the 31st consecutive game with his first-inning walk, extending the longest on-base streak by a Southern League player this season and adding to the franchise record he established Sunday in Knoxville.
The loss was Biloxi's 12th consecutive defeat after the Shuckers won the Southern League South Division first-half title.
The Trash Pandas and Shuckers continue their six-game series on Wednesday night at Toyota Field. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm with LHP Lucas Knowles (1-1, 4.62) starting for the Trash Pandas. Biloxi has not yet named a starter. Fans can watch Bally Sports Live, MiLB, or MiLB.TV. The game can be heard on ESPN 97.7 The Zone and Talk Radio WZZN 97.7 FM HD-2.