COLUMBUS, Ga. — Down to their final out and still searching for their first run, the Rocket City Trash Pandas (15-16, 50-49) erased a three-run deficit with one swing before completing a stunning extra-inning comeback Friday night at Synovus Park.
David Calabrese tied the game with a two-out, three-run home run in the ninth inning, and Jake Munroe delivered a go-ahead three-run blast in the 10th to lift Rocket City to a 6-4 victory over the Columbus Clingstones (16-15, 45-50). The win evened the six-game series at 2-2, and marked the first time in 40 opportunities this season that the Trash Pandas won after trailing through eight innings.
For the fourth consecutive game in the series, Columbus scored first, again using the home run ball to build an early lead. Rocket City starter Nate Snead worked a perfect first inning before Carson Taylor singled to open the second and Adam Zebrowski followed with a two-run homer to right-center. The blast came in Zebrowski’s second consecutive at-bat dating back to Thursday night and was his fifth home run in 15 games against the Trash Pandas.
Luke Waddell added a towering solo home run to right-center with two outs in the third, extending the Clingstones’ advantage to 3-0. Snead responded by retiring the next 10 batters he faced to complete his third quality start. The right-hander needed just 54 pitches, 41 for strikes, to work 6.0 innings, allowing three runs on three hits while walking none and striking out four.
Rocket City’s offense was held in check by Columbus starter Brett Sears, who struck out eight batters over the first three innings and finished with a career-high 12 strikeouts. Sears scattered five hits and one walk over 7.0 scoreless innings, keeping the Trash Pandas off the scoreboard despite allowing traffic in the fourth and sixth.
Munroe doubled with one out in the fourth but was stranded at third. In the sixth, Raudi Rodriguez and Munroe singled before Caleb Bartolero added an infield hit to load the bases with two outs, but Sears escaped with the shutout intact.
Lucas Mahlstedt worked around a one-out single in a scoreless seventh, while Leonard Garcia retired the side in order and struck out one in the eighth. Tyler LaPorte, who replaced Sears, also set Rocket City down in order in the eighth as the game remained on pace to become one of the fastest in franchise history.
The Trash Pandas changed that script in the ninth.
Tucker Flint opened the inning with a walk, and Bartolero was hit by a pitch to bring the tying run to the plate. LaPorte recovered to strike out Jake Thompson and induce a foul popout from Juan Flores, leaving Rocket City one out from being shut out.
Calabrese then attacked the first pitch of his at-bat and lifted an opposite-field drive over the left-field wall, just beyond the reach of Logan Braunschweig, for a game-tying three-run home run. The blast was Calabrese’s fifth of the season and accounted for Rocket City’s first runs of the night. Blane Abeyta entered and recorded the final out, but the Trash Pandas had forced the game into the bottom of the ninth tied 3-3.
Columbus immediately threatened against Kenyon Yovan (W, 5-2). Waddell reached when his infield pop-up was dropped by Flint, and Taylor followed a strikeout with a single to center, placing runners at the corners with one out.
Manager Joe Kruzel countered by inserting Cole Fontenelle for Thompson and shifting to a five-man infield. Yovan struck out Zebrowski before intentionally walking Matt Scannell to load the bases. With the winning run 90 feet away, Yovan struck out Ambioris Tavarez to end the inning and strand all three runners.
Rocket City carried the momentum into the 10th. Automatic runner Mac McCroskey advanced to third on Raudi Rodriguez’s flyout, and Nick Rodriguez drew a walk to bring Munroe to the plate.
Munroe launched Abeyta’s first pitch over the left-field wall for a towering three-run homer, giving the Trash Pandas their first lead of the night at 6-3. The home run was Munroe’s third with Rocket City and his third in his last seven games. He reached safely four times, finishing 3-for-4 with a double, home run, walk, stolen base, three RBIs, and three total extra bases while extending the Southern League’s longest active on-base streak to 20 games.
Columbus pulled within two in the bottom of the 10th. Braunschweig led off with an infield single, and a throwing error allowed him to advance to second while automatic runner Lizandro Espinoza moved to third. Keshawn Ogans followed with a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Espinoza and trimming the deficit to 6-4.
Blake Weiman (S, 1) entered with one out and retired both batters he faced, striking out pinch-hitter Will Verdung before inducing Waddell to ground out to first to complete one of Rocket City’s most dramatic victories of the season.
Munroe led the Trash Pandas’ eight-hit attack, while Bartolero finished 2-for-4. Calabrese and Munroe combined to drive in all six Rocket City runs, with each delivering a three-run homer in the final two innings. Yovan earned the victory after striking out three over 1.1 innings, and Weiman recorded his first save of the season. Rocket City also improved to 2-5 in extra-inning contests.
The Trash Pandas and Columbus meet again on Saturday night at Synovus Park for game five of the six-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 pm CT, with RHP Ryan Costeiu (6-5, 6.44) starting for Rocket City, while Columbus has yet to announce a starter. Fans can watch on Bally Sports Live, MiLB.TV, or MLB.TV, and listen locally on ESPN 97.7 The Zone and Talk Radio WZZN 97.7 FM HD-2.
Upcoming Promotions at Toyota Field:
- Tuesday, Aug. 4: Tito's Tail Waggin' Tuesday welcomes fans and their dogs to Toyota Field, with proceeds benefiting local animal nonprofits. It's also Jimothy Night, where the first 200 kids will receive a Jimothy Raccoon mask while supplies last.
- Wednesday, Aug. 5: Bookworm Night, presented by Marx Optical, plus Wine Wednesday featuring $5 select wines.
- Thursday, Aug. 6: Grateful Dead Night featuring live music by Milltowne, Throwback Thursday with $3 domestic draft beers, and the first-ever postgame drone show at Toyota Field.
- Friday, Aug. 7: You Are Not Alone Night followed by Friday Night Fireworks.
- Saturday, Aug. 8: Space Night featuring specialty jerseys, a game-worn jersey auction, and Space Night Fireworks.
- Sunday, Aug. 9: PAW Patrol Day featuring a special appearance by Chase, a jersey auction, pregame player autographs, face painting, and Kids Run the Bases after the game.
Tickets are available at TPTix.com. Fans can book a group outing for the 2026 season by visiting trashpandasgroups.com or by calling the group sales department directly at (256) 325-1403, option 2. A complete promotional schedule for the season can be found HERE.
Fans are reminded that Toyota Field follows MiLB's clear bag policy. Guests are allowed one clear bag no larger than 12″ x 6″ x 12″ or a one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag. Small, clear clutches are also permitted. Exceptions will be made for medical needs and parents with infants (diaper bags). Learn more about this policy here.
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 our communities by creating positive and lasting memories one experience at a time.