MADISON, Ala, — The Los Angeles Angels‘ Double-A Rocket City Trash Pandas allowed one hit in a doubleheader and only got a split.
Three pitchers combined on a seven-inning, no-hitter for the Trash Pandas only to lose 7-5 to the Cincinnati Reds‘ Chattanooga Lookouts in Saturday’s opener after wildness caused a seven-run top of the seventh.
Rocket City pitchers walked five, hit four batters and threw a run-scoring wild pitch in the seventh inning and were hurt by a dropped fly ball with the bases loaded on what could have been the final out.
Coleman Crow, a 22-year-old right-hander who was a 28th-round pick in the 2019 amateur draft, left with a 3-0 lead after six innings and 78 pitches. He struck out six and walked two.
Ben Joyce, a third-round draft pick last summer, relieved. The 22-year-old right-hander walked his first two batters, induced a popup and walked a third.
After a strikeout, Joyce (0-1) forced in a run with his fourth walk and got Jose Torres to fly to center. Jeremiah Jackson, a second-round draft pick in 2018, dropped the ball for an error that put the Lookouts ahead 4-3. Jackson, 23, was an infielder before the Angels started giving him outfield time last season.
Eric Torres, a 23-year-old left-hander who was a 14th-round pick in 2021, relieved and hit three straight batters with pitches, the last forcing in a run. Torres forced in another run with a four-pitch walk, then threw a wild pitch that increased the lead to 7-3. He hit another batter before an inning-ending strikeout.
Edgar Quero, a Cuban catching prospect who turned 20 on Thursday, hit a two-run single in the bottom half against Stevie Branche.
Andy Fisher (1-0) struck out two in a perfect sixth. Pedro Garcia relieved with two on and one out in the seventh and struck out Jackson and Tucker Flint for his second save.
Rocket City won the second game 3-0 on a one-hitter. Sam Bachman, the ninth overall pick in last year’s draft, allowed one hit in five innings – Rece Hinds’ leadoff double in the second – struck out nine and walked none. Brett Kerry finished with two hitless innings and four strikeouts.