Three solo home runs by the Rocket City Trash Pandas offense and a 10-strikeout performance by starting pitcher Reid Detmers led to a 3-1 victory Saturday night over the Chattanooga Lookouts at Toyota Field.

All of the runs for both teams came in the second inning. Chattanooga scored first in the top of the frame on an RBI single up the middle by Yoel Yanqui after a leadoff double by Lorenzo Cedrola.

They say good things come in threes, and that’s exactly what happened in the bottom of the second for the Trash Pandas. Dalton Pompey got things going led off the inning with a solo shot to right-centerfield to tie the game at 1-1. A few batters later, Izzy Wilson drove one deep over the wall to right-center, his seventh of the season, to give the Trash Pandas a 2-1 lead. Gavin Cecchini continued the long ball streak, hitting a home run over the left field wall, making it back to back home runs and a 3-1 lead for the Trash Pandas.

That lead remained intact throughout the game for Rocket City due to a stellar pitching performance by Detmers over five innings and two solid outings for a pair of Trash Pandas relievers.

Detmers allowed five hits along with his 10 strikeouts. Connor Higgins closed things out in the ninth for Rocket City, despite loading the bases with just one out. Higgins received his third save of the year, allowing one hit, one walk and two strikeouts. Keith Rogalla tossed three scorless innings for Rocket City in between the outings of Detmers and Higgins. Chattanooga’s Randy Wynne got the loss for the Lookouts, allowing three home runs.

Rocket City totaled eight hits on the night. Pompey and Wilson led their team with two hits apiece including a single and home run.

Thursday’s games

Rocket City 4, Chattanooga 2

The first game of the doubleheader Thursday was the result of Wednesday’s postponement due to inclement weather.

Chattanooga struck first in the top half of the fourth inning to give the Lookouts a 1-0 lead, ending Trash Pandas’ starter Denny Brady’s day on the hill.

Brady gave up one run on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts in his four innings of work.

The Trash Pandas tied things up at 1-1 right out of the gate in the bottom of the fifth. Anthony Mulrine led off the inning with a solo home run over the left field wall. Two batters later, Ray-Patrick Didder tripled to center. Orlando Martinez hit a RBI double down the right field line, scoring Didder and giving Rocket City a 2-1 lead. That lead increased to 4-1 later in the inning on a two-RBI single to center field by David MacKinnon.

The Lookouts added one more run in the seventh off of Rocket City reliever Boomer Biegalski, but despite the threat, reliever Rogalla was able to come in and get the save for the Trash Pandas.

Biegalski got the win for Rocket City, his first ever Double-A win. He gave up one run on two hits with one strikeout in his 2 2/3 innings of work.

Didder and MacKinnon each had two hits.

Chattanooga 5, Rocket City 1

Chattanooga once again got on the board first in the top of the second on an RBI triple by T.J. Hopkins off of Trash Pandas starting pitcher Cooper Criswell.

Mitch Nay quickly tied things up in the bottom of the frame for the Trash Pandas on a solo home run over the left field wall, his fifth of the season.

Chattanooga retook the lead 5-1 in the fifth on a two-run shot by Yanqui and a RBI double by Jay Schuyler. Hopkins added his second RBI of the game on a sacrifice fly, ultimately giving the Lookouts a 5-1 victory over the Trash Pandas in the second game of the doubleheader.

Criswell gave up five runs on eight hits with one walk and seven strikeouts. In his 5 2/3 innings.

Rocket City tallied six hits in the second game, with Nay’s being the only extra-base hit. MacKinnon, however, increased his hit streak to 12 games.

Friday’s game

Chattanooga 11, Rocket City 3

The Rocket City Trash Pandas found themselves behind early Friday and were never able to mount a serious comeback, taking an 11-3 loss in Game 4 of the series against the Chattanooga Lookouts.

Chattanooga scored one run in the top of the first and added to their lead in the second on a solo home run by Chuckie Robinson. That 2-0 lead was doubled to 4-0 in the same inning after a Trash Pandas fielding error.

That would eventually put an end to Jake Lee’s start for the Trash Pandas. He allowed four runs, one earned, on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts in his four innings pitched.

Oliver Ortega came in for relief for Lee, and things didn’t go much better for the Trash Pandas later in the sixth. After increasing their lead to 5-0 in the fifth, Chattanooga’s Yanqui hit a two-run single right before a bases clearing three-run double by Robbie Tenerowicz for the Lookouts to take a 10-0 lead.

Wilson finally got Rocket City on the board in the seventh on a 442-foot three-run blast to right. Chattanooga’s starter Hunter Greene kept the Trash Pandas in check all game except for the late home run. He gave up three runs on seven hits with one walk and 10 strikeouts.

Orlando Martinez went 3-for-4 at the plate for Rocket City. MacKinnon, who had a 12-game hitting streak heading into the game, had his hitting streak snapped with an 0-for-4 night at the plate.

Sunday’s game

Rocket City, Chattanooga: Postponed due to rain

The game will be made up at Toyota Field Thursday, August 19, as part of a doubleheader. The first pitch of Game 1 against the Chattanooga Lookouts will be 5:05 p.m. Tickets from Sunday’s game can be exchanged for another ticket for any other future 2021 Rocket City home game at Toyota Field. The tickets must be exchanged in person.

The Trash Pandas will be back on the road tonight, beginning a six-game series with the Tennessee Smokies at Smokies Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.