Cozart’s Walk-Off Blast Completes Epic 11-Inning, 10-9 Victory

MADISON, AL — Jacob Cozart picked the perfect time for the first multi-home run game of his professional career. Cozart launched a two-run walk-off home run, over the scoreboard, in the bottom of the 11th inning, capping an improbable four-run rally as the Rocket City Trash Pandas (31-27, 66-60) stunned the Montgomery Biscuits, 10-9, in Tuesday night’s series opener at Toyota Field. The victory kept the Trash Pandas in first place in the Southern League North standings, up a half-game on Knoxville, and extended their lead over Birmingham for the second playoff spot by one game.

Rocket City trailed 9-6 entering the bottom of the 11th before scoring four runs without recording an out to earn its 11th walk-off home run in club history and second in its last seven games at Toyota Field. The dramatic victory continued the Trash Pandas’ push toward the postseason and lowered their magic number to nine.

The Trash Pandas started the final regular-season homestand by striking first in the second inning. With one out, Tucker Flint launched a solo home run to right-center field off Montgomery starter Garrett Edwards, giving Rocket City a 1-0 advantage. The long ball was Flint’s 12th of the season and extended his club record with the 43rd home run of his Trash Pandas career.

Montgomery (29-29, 64-63) answered in the third when Gregory Barrios singled, stole second and third, and scored on a Cooper Kinney sacrifice fly to even the game at 1-1.

Cozart provided Rocket City’s next big swing in the fourth. After Jake Munroe drew a one-out walk, Cozart drove a two-run homer to right field for his fifth as a Trash Panda, and 15^th overall, putting the Trash Pandas back in front, 3-1.

The Biscuits chipped away against Rocket City starter Nate Snead. Kinney delivered an RBI single in the fifth before Montgomery tied the game at 3-3 on a Barrios RBI single in the sixth.

Snead finished his night allowing two runs on four hits over five innings, walking two and striking out four. The Rocket City bullpen combined for nine more strikeouts as Trash Pandas pitching finished the night with 14.

Montgomery grabbed its first lead in the eighth. After an error opened the inning, J.T. Arruda and Connor Hujsak followed with singles before Kamren James delivered a two-run triple to right, putting the Biscuits ahead 5-3.

But the Trash Pandas had an immediate response.

Cole Fontenelle drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the eighth, and Anthony Scull reached on a fielder’s choice. Arjun Nimmala then crushed a two-run, 450-foot home run to center field, his second with Rocket City, tying the game at 5-5 and eventually sending the contest to extra innings.

Montgomery went back in front in the 10th when Arruda singled home automatic runner Theo Gillen for a 6-5 advantage.

Once again, Rocket City answered.

Mac McCroskey entered as the automatic runner and advanced to third on a Fontenelle groundout before Scull lifted a sacrifice fly to right, bringing home McCroskey and tying the game at 6-6.

The game appeared to swing decisively toward Montgomery in the top of the 11th.

Two Rocket City throwing errors on consecutive sacrifice bunt attempts allowed the Biscuits to score twice before a wild pitch brought home Mac Horvath, giving Montgomery a 9-6 lead. José Gonzalez (W, 4-4) recovered to strike out Cooper Kinney and Will Simpson before retiring Gillen to finally end the inning and keep the deficit at three.

What followed was one of the most dramatic rallies of the season.

With automatic runner Arjun Nimmala at second, Nick Rodriguez opened the bottom of the 11th with a bunt single to put runners at the corners. Munroe then lined a two-run single to left, scoring Nimmala and Rodriguez and suddenly cutting the deficit to 9-8.

That brought Cozart to the plate.

On the second pitch from Luis Guerrero (L, 0-2), Cozart sent a drive over the right-field scoreboard for his second homer of the night, bringing Munroe and Rodriguez home ahead of him and setting off a celebration at home plate with a 10-9 walk-off victory.

Cozart finished 2-for-5 with two home runs, four RBI and two runs scored, recording the first multi-homer game of his career. Munroe went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI, while Rodriguez added two hits and scored during the decisive rally. Rocket City collected only eight hits in the game, but four left the ballpark as Flint, Cozart and Nimmala combined for the four home runs. Caleb Bartolero saw his 10-game hitting streak come to an end, while Tucker Flint has now reached base safely in 11-straight games.

The Trash Pandas improved to 4-5 in extra-inning games, while the 11-inning contest was the longest this season, with the previous eight being decided in the 10^th.

The six-game series continues Wednesday night at Toyota Field. Southern League Pitcher of the Week Austin Gordon is scheduled to start for Rocket City against Montgomery right-hander Jackson Baumeister. First pitch is set for 6:35 pm.