Gallagher Finals Series - Game Recap - Brisbane Bandits vs Perth Heat Game 2 Video

A bombardment of Brisbane Bandits bats beat the Heat to force a Game 3! Brisbane Bandits 12 (1-1) def Perth Heat 9 (1-1) The bats were on fire today with six home runs between both teams. But it was the Brisbane Bandits who steal Game 2 in the offensive battle. The Bandits wasted no time in getting a run out of the box, with Dermot Fritsch launching a 2-run home run on a 3-2 count to put Brisbane up early in the first. Perth quickly responded in the bottom half of the first inning. Tampa Bay Rays prospect Odaly Peguero was able to get a leadoff single on the first pitch. Two pitches later, local West Australian and Team Australia member Alex Hall tied the game with a 2-run home run of his own. The Bandits had to go to their bullpen early with local Queenslander Connor MacDonald off a horrific injury on a comebacker to Bandits starter Ryan Bollinger. With two runners on base after local West Australian and 2023 WBC Team Australia member Jake Bowey drew a walk, Byron Armstrong was able to put two more on the scoreboard for the Heat with a 2-RBI double to make it 4-2 in favour of Perth. Armstrong would finish the game a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate with two RBIs. Regrettably for Perth, they dealt with a buzzsaw in the middle innings, the ABL Relief Pitcher of the Year, Milwaukee Brewers prospect Sam Gardner. In 3.1 scoreless innings pitched, the most he has pitched all season, he allowed three hits, two walks, while striking out five. In the top of the fourth, Milwaukee Brewers prospect Tayden Hall was able to get on base with a leadoff single on the first pitch and advanced to second on the groundout. He was then brought home off an RBI double from Kansas City Royals prospect Hyungchan Um to cut the lead to one. Um finished the game going 3-for-5 and an RBIs. After a walk by Kansas City Royals prospect Milo Rushford, Will Riley was able to tie the game by bringing Um home off an RBI. With runners at the corners with one out, a single by ABL Rookie of the Year and Helms Award Finalist Alex Skepton to right field on an 0-2 pitch allowed Brisbane to retake the lead 5-4. Perth once again would quickly respond in the bottom of the fourth. Back-to-back singles by Byron Armstrong and Houston Astros prospect Nehomar Ochoa Jr. followed by a walk by Cincinnati Reds prospect Carlos Sanchez loaded the bases with just one out. An RBI single by Odalys Peguero brought Armstrong home, tying the game once more. With both teams exchanging blows back-and-forth, Brisbane followed up in the top of the fifth by batting around the order. It began with a leadoff single on a full count by ABL’s Defensive Player of the Year, local Queenslander, and Team Australia member Logan Wade, who jogged home off a Tayden Hall 2-run opposite field home run. Tayden Hall would finish the game 3-for-4 at the plate with a walk and two RBIs. With two outs, back-to-back singles by Hyungchan Um and Milo Rushford allowed them both to be brought home by a Will Riley 2-RBI double on a 2-2 count to make it a 9-5 game for the Bandits. Brisbane was then able to tack on two more runs after an Alex Skepton walk with another 2-RBI double, this time from Dermot Fritsch of a 1-2 count, to bring Logan Wade back to the plate. Fritsch finished the game going 2-for-3 at the plate, leading the Bandits with four RBIs. Alex Skepton made it a 7-run lead for the Bandits in the top of the seventh with a solo home run with two outs. Skepton finished the game going 3-for-5 from the plate with a walk and two RBIs. When asked about their performance, Bandits manager Shayne Watson commented, “We relied on our determination and resilience to get us through and get everything moving and build that confidence up from last night to tonight.” But the Heat refused to go down without a fight. In the bottom of the eighth, Nehomar Ochoa Jr. was first able to reach first from a passed ball strikeout and was brought home two pitches later on a line drive home run by Carlos Sanchez, making it a 12-7 game. In the bottom of the ninth, 2023 WBC Team Australia member Ulrich Bojarski was brought home after getting on base with a single off a hard-hit 2-run home run from Jake Bowey, cutting the deficit to three. Bowey finished the game going 2-for-3 at the plate with two walks and two RBIs. Unfortunately for the Heat, local Queenslander and Team Australia member Sam Holland was able to close out the game as a win for the Bandits by inducing two flyouts to the outfield, forcing a Game 3. “The bats came out pretty hot, but just our resilience to come back from [the 7-0 loss] sets up pretty well for tomorrow,” added Watson.