Bananas snuff out Firefighters at Fenway
Savannah Bananas 3(5) ~ The Firefighters 1(4)
For the second year, The Banana Ball World Tour comes to the legendary Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. This season, it will be a two show series headlining the Savannah Bananas taking on Val Perez’s Firefighters.
The Firefighters were the first to put a run on the board with a Dalton Cornett home run out to right field off of Noah Niznik. This is Cornett’s third homer this season following up with the his dinger last week at Nats Park. In the bottom of the first and Neil Lang on the mound Ty Jackson would foul out to a fan followed by Dan Oberst answering Cornett’s knock with one of his own. With Reese Alexiades on second, Eric Jones Jr. would send one towards left field bringing Reese in for the inning winning run. Nanners get the first point.
We move on to the third inning with Jared Donalson taking over on the hill. Stephen Cullen would fly out to left on a Robert Anthony Cruz (RAC) trick play. Noah Bridges would be delivered a ball four sprint but he got caught up in a pickle between first and second and was tagged out. In the second half, reliever Ga’von Wray comes up from the pen and Jackson Olson would foul out to a fan. DR Meadows would make it to second on a trick play miss by Noah Bridges. Dan Oberst would hit one into right field bringing DR home to give the Bananas their second point.
In the fourth, Donalson would take down Stephen Cullen swinging. Dalton Cornett would get on first and then Logan Lacey would hit an infield grounder causing a force of Cornett at second, but a trick play attempt that was overthrown by glove magician Ryan Cox would advance Logan to second. The Firefighters were still alive. The Bananas would bring in 2018 Red Sox World Series champion Matt Barnes. While facing Joel Lytle, Lacey attempts to steal third, LeRoy’s attempted pick-off gets away from Kyle Jackson allowing him to score.
In the bottom of the fourth with Marshall Shill on the mound, Reese Alexiades picks up a ball four sprint to start the frame. LeRoy and Ryan Cox would get back to back doubles bringing Alexiades in. RAC would then fly out, tying the inning and no one picks up any points.
Top of the fifth and with Corerelle Prime taking pitching duties. Despite base hits by Dakota McFadden and Stephen Cullen, the Bananas fielders, with trick plays by Eric Jones Jr. and a bare-handed trick by Jackson Olson keep the Firefighters from scoring. In the bottom of the fifth, the Bananas would bring up Brock Holt from the 2018 World Series Red Sox who would foul out to a fan. Ty Jackson showed his speed and got on first as the throw from third was not on time. With Dan Oberst up, Jackson would attempt to steal second, Liam Spence attempted the tag and Jackson was called safe. The Firefighters challenged and due to no camera angle showing clear evidence, the ump’s call was upheld. Oberst would eventually ground out and no point for either side. Bananas still up on points 2~0.
With five innings in the books, Fenway fans were greeted to a pop-up concert by The All-American Rejects.
Into the sixth and the Firefighters go nowhere thanks to two Ryan Cox trick plays and Liam Spence being picked-off at first. Into the bottom of the sixth, Johnny Hummell would come in for the Firefighters. Reese Alexiades would see strike three swinging. Eric Jones Jr. would hit to shortstop Caden Green who attempts to make a play at first which was called out. The Bananas would challenge and the call was overturned because the video was clear that Stephen Cullen did not have is foot on the bag. Even with pinch runner Malachi Mitchell brought in, fly outs by LeRoy and Cox could not bring him home and another inning falls without a point.
Top of the seventh with two out and two on, in part due to a Zack Phillips plunk on Caden Green, the Bananas bring in 2004 Boston Red Sox pitcher Keith Foulke. Stephen would hit into a force play on a Kyle Jackson trick play to end the half. Kyle Jackson would eventually hit into a broken bat single and with some help from RAC and DR, he would come around for the run giving the Nanners another point.
There’s something special about “Yellow” in such a big ball park. I am sure Jesse Cole was smiling deeply inside, especially given his emotional connections to this stadium. It’s always a beautiful sight.
We move to the bottom of the eighth with Ben Dum III on the bump. Ty Jackson would pick up a ball four sprint. On a steal attempt with Alex Ziegler at the plate, Josh Lytle’s throw to Mat Wolf was interfered with by Ziegler’s bat and Jackson was called out.
We go into the ninth and final inning with the Bananas up 3~0. Now, every run counts for a point. Logan Lacey for the Firefighters makes Banana Ball history as being the first one to hit a Banana Ball over the infamous green monster (and then some!) (yes, we highlighted the ball to capture the right moment).
With the Firefighters now on the point board 3~1, it was not enough as Joel Lytle hits into a center field double trick play where Alexiades tipped the ball into Meadows’ hat and a Dakota McFadden pop fly to right would put the final fork into this game.
Final score: Bananas 3(5) ~ Firefighters 1(4).
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