Firefighters! Tailgaters! Crazy antics! 3 fan outs! Exciting Noah Bridges finish! WOW!
July 12, 2025: Texas Tailgaters 1(6) ~ The Firefighters 2(5).
Once again, when you put the Firefighters and the Texas Tailgaters together for a Banana Ball game, you just can’t help but screaming, WOW! WOW! WOW! It had it’s moments, but the WOWs were loud and proud!
As last night’s show between the Savannah Bananas and The Visitors was cancelled due to lightning and heavy rain, fans from Bananaland had only one game to focus on. The Firefighters headliner against the Texas Tailgaters at Carlilon Clinic Field at Salem Memorial Stadium in Salem, Virginia, just outside of Roanoke.
The first inning starts off like it should, a Zach Watson fly to left center into a Noah Bridges glove tip to South Trimble trick play. This is the Firefighters’ 75th trick play in their short season. Taj Porter would then get hit by a pitch and then used his “hobby horse” to get to first base. But it was not enough to score and the Tailgaters strand two. Bottom of the first, South Trimble gets the first hit off of Kollin Stone, but then Dalton Cornett hits into a classic 6-4-3 double play. Stone then punches out Logan Lacey ending the inning, scoreless.
Second inning for the Tailgaters starts with Brett Carson and on the second pitch off of Austin Temple, he fouls out to a fan. Temple would then strike out Jason Arendt. Taylor Justus would ground into a Caden Green trick play to end the frame. That is Green’s 12th trick play on the season. Bottom half of the second starts with a ball four sprint to Joy Lytle off San Fernando Valley boy Cole Kitchen. Dakota McFadden grounds to Taj Porter, who opted to not go for the double play advancing Lytle to second. Mason Maxwell got a base hit out to center and runners are on the corners with 2 out. Caden Green pops out to Zach Watson and we are still scoreless after 2.
The game went scoreless in the third inning but there was a nice foul out to a fan by Zach Watson while the fan was holding a baby. In the fourth, the Firefighters would put the first point on the board on a ball four sprint to Stephen Cullen off of Cole Kitchen scoring Joe Lytle. Firefighters now up 1-0.
We move to the top of the seventh. Firefighters bring in reliever Ga’von Wray. Indy Stanley leads off with a double. Travis Moniot would then get plunked to put runners on first and second. A ball four sprint to Mac Danford brings in Indy Stanley and the Tailgaters are on the board. With no one out, Bret Carson will then fly out to Noah Bridges bringing in Moniot. Tailgaters with 2. A Taylor Justis foul out to a fan (the third one of the game) will end the frame. Bottom of the seventh with Stephen Cullen on second and Mason Maxwell on third, Ron Franklin bangs one into center off Joe Sperone denying the Firefighters a tying point.
Top of the eighth, Marshall Shill on the bump for the Firefighters. Tailgaters Jonathan Luders gets on through a hit by pitch. Jorden Hussen will then single to center putting two on. Zach Watson would then fly out to Maxson Maxwell in right, advancing the runners. The Nick Lopez, another Southern California native, hits one to the right field scoreboard for a three run homer. Travis Moniot would then hit one out to right center for a single. Mac Danford would send one out to right center bringing in Moniot. The Firefighters were not able to score any runs so we are tied going into the final inning, where every run counts.
We move to the bottom of the ninth. Firefighters bring up Logan Lacey as their golden batter who draws a ball four sprint off of John Reid. Caden Green is brought in to pinch run. Noah Bridges then steps to the plate. Bridges bombs one to deep center. A two run home run to win the game for the Firefighters.
Final score from Salem: Texas Tailgaters 1 point (6 runs) with 3 trick plays ~ The Firefighters: 2 points (5 runs) with 11 trick plays. Noah Bridges is the Showman of The Night.
The Firefighters and Tailgaters will both have a bye week. The Firefighters will headline three shows against the Party Animals on July 24~26 in Norfolk, Virginia at Harbor Park Stadium. The Tailgaters is going to the Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia for a Bananas headliner.
With three fouls out to fans.. this game was truly FANS FIRST!