More Cards Legends, 20 trick plays and a twisted ending as the Bananas and Party Animals finish up in St. Louis.
July 19, 2021: Party Animals 2(6) ~ Savannah Bananas 3(4)
On Saturday, the Savannah Bananas and Party Animals return to Busch Stadium in St. Louis for the second game of this two-game series. The electricity was already starting to flow even before the clock started as Bill LeRoy introduced Colt, who was “5 and two-fourths” years old who was going to bring some Bananas power to the plate. In a change to what normally happens during this pre-game tradition, young Colt actually made contact off Bret Helton’s second pitch to him, and yes, despite what some may think, it WAS a fair ball. (For Colt’s sake, it was fair. At that’s final!) Split’s services were not needed. Even before the first at bat of the game, this Michi knows that good things are about to come!
The Bananas, with 601 team trick plays on the season is starting tonight’s game with Kyle Luigs on the hump. Jesse Cole has the fans start the clock and we are on the way. Luigs would start the game striking out Reece Hampton. Bryson Bloomer rolls one into center field to get on base. Bloomer would eventually steal second. He leads the tour with 22 stolen bases. Andy Cosgrove would hit into a ground out trick play by “Glove Magician” Ryan Cox, advancing Bloomer to third. This is Coxy’s 136th trick play on the tour. A ball four sprint to Noah Fisher brings Bloomer home to record the first run. The Animals’ inning ends as Jason Swan fouls out to a fan.
In the bottom frame, the Animals start with Sean Fluke. Despite a Dan Oberst single, the Party Animal defense including trick plays by Sal Jacobo and Dustin Baber would prevent any runs and the Party Animals win the inning.
The second inning went scoreless despite a Ty Jackson triple in the bottom half.
Third inning, top of the lineup for the Party Animals. Reece Hampton nails one out to deep to right center for the second triple in this ballgame. Bryson Bloomer would fly to left field with a Robert Anthony Cruz back flip trick play. Reece tags up to score. With two out, Jesse Cole introduces two time All Star Lance Lynn who played for the St. Louis Cardinals, including in their 2011 Championship season. With a 2-1 count, Jason Swan would pop up to Ryan Cox who gets the third out with a tap off the glove trick play.
Bottom of the third, Danny Hosley gets a ball four sprint off of Party Animal reliever Dalton Ponce, then Jackson Olson hits to right to get on board. Malachi Mitchell will come in to run for Olson. DR Meadows would get on, thanks in part to a Bryson Bloomer error. Bases are now loaded. Dan Oberst grounds to Sal Jacobo who runs to the force at second and then misfires the throw to first sending the ball into the Bananas’ dugout. Hosley and Mitchell score and the Bananas win the third inning. We are now level at 1.
Top of the fourth, Kyle Perry comes in to relieve. Tanner Thomas would ground to Jackson Olson who makes a between the legs trick play to first for the out. Justin Baber would single to right. Bronson Balholm gets on with a ball four sprint putting runners on the corners. DH Mike Vivacis, fielder’s choice to bring in Baber. Sal Jacobo base hits to center, runners on first and second. Reece Hampton, ball four sprint with the last pitch being wild. Two more runs will score. A ball four sprint to Bryson Bloomer would bring in Hampton. The Party Animals would end up with 4 runs. In the bottom of the fourth, the Bananas was not able to get any traction, ending the inning on a foul out to a fan. Animals win the inning and they are up again, 2~1.
It was really nice to see Joe Buck, the son of legendary Cardinals play-by-play announcer Jack Buck. Jack Buck was to St. Louis what Vin Scully was to Los Angeles. I spent a good chunk of my childhood listening to Dodgers games on the radio and the play-by-play announcers, such as Jack Buck and Vin Scully had a unique way of bringing magic to the ears through their describing of the game at those times when either the game was not on TV or when you just decide not to watch, but just listen. This is power that radio can provide and no video streaming service could ever replace that experience. I hope the medium lives on after this Michi becomes worm food.
Top of the 5th, Dustin Baber on first, Tanner Thomas on second and two out. Reliever Corelle Prime, trying to pick off Thomas is thrown wide left of Ryan Cox, center fielder DR Meadows picks it up and throws directly home and Eric Jones Jr. tagged Thomas, avoiding the run and making the third out.
Bottom of the sixth starts with Dakota “Stilts” Albritton leading off. On the second pitch, he would put one up the middle, Justin Baber to Sal Jacobo with the delayed trick play to Jason Swan for the easy out.
Bottom of the seventh. Reese Alexiades singles to center, Malachi Mitchell comes in as the designated runner. Ryan Cox grounds to Sal Jacobo who makes a tag on Mitchell. Cox is safe at first but Mitchell was called out. This prompted a fan challenge on the Mitchell tag. The call was upheld and Mitchell was definitely out.
When I review these videos for these reports, I can review them frame by frame and I know that BTV does not have the luxury of the MLB suite of replay camera angles. But in this case, I am having a hard time seeing the tag on the several angles I looked at. I think Mitchell was just too fast. Just sayin’.
At the end of 7, the Party Animals are still up in points, 2~1 with 13 and a half minutes left on the clock.
In the top of the 8th with two outs including a foul out to a fan, Bananas pitcher Andy Archer was relieved by Cardinals saves leader Jason Isringhausen who played for the Cards from 2002~2008, including the 2006 World Series team. On the first pitch, Bronson Balholm would hit a line drive to Jackson Olson to end the frame.
Bottom of the 8th. Eric Jones Jr. goes down on a Bryson Bloomer trick play. Danny Hosley would hit one to deep left field and will stop at second. Jackson Olson hits into another Dustin Baber trick play, his 84th on the tour. Hosley moves to third. Two outs and DR Meadows would send one to right field bringing in Hosley to win the inning. We are going into the final inning tied at 2 points a piece.
Top of the 9th after “Yellow” (no scandals tonight). Austin Krzeminski comes in to close for the Nanners. Mike Vivacis would get caught looking and then Jacobo and Hampton go down in order.
Bottom of the 9th. Drew Gillespie comes up to pitch for the Animals. On the first pitch, Dan Oberst hits to left center and bounce into the bullpen for a ground rule double. Oberst would advance to third on a Kyle Jackson ground out to Sal Jacobo. The Bananas would then send Kyle Jackson back up again to the plate as their golden batter. Before a pitch could be thrown, Gillespie makes a pick-off attempt on Oberst that was misdirected. Oberst steals home to win the inning and the game for the Bananas.
Party Animals 2(6) ~ Savannah Bananas 3(4). Another game where the winning team has fewer runs. It still says a lot for the Party Animals. A team that I feel is just as good, if not better than the 2025 Bananas. Both teams had 10 trick plays on the night.
Next up: The Party Animals goes to Norfolk, Virginia to Harbor Park Stadium for a three game Firefighters headliner July 24~25~26. The Bananas will go to the home of the Phillies, Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia where they will take on the Texas Tailgaters for a two game set July 26~27.
This will be the last time in the regulation season that the Bananas and Party Animals will meet up. This game was a reschedule from a weather cancellation in April. You may see them together again in the Championship Series in October.
So there you go. We will have a four-day long weekend, loaded with Banana Ball and fans first fun. We will also have roller derby, Warehouse Games and other fun stuff to watch. Please remember to follow the Michi-chan Sports page on Facebook.
This Michi is loving every moment of this and I hope you take some time to indulge in this magical thing we fangirl over here called Banana Ball.
We’ll be back this weekend. Remember: 1, 2, 3, FANS FIRST!
All screenshots: Fans First Entertainment. YT @TheSavannahBananas (fair use).
Additional credit: official scoresheets from Josh Talevski (X: @JoshTalevski)