Rain puts a slight damper on Bananas win over the Tailgaters in Philly.
July 27, 2025: Texas Tailgaters 1(4) ~ Savannah Bananas 4(6) Mid8th
I have been following Banana Ball since the 2023 World Tour and I have watched more than my share of Jesse Cole videos. Jesse is always wanting to do something different, something new for each show. During these two years, I have also seen Fans First Entertainment (FFE) achieve many milestones. This includes playing in MLB stadiums and then eventually in football stadiums (perhaps someday, a NASCAR track to try to beat the Clemson record?). We have also seen TV deals, such as live games on the ESPN networks.
On Sunday, FFE has achieved its latest milestone. For the first time, a full game was carried for the first time over terrestrial (antenna) television with Banana Ball’s first ever game airing on the CW Network. I have not yet seen any ratings data from the presentation but it will be interesting to see. Anyway, the premiere of Banana Ball on terrestrial television is the latest in Jesse’s milestones that further widen the reach and awareness of the greatest show in sports. Congratulations Jesse and the entire team at FFE for this milestone.
Normally, I do not watch the games live. The time when east coast night games air is during my family time and its one of the few times of the day these days when I am not sleeping that I am not watching something that is relevant to the work that I do. Sunday day games though, I can usually catch live, and Sunday was no exception. I am no longer in Arizona. I am now living near Salisbury, MD and located about 120 miles south of Philadelphia.
As the game got started, I was starting to hear thunder boomers here on Delmarva and already had fears that it may impact the game further north in Philly. But from what I could see, the weather looked fairly good up there at “start the clock!” time. This will come into play later on.
The Bananas send up Kyle Luigs to pitch in the first inning. The ‘Gaters would bring in the first run on a fielder’s choice by Taj Porter. In the bottom of the first with Cole Kitchen starting. With two outs, Ryan Cox hits an infield single to bring in Kyle Jackson. An infield fly to shortstop Jordan Hussein would end the inning in a push. No one scores.
Drama in the bottom of the second. Lead-off batter Eric Jones Jr. grounds to Jorden Hussein who makes a wild through to first. Jones overruns the base and attempts to return to first. Meanwhile, catcher Taylor Justiss picks up the overthrown ball throws it back to Travis Moniot covering first. The Tailgaters are wanting to challenge the call because they claim that Jones made an attempt to go to second after the overrun. There was a debate if it could be challenged. Biko and Josh in the BTV took a look at the replay anyway. From their observations and what I saw in the frame by frame video was that even though his foot crossed the line while turning around to go back to first, there did not appear to be intention to go to second. Perhaps we need a second opinion from Lindsay at Close Call Sports. The outcome of the “challenge” was that there was no issue. The call stands and Jones stayed on first base. It was charged as a trick play missed on Jordan Hussein. Jackson would advance to second on a Dan Oberst single and eventually make it home on a Ryan Cox infield single. Bananas win the inning.
The Bananas would pick up a run and a point in the third inning on a ball four sprint from Cole Kitchen to Kyle Jackson
During the top of the fourth, remember that rain that I had mentioned here in Delmarva? It has made its way to Philly. Fans are seen putting on the plastic and Corelle Prime has been having difficulty keeping a grip on the wet ball. The game plays on. Tailgaters would not score. Bottom of the fourth, Dalton Mauldin in for Super-Reece would get on with a 2-base ball four sprint off Jimmy Lewis with the rain really coming down. With Mauldin on second and one out Ryan Cox steps up. Dancing home plate umpire Vince Chapman stops the game and we are going into a rain delay. In Banana Ball, an official game is called if either they get through to the middle of the fifth inning or at least one hour has been burned off the clock. The clock stopped with 1:08:42 remaining.
The tarp would eventually get pulled back up, Princess Potassia would sing a cute rain delay song and about 20 minutes after Vince Chapman stopped the game, we are back to Banana Ball. Ryan Cox would hit out to right field, Mauldin gets the wave and comes in to score. Bananas win the fourth inning. The Bananas are up 3-0.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Gaters would come out strong. With Correlle Prime pitching, Marcos Castillo lays one out into deep center for a stand-up double. Jordan Hussein would ground towards left past Ryan Cox. KJ Jackson’s tag attempt at third hit Castillo in the face. He was called safe, but the play is being challenged by the fans. As Castillo made the slide, his helmet fell forward and was loose. Jackson’s tag on actually on the helmet, which was dislodged at the time of the tag. The call stands. Runners now on the corners, Nelson Smith sends one out to right, scoring Castillo, who can now get a well-deserved break. Runners on second and third, no out, Nick Lopez flies out to Alexiades in right. Jorden Hussein tags and scores from third. The Tailgaters would eventually end the half inning with 2 runs. The Bananas would not pick up any runs in the bottom frame and now we are 3-1 in points.
The sixth inning was scoreless but in the top, Indy Stanley would hit a foul ball off of Andy Archer into the upper deck behind home plate which was cleanly caught by a fan.
Top of the seventh. Jonathan Luders grounds to Ryan Cox, the Glove Magician with a trick play to Eric Jones to get the first out. That was Cox’s third trick play for the game. Jason Arendt would ground to pitcher Andy Archer with an easy play at first. Two out. Jordan Hussein sends one deep to the left field wall for a stand up double. Zach Watson would send one to center to score Hussein. Nick Lopez flies to center with a DR Meadows cartwheel catch to finish the side. Tailgaters get one run.
Bottom of the seventh. Rodrigo Sanchez comes up to pitch for Texas and gives back to back ball four sprints to Reese Alexiades and Ryan Cox. Malachi Mitchell comes in to run for Cox. Runners on first and third and no out. Three pitches in on Bill LeRoy, Sanchez makes a very wild pitch behind the back of LeRoy. Alexiades will come in to score and Mitchell advances to second. We are now tied at 1 for the inning. Rain is starting to come down again. Bill LeRoy would fly out to Indy Stanley in right. Mitchell does not advance. Eric Jones now up. With a 1-1 count, Sanchez delivers another wild pitch, this one far outside. Mitchell advances to third. Tailgaters shift to a 5-man infield. Sanchez delivers yet another wild pitch far outside easily bringing Mitchell home. Bananas win the inning and now are up 4-1 in points.
Top of the eighth. Taj Porter with a broken back grounder, fair towards first. Eric Jones picks it up and makes the first out (Jones never left the box). Taylor Justiss goes down on strikes off Gage Vorhees. Indiana Stanley hits one to the 401 sign in center and was able to hustle for a triple. Travis Moniot loses his bat on the second pitch, grounds to KJ at third, to Eric Jones for the third out. That was the fastest inning of the day at 1 minute and 59 seconds.
Right after the “Yellow” ritual, the Phillies’ ground crew brought back out the dreaded tarp. Banana Ball President Jesse Cole comes out on the field in his now wet yellow tux to announce that due to the rain and expected thunderstorms coming in, the decision was made to end the game at the middle of the 8th inning.
Savannah Bananas win: Texas Tailgaters 1(4) ~ Savannah Bananas 4(6).
Tailgaters trick plays: 3 ~ Justus, Mann, Castillo.
Bananas trick plays: 8 ~ Cox (3), (remaining with 1:) Alexiades, Olson, KJ Jackson, Cruz, Jones Jr.
Showman of the Game: Ryan Cox - Savannah Bananas
(We note that the end of the game graphic conflicts with the run count and the trick play summary on the official scorecard. We base our stats on the official scorecard.)
Next weekend (8/1~2, 2025), the Bananas and Firefighters will be going to Baltimore to play two games at Camden Yards. August 2 is my other half’s birthday and they are not a baseball fan, so I will be spending it at home (plus, Nats Park is more convenient for me to get to from here on Delmarva). The Party Animals will be headlining against the Tailgaters in St. Paul, MN at CHS Field for a two-game set.
We’ll see you then! Time to get out of my banana yellow and back into the red plaid. Good night Bananaland lovers!
All screenshots: Fans First Entertainment. YT @TheSavannahBananas (fair use).
Additional credit: official scoresheets from Josh Talevski (X: @JoshTalevski)