The Auckland Tuatara have fallen in their first-ever Australian Baseball League (ABL) game, losing 8-4 to the Perth Heat on Saturday (NZ time).
The Tuatara only had themselves to blame as early fielding errors allowed the Heat to get an early lead which they never surrendered at Harley-Davidson Ballpark in Western Australia.
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Perth led 3-0 after the first inning as Tim Kennelly hit a leadoff double and scored on an error, before Alex Hall singled to drive in two more runs.
It proved to be the theme of the night as their fielding continued to let down an impressive pitching performance from starter Josh Collmenter.
Chinese star Guiyuan Xu collected the Tuatara's first ever hit in the ABL in the second inning, and went on to have a big night at the plate, going 3-4 with three RBI (runs batted in).
Daniel Lamb-Hunt, Max Brown and Shawon Dunston Jr all reached in the top of the fourth to load the bases. The franchise's first ever run came when catcher Beau Bishop drew a bases-loaded walk and Lamb-Hunt got the free pass to home plate.
The visitors rallied again in the eighth, loading the bases and Baltimore Orioles prospect Xu came up clutch to drive in two with a hit to right field to make the score 6-4, but Perth hit back instantly with two more runs to seal the win.
The two sides meet in a double-header again at Harley-Davidson Ballpark on Saturday, before a series finale on Sunday.
The Auckland Tuatara will play their first home game at McLeod Park in Te Atatu on November 23 against the Brisbane Bandits.
Newshub.
