The Auckland Tuatara's tough initiation into the Australia Baseball League continued Sunday, as they lost their fourth game of their opening series 8-2 against the Perth Heat.
Taiwanese pitcher Yu Syuan Chen conceded runs in the bottom of the first, and the Heat continued to add to it throughout the game, scoring six runs in the first three innings.
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Starter Conrad Lourey was dialled in for the Heat and he limited the Tuatara hitters through the early innings.
During the previous games in the series the Tuatara had hit the ball well, but they struggled to get much going on Sunday as the Heat completed an opening weekend sweep.
On Friday night their hitting and pitching was solid but they made a number of schoolboy errors. The matinee game saw them blow a superb start from Kyle Glogoski in the final innings, while during the later game their relievers simply couldn't throw strikes.
Fellow expansion franchise Geelong Korea were swept by the Sydney Blue Sox on the opening weekend, showcasing how competitive the league is.
There were some bright spots however. The Tuatara hit the ball well, with outfielder Eric Jenkins in particular standing out.
The Tuatara head back to Auckland now, where they will prepare for the upcoming home stand against the Brisbane Bandits on Friday night.
Newshub.
