The Auckland Tuatara had their hearts broken in the cruellest of manners and were taught some valuable lessons by the Perth Heat on Saturday night.
The Heat took both games in the double header – coming from behind in both to take an unassailable lead in the four-game series.
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The visitors looked set to collect their first win in the Australian Baseball League as they took a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh in the first game of a double-header only to cough up five runs and see the game slip from their fingers.
Pinch hitter Jake Bowey hit a walk off home run off reliever Yuki Harada to secure Perth their second straight win.
Earlier the Tuatara got a stellar performance from young Kiwi right-handed pitcher Kyle Glogoski while their bats were hot too. The visitors jumped on Perth starter Nathan Kuchta in the top of the first, scoring three runs on the back of some impressive hitting and added another run an inning later.
Glogoski was equally as impressive – shutting down the Perth offense that racked up eight runs on 10 hits a night earlier.
The Philadelphia Phillies prospect was extremely efficient – consistently getting ahead in the count early and looked sharp throughout.
Harada came on in the sixth a retired the side in order but the Olive Guyners pitcher ran into trouble in the seventh. The no hitter was broken up before five runs were plated, including Bowey’s home run.
Centrefielder Eric Jenkins had a big night with the bat – going 2-3 with two stolen bases. Daniel Lamb-Hunt, Shawon Dunston Jr, Kris Richards and Guiyuan Xu had the RBIs.
The Tuatara scored early in the later game as well. Kris Richards hit the franchise’s first ever competitive home run.
But the bullpen surrendered a lead once again as Perth rallied in the fourth inning – plating five runners. They tackled on a couple more via the long ball and cruised to an 11-3 victory.
The series finale will begin 9pm NZT on Sunday.
Newshub.
