 Donald Lutz opened the scoring for Brisbane with a two-run homer in the first (C) SMP IMAGES/ABL MEDIA (SMPMAGES.COM)
|
The 2018 Australian Baseball League Championship Series is headed to a third and final game after Brisbane blasted its way to a 12-2 victory over Canberra on Saturday night.
The Bandits roughed up Cavs' starter Lake Bachar, taking the right-hander deep five times as they squared the best-of-three series at Wild Moose Stadium in Brisbane.
Meanwhile, Brisbane starter Tim Atherton dominated the Cavs, striking out 11 in seven innings on the mound.
He worked with an early lead after Donald Lutz and Lin Chih-sheng homered back-to-back following Aaron Whitefield's lead-off single.
Andrew Campbell and David Sutherland then went deep back-to-back to start the second as the Bandits raced to a 5-0 lead.
Tim Atherton deals for the @BrisbaneBandits and the offence EXPLODES as they take game two!
- #ABLCS (@ABL) February 10, 2018
There's one more game left in the #ABL season, and it's for everything.
BUY GAME THREE #ABLCS TIX HERE: https://t.co/nyiOPC87Kt pic.twitter.com/3Il3Vh5Sp8
Campbell added a second - and fifth by a Bandit off Bachar - after Canberra pulled one back in the fourth.
As good as Brisbane's offence was, Atherton was equally as impressive.
The right-hander allowed just one run on three hits and two walks to record his first ABL playoff win.
Boss Moanaroa put the Cavs on the board in the fourth, snapping an 0-for-17 run against the Bandits this season, with a solo home run.
Campbell provided the response ahead of designated hitter Mitch Nilsson going deep off reliever Sean Guinard in the bottom of the fifth.
The Bandits added two more in the sixth and Lin homered for the second time in the contest in the seventh to make it 12-1.
Travis Witherspoon added a solo homer off reliever Justin Erasmus in the top of the eighth.
Bachar ended up allowing six runs on seven hits for the Cavs, striking out six as he lasted 3 2/3 innings.
Guinard gave up three earned runs on four hits and Tayler Saucedo gave up two runs.
Campbell finished 3-for-4 as Brisbane accumulated 12 hits to eight.
The hosts finished with seven home runs to two.
Game three is at Wild Moose Stadium, Brisbane, from 4pm local time tomorrow.
Get your tickets here or follow the action live on ABLtv.com powered by Bing Lee! #ABLCS #OurGame
Bandits Headlines
- Australian Baseball Legend, David Nilsson appointed Manager of Team Australia
- Bandits stars join CPBL HR derby
- Best of 2010-2018: Brisbane Bandits
- Bandits complete ABL three-peat
- Bandits force game three in #ABLCS
- Cavalry on verge of Claxton Shield
- Sutherland HR lifts Bandits into ABLCS
- Lutz, Bennett equal record in big win
- Kandilas keeps Cavalry in top-two race
- Cavalry hold off Bandits in game two
MLB Headlines
- Yanks bust out early, hold on for 50th victory
- MLB Buzz: Will Mets deal their 2 aces?
- Straily, Mattingly suspended for Posey HBP
- Sprained finger limits Trout to DH spot
- Wacha lands on DL with oblique strain
- Acuna to begin rehab assignment at Triple-A
- Check out every lineup every day, as they are made public by the clubs. A lineup is not official until it is handed to the umpire. Additional lineups will be added as they become available.
- 24 hours of games underway in Alaska
- Machado the prize, but plenty of 3B intrigue
- Cast your ballots now and help determine the AL and NL All-Star Game starting lineups. Vote up to 5 times in any 24-hour period (max 35 votes) on the 2018 Camping World MLB All-Star Ballot. Plus, each vote gives you a chance to win a 2019 Freedom Elite Motorhome.