Three-run blast lifts Perth Heat to 6-1 win
Perth Heat took down the Brisbane Bandits 6-1 in their Australian Baseball League clash at Barbagallo Ballpark in Thornlie tonight.
It did not start great for Heat as the Bandits took the lead in the top of the third, getting it started with a Brad Dutton single.
Logan Wade then worked a walk and was followed by Marcus Bradley who moved the runners up a step with a sacrifice bunt for out number one.
Joshua Roberts then walked to load the bases. The Bandits had a chance for a big inning but instead got a ground ball to third that the Heat turned into a force out at second to score the run off the bat of Joey Rickard.
They still had a chance to pull the trigger on a big inning after David Sutherland walked to load the bases again but Heat starter Anthony Claggett got Mathew Roxburgh looking at strike number three.
The lead was a short one for Brisbane as the Heat came back in the home half of the third when George Barber reached when he was hit by an Andrew Aizenstadt pitch.
Barber stole second with Joey Wong at the plate and then raced home on an RBI single to centre from Wong to even it all up at one.
On the play, Wong wound up at second on the throw coming back home and on to third on a throwing error by Aizenstadt. Tucker Nathans would bring Wong home with an RBI single and the Heat had the lead at 2-1.
Claggett then locked in and held the Bandits in check for two more innings until he was relieved by Brian Baker in the top of the sixth.
Claggett (4-3) finished with 5.0 IP, surrendering just one run on one hit to notch the win for the Heat.
Baker, making his Perth home debut, set the Bandits down in order in the sixth while the Heat power stroke was set to take control of the scoreboard.
In the bottom of the sixth the Heat blew it open as they would go deep for the seventh consecutive game.
With two outs, Luke Hughes was hit by an Aizenstadt pitch. Matt Kennelly picked up and infield single and the Heat did not waste the two out chance as Allan de San Miguel hit a three-run blast to left, his second to clear the bases, and make it 5-1 Perth.
That would be it for Aizenstadt as he was replaced by Craig Goodman. Aizenstadt (2-3) would go on to suffer the loss for Brisbane charged with five runs four earned in 5.2 IP.
The Heat added another run in the seventh when Brandon Tripp stepped in and hit a solo home run to centre to make it 6-1.
It was the sixth game out of their past seven that the Heat had hit more than one homer in a game.
The Heat have hit 16 balls out in the last seven games and now only trail Melbourne by one in the ABL lead in home runs with 27.
The Heat winning streak is now at four and they will keep a four-game lead over Canberra in the ABL standings going into Saturday night's game against Brisbane, starting at 7.20pm.
RHP Ryan Searle (3-2, 2.73) will go for the Bandits and LHP Daniel Schmidt (3-2, 4.33) is going for the Heat.
