Adelaide Level Series

With a 2-1 win over the Aces in Sunday's game four in Melbourne, Adelaide Bite finished level in its Australian Baseball League series with Melbourne, 2-2. It was a fortunate split, as the Aces out-hit Adelaide 37-23 and outscored the Bite 18-6 over the four contests, with the 8-0 game three shut-out the first for Adelaide this season. The Bite broke open the scoreless fourth game in the fifth inning, when with two out, Kyle Petty belted his league-leading 11th home run of the season. In the bottom of the sixth frame, two wild pitches and an error saw Melbourne cross home plate to lock the scores at 1-1. The tense game went into the ninth inning with neither side adding to the score. But in the top of the ninth, Adelaide loaded the bases with one out, and Corey Lyon hit to second base and beat out the double play for John Schultz to score. With Trey Vavra running out an infield hit to start the bottom of the ninth, and advancing to third base on the next two outs, the Aces had their chances, until Mike Hill struck out to end the game. Wilson Lee pitched seven innings for four hits, four strikeouts and one run for the Bite, with Loek van Mill claiming the win and Kody Kerski recording the save. Mike McGillivray went seven frames for Melbourne, with Sam Street taking the loss. In the top of the third inning the Aces pulled off a rare triple play, when, with runners on first and second base and none out, Tom Brice hit a line drive to Tanner Vavra at first, who threw to his brother Trey Vavra at short stop and received the throw back. In game one on Thursday, Adelaide opened the series with a come-from-behind 3-2 win, the Bite scoring twice in the fifth inning after Travis Demeritte and Landon Hernandez hit and scored, the first after a double play, the second on a wild pitch. Steven Chambers pitched five innings to claim his fifth win of the season, while Matthew Williams, Hei Chun Lee and Kody Kerski shut Melbourne out the rest of the way. Game two and three were all the Aces, with 8-0 (Matthew Larkins pitching a four-hit shut-out) and 7-1 (Yasuo throwing eight frame) victories. The Bite is in the mix for a play-off spot but need to perform well against Perth Heat at Norwood Oval from Friday, in a four game series. Friday 7pm, Saturday 4pm and 7pm, Sunday 12-noon.

RESULTS GAME ONE Adelaide 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 – 3 (5) Melbourne 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 2 (8) Hits: Adelaide – Hernandez 2, Brice, Demeritte, Lyon; Melbourne – T. Vavra 2, George 2, Curcio 2, Moon (hr), Harman. WP: S. Chambers; LP: J. Kennedy. * * * * * GAME TWO Adelaide 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 (4) Melbourne 2 1 0 1 4 0 0 0 x – 8 (10) Hits: Melbourne – Moon 3, Zablan 2, Rossell 2, T. Vavra, Curcio, George; Adelaide – Schultz, Demeritte, Lee, Wik. WP: M. Larkins; LP: N. Talbot. * * * * * GAME THREE Adelaide 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 1 (6) Melbourne 0 1 0 0 1 1 2 2 x – 7 (13) Hits: Melbourne – Moon 3, T. Vavra 2 (hr), George 2, Barrie 2, Curcio, T. Vavra, Hoshi, Rossell; Adelaide – Welch 2, Hernandez 2, Roeger, Corey Lyon. WP: Y. Sano; LP: D. Gallant. * * * * * GAME FOUR Adelaide 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 – 2 (8) Melbourne 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 – 1 (6) Hits: Adelaide – Petty 2 (hr), Roeger 2, Hernandez, O'Gorman, Schultz, Pickard; Melbourne – Zablan 2, Moon, T. Vavra, Curcio, T. Vavra. WP: L. van Mil; LP: S. Street.