Bandits Outslug Giants 11–8 to Salvage Series Split and Hold Second Place

ADELAIDE, Australia — The Brisbane Bandits (7-8) built an early lead, survived a six-run fifth inning, and used a pair of late multi-run frames to outlast the Adelaide Giants (6-7) 11–8 on Sunday afternoon, securing a series split and maintaining second place in the ABL standings.

Brisbane scored three runs in the first and led 3–0 into the bottom of the fifth before Adelaide’s offense erupted. Yusei Ishizuka hit a three-run homer off Connor MacDonald, part of a six-run inning that gave the Giants their first lead. Adelaide sent 10 batters to the plate in the frame, using three extra-base hits, including two doubles from Devin Saltiban, to take a 6–3 advantage.

The momentum swung back in Brisbane’s favor an inning later. The Bandits chased reliever Adenson Verastegui during a four-run sixth that opened with Max Durrington’s two-run homer, his second of the season. Brisbane followed with a string of quality at-bats against a struggling Giants bullpen, ultimately regaining a 7–6 lead and setting up a decisive seventh.

After a clean bottom of the sixth, Brisbane struck again in the seventh when Rixon Wingrove

delivered a two-run shot with two outs off Cooper Morgan, his third homer of the campaign, stretching the lead to 10–6. Wingrove finished with two hits, three RBIs, a double, and a stolen base.

Adelaide threatened late but never fully recovered. Saltiban doubled for the third time in the ninth and scored on a base hit, and Mitchell Edwards added an RBI single to make it 11–8. The Giants brought the tying run to the plate, but Tyler Jeans induced a flyout to end the game.

Durrington led Brisbane’s offense with three hits, including a double, triple, and homer, driving in three runs and scoring twice. Robbie Perkins and George Callil added two hits apiece, and Will Riley had a two-RBI double with two outs. Brisbane finished 4-for-19 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11.

Saltiban went 3-for-5 with three doubles, while Edwards collected three hits and two RBIs to lead Adelaide. The Giants, who entered the day with one of the league’s most productive offenses, finished 4-for-12 with men in scoring position but left nine runners on base.

Hayate Nakagawa (2–2) earned the win in relief with 1 1/3 scoreless innings, helping stop the damage after Adelaide’s fifth-inning surge. MacDonald allowed three earned runs over 4 1/3 innings but struck out six, while the Bandits’ bullpen held the Giants to two runs over the final four frames.

Verastegui (1–1) took the loss, surrendering four runs in the sixth, and Adelaide used five relievers, including Morgan, who allowed three runs but did not record an earned run due to a defensive error. 

The victory allowed Brisbane to split the four-game set and remain second in the ABL standings, while Adelaide dropped its second straight series finale at home. The teams combined for 21 runs on 22 hits and played three hours, 41 minutes before a crowd of 480 at Dicolor Australia Stadium.

The Bandits return to Viticon Stadium next weekend to host the Giants starting on Thursday, December 11th at 6:30 p.m. Fans can tune in on Baseball + (DAZN Japan for fans in Japan or Taiwan) for all the action.