Blue Sox Sweep Bandits in Brisbane Doubleheader

BRISBANE, Australia — Michael Campbell’s go-ahead homer in the eighth inning of the opener ignited the Sydney Blue Sox, who carried that momentum into a strong offensive showing in the nightcap to sweep a doubleheader from the Brisbane Bandits on Saturday at Viticon Stadium.

The day opened as a pitchers’ duel, with neither team scoring through seven innings of the opener. Sydney finally broke through in the top of the eighth after Sam Holland replaced Jon Kennedy. Campbell led off the inning with a solo home run to right-center to snap the scoreless tie, then the Blue Sox took advantage of aggressive baserunning and Brisbane miscues to add on. Pablo Nunez singled and later scored when Harry Fullerton reached on a fielding error by shortstop George Callil, with Nunez advancing on a stolen base and a throwing error by catcher Robbie Perkins. Eric Rataczak followed with an RBI double to right to make it 4-0.

Coen Wynne earned the win in relief after Jagger Beck opened with five hitless innings. Beck struck out five and faced the minimum through five, and Josh Guyer closed out the two-hit shutout. Holland was charged with the loss after allowing four runs in one-third of an inning.

Sydney struck quickly in the nightcap, scoring twice in the first inning when Anthony Huezo lined a two-run single to center to bring home Nunez and Rataczak. Brisbane answered in the third as Noah Barber homered to center to tie the game, but the Blue Sox pulled away in the sixth with a four-run surge against Kailen Hamson.

Jirvin Morillo delivered an RBI single to regain the lead, and the Blue Sox extended it on consecutive bases-loaded walks by Dylan Leach and Hansel Jimenez. Nunez followed with another run-scoring single in the inning, pushing the advantage to 6-2. Morillo later drove in a run on a fielder’s choice in the seventh, and Rixon Wingrove accounted for Brisbane’s final run with a solo homer in the eighth.

Landen Bourassa improved to 4-1 after allowing two runs over 6 2/3 innings with eight strikeouts, while Josh Bishopp finished the game in relief. Hamson took the loss, surrendering four runs while recording just two outs.

The sweep improved Sydney to 18-8 on the season and dropped Brisbane to 11-15.

The Bandits return home tomorrow for the conclusion of the Boxing Day Series with first pitch set at 10 a.m. Fans can watch all the action on Baseball + while fans in Japan and Taiwan can tune in on DAZN Japan.