Heat Split Doubleheader with Bandits as Brisbane Rebounds in Nightcap

PERTH, Australia — The Perth Heat earned a split of a doubleheader Saturday at NSR Hire Ballpark, riding three solo home runs to a 3-0 win in the opener before the Brisbane Bandits answered with a 6-2 victory in the nightcap.

Perth took control early in Game 1 behind right-hander Gary Grosjean, who scattered one hit over seven scoreless innings. Grosjean (3-0) walked three and struck out two, retiring 12 of the final 13 batters he faced as the Heat blanked Brisbane despite modest offensive output.

Cayden Nicoletto opened the scoring in the third inning with a solo home run to center field. Nicandro Aybar followed with a solo shot in the fourth, and Drake Logan added another in the sixth as all three of Perth’s runs came via the long ball off Jon Kennedy, who allowed nine hits and three runs over six innings in the loss.

Brisbane managed just one hit — a single by Noah Barber — and went 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position.

The Bandits flipped the script in Game 2, striking quickly and never trailing. Brisbane scored three runs in the first inning and added three more in the second to chase Perth starter Kieren Hall after 1 2/3 innings.

Dermot Fritsch opened the scoring with an RBI double, Seung-Min Ryu followed with another run-scoring double, and Max Durrington crossed the plate on a wild pitch as Brisbane built an early 3-0 lead. The Bandits broke the game open in the second when Rixon Wingrove launched a two-run homer to right field, his sixth of the season, with another run scoring on a wild pitch in the same inning.

Kolby Kiser (1-0) delivered a steady start for Brisbane, allowing one run on five hits over 6 1/3 innings while striking out four. Luke Krkovski and Tyler Jeans finished the job out of the bullpen.

Perth got on the board in the seventh when Byron Armstrong drove in Drake Logan with a single, and Cayden Nicoletto added an RBI double in the ninth, but the Heat never seriously threatened after the early deficit.

Wingrove finished with three hits and two RBIs for Brisbane, while George Callil collected three hits and scored a run. The split left Brisbane at 13-17 and Perth at 13-16 following the twin bill. The Bandits look to split the series tomorrow with in game 4 starting at 2 p.m. Fans can tune in on Baseball+, and fans in Japan and Taiwan can tune in on DAZN Japan.