Ryu’s walk-off single lifts Bandits past Blue Sox in 10

BRISBANE, Australia — Seung-Min Ryu delivered the decisive blow with a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Brisbane Bandits edged the Sydney Blue Sox 6-5 on Sunday morning at Viticon Stadium.

The game was decided under the international extra-innings rule, with runners placed on first and second to start the 10th. Those placements loomed large in a tightly contested finish that swung twice before Brisbane finally put it away.

Sydney struck first in the second inning when Harry Fullerton lined a two-run double to center, scoring Joshua Nati and Dylan Leach. Brisbane answered immediately in the bottom half on Ryu’s two-run homer to right-center, his first of the season, tying the game at 2.

The score remained unchanged into the ninth, with Brisbane starter Kolby Kiser working six strong innings, allowing three hits and no earned runs while inducing four double plays. Sydney right-hander Ben Ferrer also went six innings, surrendering two runs on six hits.

Sydney grabbed a late lead in the ninth when Anthony Huezo connected for a two-run homer to right-center off Tyler Jeans, plating Pablo Nunez and putting the Blue Sox ahead 4-2.

Brisbane rallied in the bottom of the inning without a hit. Jake Burns, batting for Noah Barber, drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Robbie Perkins, and Max Durrington followed with another walk to bring home Ryu and tie the game.

In the 10th, Sydney moved ahead 5-4 when a wild pitch by Jeans allowed Huezo — the placed runner — to score an unearned run under the extra-innings rule.

Brisbane responded again in the bottom half. Perkins grounded into a force out that brought home Durrington to even the score at 5, with the tying run also unearned and aided by a throwing error. Moments later, Ryu lined a single to left to score Perkins and end it.

Jeans (1-0) earned the win despite allowing three runs, two earned, over the final two innings. Josh Guyer (1-1) took the loss for Sydney. Brisbane finished with eight hits, led by Ryu’s three RBIs and Perkins’ three-hit performance.

The victory allowed Brisbane to split the four-game Round 7 series with Sydney at two games apiece. With three rounds remaining in the regular season, the Bandits sit at 12-15, six games back of first-place Sydney (18-9). Perth (10-14) and Adelaide (11-13) were scheduled to meet in a doubleheader later Sunday, while Brisbane will travel to Perth next week for a four-game Round 8 series that could prove pivotal in the standings.