Savannah Bananas @ Indianapolis Clowns

0:01 [music]

0:01 I know.

0:18 Heat. [music]

0:24 [music]

0:47 >> [music]

0:56 [music]

1:03 [music]

2:20 [music]

2:25 [music]

2:47 [music]

2:49 [cheering]

3:04 [music]

3:06 >> composer.

3:09 I am the destiny.

3:13 I am a soldier.

3:15 [music] Stand up for the action.

3:19 Stand up closer.

3:23 We will not back down.

3:27 It's over.

3:31 KJ across the N between the legs

3:33 sneaking between the legs

3:36 deep to left

3:39 >> and [music] reflects the home run

3:41 stadium king strikes again [music]

3:45 stay high get that bullet rocket darling

3:49 in time one of the most ser [music]

3:53 you will ever see

3:54 >> that wall do it to him oh Yeah, what a

3:58 play.

4:00 >> Welcome in to Great American Ballpark in

4:03 [music] Cincinnati, Ohio, where the

4:04 Indianapolis Clowns and the Savannah

4:06 Bananas both make their triumphant

4:09 returns. For the Bananas, it's been just

4:11 over a year since they played ball in

4:13 Cincy. For the Clowns, this is a

4:16 homecoming 79 years in the making. And

4:19 on the bump for this historic battle,

4:21 it's a rematch of Southpaws who sparred

4:24 two three weekends ago rather in Kansas

4:26 City. Rookie Daniel Foster gets the ball

4:28 for the clouds while the Bananas counter

4:30 with their veteran Noah Nisnik. And it

4:33 is a beautiful evening for Banana Ball

4:35 here in the home of the Cincinnati Reds.

4:37 About 78° and sunny as we are a half

4:40 [music] an hour shy of First Pitch.

4:43 We've got the pregame coverage for you

4:45 right here on ESPN 2. Then we'll pop

4:46 over to ESPN for First Pitch as we

4:49 welcome you inside with Josh Tleski, the

4:51 statistical savant of the sport, and Mr.

4:54 Cam Stewart, the voice of the

4:55 Indianapolis Clowns. I am Bo Scala.

4:57 Happy Big Tiger Friday for all who

4:59 celebrate and much more importantly,

5:01 happy Junth. Now, this is a bit of a

5:04 homecoming for the Indianapolis Clowns.

5:06 They started as the Ethiopian Clowns in

5:08 Miami and then their second home right

5:09 here in Cincinnati.

5:10 >> Yeah, and we've already seen such an

5:12 emotional ride from this Clowns team in

5:14 their first year in Banana Ball. The

5:15 homecoming in Indianapolis, we were

5:17 together for that quasi homecoming in

5:19 Kansas City, home of the Negro Leagues

5:21 Museum and Hall of Fame. And we're

5:22 getting that treatment once again

5:24 tonight. They have called it home before

5:26 as the original baseball town in America

5:28 just going bananas this weekend.

5:30 >> And for the Bananas, they split a series

5:31 against the Texas Tailgator, a twoame

5:34 set last June. And they started redhot

5:36 this year, 11-1 to open the season.

5:38 They're six and 12 over the last 18

5:40 games.

5:40 >> Yeah, they have been in freef fall over

5:42 the last couple of weekends this season.

5:44 And what really stands out, the Bananas,

5:46 just 1 and4 here in the month of June.

5:48 And when you focus in on their games

5:50 against the Indianapolis Clowns, the

5:52 offense has struggled quite a bit. They

5:54 have just a 236 team average against

5:57 this squad. So, while this is certainly

5:59 a big weekend for the Indianapolis

6:01 Clowns, the Bananas want to try and

6:03 spoil their fun and get some W's in that

6:05 column again, right? And these are two

6:07 teams that both got swept across two

6:09 game series last weekend. And talking

6:12 about the series that we had last year,

6:14 Texas Tailgator got their first ever big

6:16 league stadium win right here in Great

6:18 American Ballpark. Let's take a look at

6:20 the specs here in the beautiful home of

6:23 the Cincinnati Reds. Now, Cincinnati,

6:25 this is the original birthplace of

6:27 [music] professional baseball. Back in

6:28 1869, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, the

6:31 first ever pro baseball team in the

6:33 world. This ballpark [music] here opened

6:35 in 2003. It can hold over 42,000 fans.

6:38 But we're going to see it jam-packed for

6:40 three straight games here. [music] And

6:42 the dimensions are pretty square. 328 to

6:45 left, 404 to center, 325 down the right

6:47 field line. And this is one of those

6:49 ballparks when you get a lot of guys in

6:50 the major leagues who say that this is

6:52 one of the most hitter friendly parks in

6:54 Major League Baseball. [music]

6:55 So certainly a place where the bananas

6:57 and clowns alike are going to hopefully

6:59 try and tee off throughout the weekend.

7:01 And it's a special weekend at that. A

7:03 lot of home state guys as well are going

7:05 to be playing in this series for both

7:06 teams. Yeah, Josh, you mentioned how

7:09 hitter friendly this ballpark [music]

7:10 can be. The Clowns have slugged their

7:12 way to success this season. And

7:14 yesterday in the rehearsal day, Jackie

7:16 Bradley Jr. up and down the dugout

7:18 saying, "Fellas, [music]

7:19 this is where you get your long balls

7:21 right here in Cincinnati this weekend."

7:23 >> Yeah, [music] you want to see a big time

7:24 long ball, check out Nicolesizer's

7:26 Instagram. That guy hit one probably 550

7:29 [music]

7:30 plus feet and you could take a look at

7:32 it there. When we come back, we'll talk

7:33 about how the Savannah Bananas have

7:35 fared in big league parks [music] this

7:36 year.

7:41 [music]

7:56 [music]

8:06 Shut up.

8:37 Shadow, shadow.

9:14 I don't know.

9:24 Hello, Cincinnati. Yo yo yo yo yo yo yo.

9:28 How y'all feeling?

9:29 >> Well, we just got one question for you.

9:31 Do you need something? Are you ready to

9:33 see the original baseball circuit?

9:38 Well, we got plenty of that coming your

9:39 way cuz we're like,

9:53 welcome back to [music] our 2026 Banana

9:56 Ball World Tour pre-show presented by

9:58 DQ. [music] DQ, happy tastes good. Out

10:03 of the 30 games that the Savannah

10:05 Bananas have played so far here in 2026,

10:08 11 of them have [music] come in Major

10:09 League Baseball stadiums and they have

10:12 fared quite well in their big league

10:14 parks so far here in the inaugural

10:16 season of the Banana Ball Championship

10:18 League.

10:20 Robert [music] Anthony Cruz big time

10:23 blast to the Chop House in Truis Park.

10:26 One of the big time [music] moments that

10:28 the Nanners have had in MLB Stadium so

10:30 far. Yeah, I mean that certainly jumpst

10:31 started a [music] win for them in

10:33 Atlanta this season. You saw a big

10:35 moment for Kyle Jackson in Anaheim,

10:37 California this season against these

10:39 Indianapolis Clowns. It was Jackson

10:41 [music] who in just five innings hit for

10:43 the cycle against the Indianapolis

10:46 Clowns. [music] And you also shouldn't

10:47 forget in that very same game, Dan

10:49 Overst, he finished just a triple shy of

10:52 the cycle. [music] Max Young Goldberg,

10:54 his first career home run in Banana

10:56 Ball. A moonshot banged high off [music]

11:00 the foul pole down the right field line

11:02 in Yankee Stadium. Tough to get a more

11:05 memorable first career big fly in a

11:07 sport than putting one out in the Bronx.

11:09 And his teammates right there to duggey

11:13 with him. It's been impressive [music]

11:16 what the Banana's pitching staff though

11:18 when you actually really look at the

11:19 numbers has been able to do in these big

11:21 league parks. I'd say the arms [music]

11:23 the biggest reason why the Ner seven and

11:25 four in their 11 games in Major League

11:27 Baseball stadiums. [music]

11:28 >> Yeah. And you've seen in Banana Ball

11:29 this season, the tour average erra has

11:32 been above six this year. So to see the

11:34 Bananas at 4.69 as a team in big league

11:37 stadiums is [music] awfully impressive.

11:40 I mean, this team just continues to be

11:42 the best when it comes to [music]

11:43 pitching in banana ball in 2026. But the

11:47 offense has done its fair share of

11:48 damage as well. a very nice [music] 273

11:51 team batting average. Maybe you desire a

11:54 little bit more from an OPS standpoint,

11:56 but you see [music] nine home runs in

11:58 these big league parks. You saw a couple

12:00 of them in the highlights. They have

12:02 come at very timely occasions for this

12:04 Savannah Banana squad. And that has been

12:07 another aspect that has [music]

12:08 certainly led them to a 7 and4 record in

12:11 big league parks this season. It'll be

12:13 fascinating. This is a threeame set

12:15 here. Only the second ever threeame set

12:18 in a big league park. The first was

12:20 truest park. Tonight's aerial coverage

12:22 is brought to you by Goodyear Eagle.

12:25 Fast is in us.

12:43 It is now time to meet your Savannah

12:47 Bera. [screaming]

12:49 [groaning]

12:54 Behind the plate, weighing number 17,

12:57 East Paris.

13:05 Going out to left field, we got Pooky

13:09 wearing number seven, Ty

13:13 Jackson.

13:18 Where's Coach R? Where's Coach R? He's

13:21 in left center field, Robert Anthony

13:24 Cruz.

13:29 In center field, number five, the Dr.

13:33 Dr.

13:34 >> [groaning]

13:34 >> Meadows.

13:39 Behind second base, play number 19, the

13:43 designated hitter, Danny Over.

13:51 In right center field, the future king

13:54 of the Pirates wearing number two, Ree

13:57 Alex

14:02 in right field, the Spark Club wearing

14:06 number 22, JT Sakula

14:14 at the third base position. He does it

14:18 all. Qu number 18, Danny Hley.

14:27 Also at third base, number three.

14:39 Welcome back to Banana Ball live from

14:41 Cincinnati, [music]

14:42 Ohio. our pregame coverage here on ESPN

14:44 2 and then we will switch over to ESPN

14:47 when it's time for first pitch at 700

14:50 [music] p.m. Eastern.

14:52 As we talked about at the top of the

14:54 show, Cincinnati, one of the original

14:56 homes for the [music] Indianapolis

14:58 Clouds

14:59 and Sam Bowman has more on how much

15:03 Cincinnati [music] means to this

15:04 franchise.

15:08 And what if I told you this isn't the

15:09 first time the Clowns have played here

15:11 in Cincinnati? It's just been like 80 or

15:13 so years since then.

15:15 >> Cincinnati Clowns. I mean, we think

15:17 about the Clowns and how they really

15:19 started in Florida and made their move

15:21 to Cincinnati in 1943. And Cincinnati

15:24 was welcoming to them. They used Crosley

15:27 Field, played here, had the same antics

15:29 that they would have down in Florida,

15:31 brought them here, and the fans loved

15:32 it. So, the team grew here and then

15:34 eventually moved on to Indianapolis. So,

15:37 yeah, the Clowns have played in

15:38 Cincinnati before, but it's their first

15:40 time playing here at Great American

15:43 Ballpark.

15:47 Thank you, SB. Take a look at

15:49 Cincinnati's role in the history of the

15:51 Clowns. 1943 is when they moved from

15:54 Miami up here to Cincinnati. And then

15:56 from 44 to 47, they were actually known

15:59 as the Cincinnati Indianapolis Clowns

16:01 before they became the Indianapolis

16:03 Clowns for the next 40 plus years of

16:05 their existence.

16:06 >> Yeah. Yeah, and this is really where you

16:07 kind of see the show take off for the

16:09 Clowns in their Negro Leagues [music]

16:10 and Barntorming days. Obviously, the

16:13 Midwest was such a great hub for such

16:16 entertaining baseball and it really

16:17 takes off in their time in Cincinnati.

16:20 Guy, I guys, I had a chance to [music]

16:21 go through the Red's Hall of Fame

16:23 yesterday and it's one of the first

16:24 things you see obviously big red machine

16:26 of course and you go around the corner

16:28 and there's all kinds of tributes to not

16:30 just the clowns and their [music] time

16:31 here which they're very grateful for,

16:33 but the the Negro Leagues and the teams

16:35 that came through here. So, it was

16:36 pretty cool. Pretty cool seeing Goose

16:38 Tatum's three-foot first baseman on

16:41 display there. So, certainly I mean

16:43 obviously a city that embraces baseball

16:45 so much did it with the Clowns and you

16:47 guys have been here a couple of times.

16:48 They're embracing banana ball quite a

16:50 bit, too. So, it's awesome to see the

16:52 Clowns come home in this way.

16:53 >> It was pretty awesome to see the Clowns

16:55 do battle against the Texas Tailgator

16:57 last weekend in Morgantown, West

16:59 Virginia. Some fantastic ball games. The

17:02 ending is not exactly what the Clowns

17:04 were looking for, but they were back and

17:05 forth from the get- go.

17:06 >> And here you see it right away. Three

17:08 runs in the top of the first for the

17:10 Tailgator, but Bobby Leay gets two back

17:12 right away. his sixth homer of the year

17:14 in his return to West Virginia where he

17:16 played collegiate summer league ball.

17:18 Still two nothing though. Joe Lidle his

17:21 second walk-off in as many games. He

17:23 brings Leeday home after a leay double

17:26 and steal of third base. And we cut the

17:28 lead in half to two [music] to one. Matt

17:30 Wolf always got a trick or two up his

17:32 sleeve. He comes in in the fifth with

17:34 the same score. Just ask Taj Border

17:36 about the tricks up his sleeve. The

17:38 Ephus pitch that would make Bill Lee

17:40 proud. He strikes out the side for

17:43 [music] the first time in his banana

17:44 ball career. We stay at 2-1. But the

17:47 sixth inning, this is [music] where it

17:48 gets nuts. Okay, this one out to the

17:51 wall. Jackie Bradley to Kirkland Banks.

17:54 We got Jordan Bar on his horse, but he

17:56 is going to be cut down at home plate.

17:59 The second time the Clowns do that in

18:01 this ball game. Joe Lidle, a little

18:03 something to say, maybe wave goodbye to

18:06 him. We stay at two to one even though

18:09 three runs come in for the tailgator.

18:11 Jackie Bradley cuts into [music] that

18:13 right away in the bottom half of the

18:15 sixth. He leads it off with his sixth

18:17 home run of the year in a tie ball game.

18:21 But we go to the ninth. Last chance for

18:22 the Clowns at 3-2. Eli Pton. This one's

18:26 going to stay in the old ballard at

18:27 Kendrick Family Ballpark. And the Texas

18:29 Tailgator take two of two in Morgantown

18:33 and extend their lead at the top of the

18:36 standings. But this is a matchup, guys,

18:38 we have gotten quite familiar with. Five

18:40 games between these two since the last

18:43 weekend in May, and it has gone back

18:45 [music] and forth. Of course, we had

18:47 that historic Clown series win against

18:50 the Bananas in Grayson two weeks ago,

18:52 but you can slice these guys in between

18:54 with an index card.

18:55 >> Yeah. Yeah, I mean, you just see the

18:56 clowns have been able to mash their way

18:58 to some victories against the Bananas

19:00 this season, averaging 10 hits a game.

19:02 And what stands out even more is the

19:04 home runs that you've seen from

19:06 Indianapolis. The Bananas only have four

19:08 this season against the Clowns.

19:10 Meanwhile, they have doubled that

19:11 Bananas total throughout this season

19:13 [music] series. So, the Clowns certainly

19:15 going to be trying to swing for the

19:17 fences here in a hitter friendly park,

19:19 but also trying to improve on that ball

19:21 four sprint to strikeout ratio

19:23 throughout the weekend as well. If they

19:25 can get that pitching to come through

19:27 for them, they should be able to get a

19:29 season or a series win. [music] Yeah, we

19:31 saw these two teams split the last

19:34 series they had in a big league park

19:35 three weekends ago in Kansas City, one

19:37 game a piece. The Naners were able to

19:39 sweep the two games set in Angel Stadium

19:41 at the end of March. And you talked

19:43 about it, Cam, the Clowns coming [music]

19:45 off a historic first ever series victory

19:48 over the Bananas two weekends ago in the

19:51 Nanner's house down in Savannah,

19:53 Georgia. When we come back, we'll get a

19:55 look at the standings here in the Banana

19:57 Ball Championship League and talk some

19:58 [music] keys to success for tonight.

20:13 [music]

20:17 >> [music]

20:23 >> You know you don't know this is the

20:25 fastest show in sports right now. Fan

20:27 first non-stop whole crowd loud. You

20:29 blink once, you might miss the whole

20:31 show.

20:33 It's 10% luck, 20% skill, 15% of always

20:37 giving crowds a thrill, 5% dance, 50%

20:41 insane, and 100% reason they remember

20:44 the game. Number one, win the inning.

20:46 You must hit from the beginning. You

20:47 must score the highest score and then

20:49 you're on the road to winning. Number

20:50 two, check your watch. Nobody wants to

20:52 stop, but we scream the crazy up and put

20:54 two hours on the clock. And number

20:56 three, if we're tired, a showdown will

20:58 arise. But oneonone and dangers with a

21:00 fielder on the side. Number four, we

21:02 don't. We start hitting from the jump.

21:04 If you do it, you can leave. Get

21:06 ejected. Call me up. Number five, hear

21:08 me like keep up the pace. You better

21:10 keep in mind steal the first pace.

21:13 Number six, a walk a banana ball. We

21:16 sprint on ball four until all

21:17 outfielders touch the ball. And seven, a

21:19 batter can't step out of that box. And

21:21 if he does, it's a strike. He paid the

21:23 cost. And number eight, no visit to your

21:26 mouth allowed. And if we catch a slip,

21:28 then we might throw you out. And number

21:30 nine, each team is allowed to challenge

21:32 one umpire. Calling things still

21:34 unbalanced. And yes, even you get to

21:37 join in on the fun. The fans get to

21:39 challenge now. Ain't that something from

21:41 number 10? The one and only golden

21:43 batter. He can hit in any spot near a

21:45 nobody batter. And 11. If a fan catches

21:48 a foul ball, it's an out. That's all the

21:51 rules of banana ball. Fans give it up

21:55 for Brandon.

21:59 And now, let's go around.

22:07 [music]

22:08 >> Welcome back to our 2026 Banana Ball

22:11 World Tour pre-show presented by DQ. DQ.

22:16 Happy tastes good. It is the inaugural

22:19 [music] season of the Banana Ball

22:21 Championship League. We have just passed

22:23 the halfway point for most of the teams.

22:25 The Bananas [music]

22:26 will pass that tonight. This is game 31

22:29 of a 61 game schedule for the Nanners

22:32 and it is tight. Only seven and a half

22:34 games separating last place from the

22:36 Texas [music] Tailgator at first who

22:38 have clinched a playoff spot because

22:40 they won the inaugural Banana Ball Open

22:42 back in midappril. And for the Clowns

22:44 [music] just three and a half games out

22:45 of the playoff spot with still 30 to

22:47 play. Yeah, and that's the way to look

22:49 at it, right? We've seen some

22:50 flip-flopping between the Clowns [music]

22:51 and the Firefighters in the last couple

22:53 of weekends. And I mean how quickly

22:56 things can change on this tour. The

22:58 firefighters a historic [music]

22:59 three-game sweep on the wrong end

23:01 against the Texas Tailgator two weeks

23:03 ago. They take two [music] out of two

23:05 for the Bananas last weekend. It can

23:07 change that quickly here in this league.

23:10 >> And what you want to do is [music] try

23:11 and maximize your wins playing as the

23:13 home team. The Clowns get to be that

23:14 home squad all three games this weekend.

23:17 And you really see just how much the

23:18 Bananas have kind of fallen over time.

23:21 And this is a team that started the

23:22 season 11 and one. Now they are 17 and

23:26 13 this season. So they are trying to

23:27 see if they can get back to first place

23:30 here in the Banana Ball Championship

23:32 League. We got a lot of other really

23:34 interesting matchups [music] occurring

23:35 throughout the weekend. The Party

23:37 Animals got a really key victory against

23:39 the first place tailgator last night and

23:41 [music] you saw Loco Beach take down the

23:43 firefighters as well. So things are

23:46 interesting over in Nashville and

23:47 Manchester, New Hampshire this weekend.

23:49 Yeah, this is the second ever [music]

23:51 9game weekend in Banana Ball history.

23:54 You can watch every game for free on

23:56 YouTube while we bring all three of

23:57 these games in Cincinnati to you here on

23:59 ESPN. And now, a look at our Banana Ball

24:01 rules brought to you by DQ. [music]

24:06 Banana Ball is the fastest and most

24:08 entertaining show in sports, and the 11

24:11 rules guarantee the most fans first

24:13 experience every second.

24:15 >> Unbelievable. Welcome to the Banana Ball

24:18 Championship League.

24:19 >> Rule number one, win the inning, win the

24:22 point. The team that scores the most

24:24 runs in an inning wins the point.

24:25 >> It's a walkoff winner.

24:30 >> Oh my goodness.

24:31 >> With the equalizer [music] point, trick

24:32 plays provide the away team an

24:34 opportunity to earn a point going into

24:36 the final inning. And in the final

24:38 inning, every run counts as a point.

24:41 Rule number two, Banana Ball has a 2hour

24:44 time limit, guaranteeing that every game

24:46 is fast-paced and action-packed. Rule

24:50 number three, no stepping out of the

24:52 batter's box. If you do, it will result

24:54 in a strike.

24:54 >> Max stepped out of the box and because

24:56 he stepped out of the box, that's it.

24:58 >> Rule number four, no bunting, cuz

25:01 bunting sucks. If you bunt, you'll be

25:04 thrown out of the game. Rule number

25:05 five, [music]

25:06 batters can steal first base. Ball

25:08 three. Get it taken out for first throw

25:10 from Laroy in time.

25:12 >> Rule number six, there's no [music]

25:14 walks. Walks are ball force sprints. The

25:17 batter can advance as far as they want

25:19 until every position player touches the

25:22 ball.

25:22 >> No defenders have touched the banana

25:24 ball. It is a four sprint to open up the

25:28 ball game.

25:28 >> Rule number seven, no mound visits.

25:32 >> Nope. Rule number eight, foul balls

25:35 caught by a fan count as an out.

25:43 >> Rule number nine, the showdowns. In

25:46 showdowns, the best of the best face off

25:48 in the biggest moment. One hitter versus

25:51 one pitcher with one fielder behind him.

25:54 And the hitter has to score. Deep

25:56 center. Cuater.

26:00 >> Rule number 10. The banana ball

26:02 challenge rule gives the coaches and you

26:04 the fans a chance to impact the call on

26:07 the field. Rule number 11, the golden

26:10 battle. Once [music] a game, each team

26:12 can give any player in it back

26:14 regardless of the lineup. This offers

26:16 the biggest matchups on the biggest

26:18 stage.

26:19 >> Big on big.

26:21 Let's go. Let's go. Let's go.

26:24 >> Get out of here. [screaming]

26:26 That thing had a family.

26:30 And those are the rules of Banana Ball.

26:34 [music]

26:37 >> Thank you very much, Virtual Jesse Cole.

26:39 [music] Take a look at our keys to the

26:42 game for both these squads tonight.

26:43 Starting with the bananas. It's all

26:45 about keeping the ball in the yard as

26:48 we've talked about throughout the

26:49 pre-show. And you got to come through in

26:50 the clutch. Having a batting average

26:52 below the Mendoza line with runners in

26:54 scoring position against the last five

26:55 games. That's not going to get it done.

26:57 Yeah, things have certainly been tough

26:58 for this Bananas offense. [music] This

27:00 has kind of been a recurring theme since

27:01 the end of the Banana Ball Open, the

27:03 mid-season tournament played in

27:05 midappril. Bananas have just had so many

27:08 struggles [music] when it comes to

27:09 batting with guys in scoring position.

27:11 They've had time leave all four sprints,

27:13 but the hits have just not been what

27:15 they were in February and March for

27:17 [music] this squad. Meanwhile, they've

27:19 got to find a way to just keep the ball

27:21 in the yard this weekend.

27:26 Let's get it on down to the field. Time

27:28 to get fired up.

27:29 >> Ladies and gentlemen, dreamers,

27:34 believers, and storytellers from around

27:38 the world. For over 50 years, the clowns

27:42 bar and stormed this country. City to

27:44 city, town to town, bus ride to bus

27:49 ride. They played through rain.

27:54 They played through hate.

27:57 >> They played through empty crowds and

28:00 packed houses.

28:03 This is for every player who wore the

28:08 jersey.

28:09 This is for every pioneer and showman.

28:15 This is for every player who step foot

28:19 on the field. They built this.

28:24 This is more than just a comeback.

28:28 This is more than just a reunion. This

28:33 is history in the making. And tonight,

28:36 it's your job.

28:38 Cincinnati.

28:44 No, no, no, no, no. I said Cincinnati.

28:50 [screaming]

28:54 After 37 years in the darkness, the

28:58 original baseball circuit is back at the

29:01 soul sports night.

29:07 It's time to put those hands together as

29:10 we meet the starting lineup for your

29:13 Indianapolis Club.

29:17 He's the out of the outfield. Right

29:19 fielder number three, Cowboy Joe Gray

29:22 Jr.

29:27 He's an MVP World Series champion and an

29:30 elementary school spelling be champion,

29:33 center fielder Jackie Friendley Jr.

29:38 He's a man of few words, but a whole lot

29:41 of trick plays. Shortstop number seven,

29:43 Bobby Lay.

29:51 There's a party in the back, but all

29:53 business on the field. Your catcher

29:55 number 22, Joe Lidle

30:02 at DH. He's bringing beats and bop to

30:04 the ballpark. Number 44. Splash Dale

30:08 Francis Jr.

30:16 Cincy is prime time at first base number

30:21 11.

30:28 He's our golden boy from the Golden

30:31 State. Third baseman number 16, Eli

30:35 Payton.

30:38 the pride of PA, but he wants to beat

30:40 him today. Left fielder number 12, Nico

30:44 Hulizer.

30:49 Bringing some of that Georgia heat to

30:51 Cincinnati. The extra hitter number

30:53 nine, Chris

30:56 Burgess.

30:59 He's snapping up those grounders like a

31:01 gator in the bayou. Second baseman

31:04 Kirkland Banks.

31:10 designated runner

31:17 flash the kid

31:20 Mitchell.

31:23 And on the boat for your Indianapolis

31:25 cloud, he's wheeling and dealing,

31:28 styling and profiling, number 34, Daniel

31:32 Foster.

31:35 And the ring masters of the original

31:37 baseball circus, Eric Foxy Fox, Willie

31:41 or Rooney Carter and Tony Big Tomo.

31:49 That's the starting lineup for the

31:51 headlining home squad Indianapolis

31:54 Clowns. Marks the conclusion of our

31:56 pregame show here on ESPN 2. We'll have

31:58 first pitch on ESPN after a short break.

32:22 We

32:25 at the twilight

32:27 last

32:30 broad stripes and Bright stars

32:35 through the pari

32:41 or the

32:43 we

32:46 were so Daily

32:57 bursting

32:59 in

33:02 gave proof through the night

33:10 there.

33:12 Oh, say does that star spangle

33:18 better yet?

33:29 of the free

33:34 and the home.

33:37 [crying]

33:57 I am destined.

34:01 I am soldier. [music]

34:04 Stand up for the action.

34:07 Stand up closer.

34:11 We will not back down.

34:19 The KJ across the diamond between the

34:21 legs sneaking between the legs [music]

34:24 deep to left waving goodbye and

34:27 reflecting

34:32 [music]

34:37 snap in time. One of the most absurd

34:40 plays you will ever see. Do it to him.

34:44 Oh yeah, what a play.

34:55 Welcome in to Banana Ball live on ESPN.

34:58 This is the opener of a three-game set

35:00 between the visiting Savannah [music]

35:02 Bananas and the home Indianapolis Clowns

35:05 who return to their home from 1943 to

35:09 1947. And the Clowns 12-9, but just

35:12 three and a half games out of a playoff

35:14 spot, while the Bananas at 17 and 13,

35:17 two games out of the top spot in the

35:20 sport as they continue to try and track

35:22 down the almighty Texas Tailgator. Over

35:25 42,000 fans on [music] hand here in

35:28 Great American Ballpark. The third ever

35:30 Banana Ball game held here in the home

35:32 of the Cincinnati Reds. as we welcome

35:34 you inside with Josh Tipsky, the

35:36 statistical savant of Banana Ball and

35:38 Cam Stewart, the voice of the

35:39 Indianapolis Clowns. I am Doo Scalla.

35:42 Once again, happy Big Tiger Friday for

35:44 everybody who celebrates and much more

35:46 importantly, happy Junth. What a way we

35:48 get to celebrate here Friday night,

35:51 Great American Ballpark, the

35:52 Indianapolis Clowns back in Cincinnati.

35:54 Yet another homecoming, the second one

35:56 we have seen this season for the

35:58 Indianapolis Clowns and obviously one of

36:00 the great baseball cities in America

36:02 going banana ball tonight. We'll talk

36:04 about that throughout the night, but

36:05 maybe more importantly, you guys can

36:07 find out after our broadcast all the

36:09 history that the Clowns have had in

36:10 Indianapolis and here in Cincinnati.

36:12 >> Yeah, that's right. It will be the

36:13 premiere of E60's return of the Clowns,

36:16 documenting the entire history of the

36:18 team and the rebirth here in Banana

36:20 Ball. And for Josh, the Savannah

36:21 Bananas, the namesake of the sport. It's

36:23 been tough sledding as of late.

36:25 >> Yeah, I mean, the Bananas just one and

36:26 four here in the month of June and

36:28 trying to spoil some of the clouds fun

36:30 throughout this weekend. The Bananas

36:32 sorely hoping that their bats are going

36:34 to wake up here in Great American

36:36 Ballpark. Historically, a pretty hitter

36:38 friendly place. Well, let's get a look

36:39 at the Indianapolis Clouds defensive

36:42 alignment in this opener of the threeame

36:45 set. The Clowns left to right in their

36:48 outfield. Brian Dancero, Jackie Bradley

36:50 Jr., and Joe Gray Jr. Third to first in

36:53 the infield. It's Eli Payton, Bobby

36:54 Leed, Kirkland Banks, and Carell Prime.

36:56 [music] Well, Joe Lidle is the catcher.

36:58 Yeah, Bobby Leay has been the guy who

37:00 has led the way in trick plays for the

37:02 Clowns [music] all season long. And it's

37:04 a team that is turning the corner in

37:06 that department over the last three

37:08 series, averaging about 10 a game. And

37:10 honestly, Daniel Foster, who we'll talk

37:12 about in a second, is a big reason why.

37:15 But a couple of runs cut down [music] at

37:17 the plate in the game on Saturday

37:19 against the Tailgator. Joe Gray Jr. had

37:21 one. Jackie Bradley Jr. kickstarted the

37:24 other. Let's take a look at Daniel

37:26 Foster, shall we? The big southpaw

37:28 coming in from Florida. And since he has

37:32 actually held down a spot in the

37:34 starting rotation for the Clowns, he's

37:36 been one of the best starting pitchers

37:37 in the entire BBCL World Tour this year.

37:40 And the big thing the last three starts

37:43 has been the ground balls. In fact, you

37:45 go back the last month, he's induced 27

37:48 of them in his last 20 innings. And

37:50 guys, I talked to him today before the

37:52 game. He said, "I want 15 trick plays

37:55 out of my guys when I'm on the mound

37:57 tonight. I love the ambition. Have to."

38:00 And three of those starts or two of

38:02 those last three starts rather have come

38:03 against this Nanner lineup. Let's get a

38:05 look at the banana starting lineup

38:07 brought to you by PNC Bank at the top as

38:09 per usual, the Dr. DR Meadows. Then Max

38:12 Young Goldberg up a spot in the lineup,

38:14 followed by Dan Over, the cleanup man,

38:16 Kyle Jackson. Then Bill Loy the captain

38:18 with Robert Anthony Cruz, Reeselead, Ty

38:21 Jackson, Ryan Cox, and Jackson Olsen to

38:23 round it out.

38:28 >> Let's get it on down to Brandon so we

38:30 can play some ball. Junth, a day that

38:34 commemorates the end of oppression of

38:36 the black man and woman in America. A

38:39 day that celebrates freedom, resilience,

38:42 and progress. Three things that this

38:44 Indianapolis Clowns team has been very

38:46 representative of since their conception

38:49 right here in Cincinnati as the

38:51 Cincinnati Clowns in 1933.

38:54 So ladies and gentlemen, as we celebrate

38:57 tonight through baseball, through

39:00 community, through entertainment, we

39:03 honor that history and the ongoing

39:06 pursuit of equality for all.

39:14 So fans, with that in mind, it's time

39:17 that we start the clock. So on three,

39:20 ladies and gentlemen, I need you to give

39:21 me a big start the clock. 1 2 3.

39:34 >> That means the 2-hour timer is ticking.

39:36 It will only matter if it runs out

39:38 before we get to the ninth inning. If it

39:40 does run out, whatever inning we are in

39:42 will be the final frame and every run

39:44 scored will count as a point. Of course,

39:46 every inning worth a point in banana

39:47 ball as Daniel Foster pours in strike

39:49 one. Our home plate umpire Vincent

39:51 Chapman, the infamous dancing home plate

39:54 umpire of Banana Ball here in his fifth

39:57 world tour. And Dr. Meadows here in his

39:59 fourth world tour. A big swing and a

40:01 miss behind one two.

40:05 Pokes this foul. First opportunity for

40:08 the fans here in Cincinnati. And it

40:10 clings off the hands.

40:14 Remember, foul ball caught cleanly by

40:16 the fans is an out in banana ball as

40:18 Meadows has to jack knife out of a fast

40:20 ball high and tight

40:25 and peppers this the other way. Kirkland

40:27 Banks between the legs. Prime not able

40:30 to handle it, juggling it at first base.

40:34 Trey Hudson, the crew chief, said there

40:36 was no control of it. That'll go as a

40:37 trick play missed for Kirkland Banks, I

40:39 imagine.

40:41 >> Get another look at it here.

40:44 Tough to tell if that had to be scooped

40:45 or not.

40:46 >> Still a little bit of a low throw, I

40:48 think, from Kirkland Banks. It's

40:49 influenced by the trick play attempt.

40:52 Safest call for now to rule that an

40:54 early trick play missed as Max Young

40:56 Goldberg lines this fair down the right

40:59 field line. And that one will rattle in

41:01 the corner and gets past Joe Brain Jr.

41:04 in right field. And young golfer is

41:07 going to have an RBI stand up triple for

41:11 the Savannah Bananas.

41:14 What a way to get your first career

41:16 threebagger.

41:18 Got his first banana ball home run

41:22 back at the end of April in Yankee

41:23 Stadium. Now he gets his first career

41:26 banana ball triple in Great American

41:27 Ballpark.

41:29 >> That ball had some eyes out there in

41:30 right field, didn't it, fellas? Bouncing

41:32 around just a little bit. Grum was

41:34 probably going to score anyway, but for

41:36 Max Young Goldberg, he was hunting that

41:38 first that first triple in banana ball.

41:40 That's how he gets it. MLB ballpark

41:42 inning one.

41:43 >> Love to see it for the Bananas and MJG.

41:45 Now the 8-year nanner Dan Ourst with his

41:48 team high 362 batting average. You just

41:52 saw

41:57 the designated hitter,

42:00 >> the healthy fear of buttons.

42:04 and he'll take four balls. That means

42:06 every fielder behind the pitcher and

42:08 catcher have to touch the ball before

42:09 it's live. Ober sees that JBJ and his

42:12 fellow outfielders slow to come in. He

42:15 gets two bases before Brian Dancro, the

42:18 left fielder, the seventh and final man

42:20 who had to touch the ball before it's

42:21 live. Got a hold of it and the Nanders

42:24 three batters in with two runs across.

42:26 Yeah, they are certainly trying to put

42:27 some early pressure on these

42:29 Indianapolis Clouds. You see the effect

42:32 of faulty ball force sprint defense over

42:35 getting aggressive.

42:37 Now this season around 16 12% of all

42:40 ball force sprints have resulted in two

42:42 or more bases. And you saw another one

42:44 there from Danny Barrels about that.

42:47 It's not very often. No. And and and you

42:50 have a a power hitter at the plate.

42:51 There goes burst has third base stolen.

42:54 The throw from Joe Lidle into left.

42:57 Danny Barrels. How about that? his 15th

43:00 steal in 16 tries this year. It's an

43:04 error from Lidle. And now a three spot

43:06 for the Bananas who still have not made

43:08 an out. And those 15 stolen bases for

43:11 Ober that is the most by any non

43:14 designated runner in our sport. For a

43:17 guy who's been a full-time DH and you

43:19 know you usually expect that position.

43:21 It doesn't run all that well. Dan Oburst

43:24 has made such an impact on the base pass

43:26 this season for the Nanners. KJ pop the

43:29 opposite way. Dancerro battling the sun,

43:31 makes the call and behind the back makes

43:34 the catch. Fantastic trick play. The

43:37 first of our ball game as he breaks out

43:39 the dino celebration signature to

43:41 Dancer. There might be three runs in,

43:44 but you're 115th of the way to Daniel

43:47 Fost's goal of the 15 trick plays. And

43:50 Brian Dancero was telling me earlier

43:52 just hoping to get back out there. He

43:53 missed a backflip catch last weekend in

43:55 Morgantown and makes that one look easy

43:58 to get his night started off on the

44:00 right foot.

44:02 A one count on Bill Loy catcher, one of

44:07 two nine-year veterans on the squad

44:09 along with Cowboy Kyle Luick. We expect

44:11 to see out of bullpen one of these

44:13 games.

44:16 And one of our rules of banana ball,

44:18 you'll only see Brian Dancer out there

44:19 in left field. Designated fielder for

44:21 the Clowns tonight. Eli Payton between

44:24 the legs quickly. A strike to Prime and

44:27 it's backto-back trick plays now for the

44:29 Clouds.

44:30 >> Well, even though they've given up three

44:32 here in the top of the first inning, the

44:33 Clouds are still trying to deny the

44:35 equalizer point to the Savannah Bananas

44:37 tonight. So, as long as they finish with

44:40 more trick plays than the Bananas, who

44:42 are the visiting squad, they will make

44:43 sure the Naners do not get an extra

44:45 point in tonight's contest. That's a

44:48 rule that was introduced in the playoffs

44:50 last October. This is the first full

44:52 season in banana ball history with the

44:53 equalizer point

44:56 in effect

44:57 as Robert Anthony Cruz

45:01 has himself a 2-1 count here in his

45:03 third world tour. The team leader with

45:05 six long balls when he came into the

45:08 sport in 2024. He told us, "I'm here to

45:11 take some daddy hacks and hopefully hit

45:12 the ball really far."

45:15 Uncompetitive ball four there from

45:17 Foster. his second sprint allowed here

45:20 in this three-run first. A big

45:22 turnaround first base for Rack and he

45:23 will retreat back to first. Much crisper

45:25 sprint defense by the Clouds there. And

45:27 this is just not what we're used to

45:28 seeing from Daniel Foster. He's got a

45:31 4.37 earn run average in 22 and 2/3

45:34 innings as a starting pitcher. Since he

45:37 moved into the rotation, only three

45:38 starting pitchers in Banana Ball have

45:40 posted a better erra than this guy. So,

45:43 it's pretty surprising to see the

45:45 struggles here in the first inning for

45:47 the lone lefty on this Clown's team.

45:49 Reese Alexiatis lost this the opposite

45:51 way. Joe Gray Jr. on the run takes care

45:54 of it to staunch the bleeding. But three

45:56 runs come across the Bananas a golden

45:59 opportunity to claim the first point

46:02 available here tonight in Great American

46:05 Ballpark.

46:08 >> Clowns have won three the last five

46:10 games. as they've played against the

46:11 Bananas

46:13 goes across

46:15 two of the last three weekends as you

46:18 get a look at the Nanners defense left

46:20 to right in the outfield rack DR then

46:22 Super East third to first in the infield

46:24 KJ Cox Olsen and Ziegler who's the

46:26 designated fielder so [music] we expect

46:28 to see him the majority of the night in

46:30 there for Max Young Goldberg who is the

46:32 starting first baseman in the lineup and

46:34 of course it's Loy behind the dish

46:36 [music] we saw Alex Eagler and Jackson

46:38 Olsen team up for a handful of double

46:39 trick plays last weekend in Memorial

46:42 Stadium. They've been on a really hot

46:44 streak. Dr. Meadows, who has returned to

46:47 center field over the last couple

46:49 weekends for the Bananas, currently on a

46:51 ninegame trick play streak for his

46:53 squad. In the middle of it all, Noah

46:56 Nisnick here on his third world tour.

46:58 The pride of St. Louis, Missouri. Spent

47:01 his entire college career at Southeast

47:02 Missouri State out in Cape Gerardo. He

47:05 was the 2024 Banana Ball Rookie of the

47:07 Year. had fantastic numbers until three

47:11 weeks ago. The clowns got to him in

47:13 Kansas City. Then the clowns got to him

47:15 again in Savannah. And last weekend it

47:18 was the firefighters who roughed about

47:20 three straight tough outings when he is

47:21 nasty. Yeah, three of the five home runs

47:23 he's allowed this season have come

47:24 against the Indianapolis Clouds. And

47:27 with 13 earned runs in his last 10

47:29 innings pitched, something we've really

47:31 never seen in his rather prolific banana

47:34 ball career. So that season RA is now

47:36 over five. And this is a guy who has

47:38 never had a season where he's finished

47:40 with an earned run average north of

47:42 five. Right. That RA was at 3.38 before

47:45 his start against the Clowns in KC three

47:48 weekends ago.

47:50 And this was the Clowns lineup that

47:52 roughed him up in Grayson and a little

47:54 bit in Kansas City as well. Joe Gray Jr.

47:58 at the top of it, leading it off of

47:59 course Jackie Bradley Jr. behind him.

48:01 Bobby Leidday had the big series

48:04 specifically on Saturday against the

48:05 Texas Tailgator. Three for three with

48:08 three extra base hits including his

48:09 sixth home run of the year. Carell

48:11 Prime, the former Banana, is one of the

48:14 two guys who took Noanisnik deep. And

48:16 they've been getting good production

48:18 from that bottom quarter, bottom third

48:21 of the 10-man lineup.

48:23 >> Yeah. And that powerful Indianapolis

48:25 Clown starting lineup is brought to you

48:27 by PNC Bank as Joe Gray Jr., the team

48:30 leader in homers, seven of them, second

48:33 most in the Banana Ball Championship

48:35 League. Skies one behind the plate. Loy

48:38 runs out of room. This would be an

48:39 amazing snag by the fans. They come up

48:41 empty. And we talked about it. We talked

48:43 about it in the open keeping this Clowns

48:45 team in the yard. There's only one team

48:47 in the Banana Ball Championship League

48:49 with three hitters who have hit six or

48:51 more homers. The Clowns have four of

48:52 them. And you're looking at one of them

48:54 in Joe Gray Jr. right here who has been

48:56 on a tear in the long ball since the

48:58 beginning of May. Six of his seven have

49:00 come in the last month and a half. Nice

49:02 piece of hitting. Can do it all, can't

49:05 he? Inside out. Shoots it through the

49:08 four hole.

49:10 And the former Brewers and Royals farm

49:12 hand. Sets the table for the legend

49:17 Jackie Bradley Jr. Talk about a guy who

49:19 knows a thing or two about hitting.

49:21 Thing or two about hitting in major

49:22 league ballparks. Jackie Bradley was

49:25 telling his teammates this weekend,

49:26 "Hey, you guys want to get yours? This

49:28 is the ballpark to do it. The ball can

49:31 really fly out of here in Cincinnati,

49:33 especially on such a beautiful night

49:35 like tonight.

49:38 >> No, 26-year-old on the mound. Three

49:42 straight balls to the 36 years young

49:44 Jackie Bradley Jr.

49:49 >> and the two-time World Series champ

49:50 takes four straight bad ones from

49:52 Nisnik.

49:56 Gray will go first to third easily.

49:59 Jackie parks it at first.

50:03 And just like that, three batters into

50:05 the last of the first inning. Clowns

50:08 have the frame tying run at the dish.

50:10 And it's their superstar Bobby

50:11 Leiddette. That was a big point of

50:13 emphasis for the Clowns tonight. No ball

50:16 for sprints in that Saturday loss to the

50:18 Tailgator last weekend. Only four on the

50:21 entire weekend. They knew they they'd

50:23 love to get theirs with the home run,

50:25 but they've got to be more patient at

50:27 the plate. You saw it there. Leed, did

50:29 he check his swing? Yes. Confirmed by

50:31 Trey Hudson down the first baseline.

50:35 Two-1 count.

50:37 Leed has taken this nick deep this

50:39 season. This one will be contained by

50:41 Great American Ballpark. Reese Alexi

50:44 into the sun and a big heave home. JBJ

50:48 reads it well. He'll go up to second

50:49 base, but smart move by Gray. That is a

50:52 howitzer that Alexiatis Alexi has for a

50:55 right arm. And Alexi is well aware of

50:59 the clown speed. So figured he should

51:02 throw that ball home. And Jackie Bradley

51:04 Jr. he was he was wise to it. He knew

51:06 that was coming from Reese Seleiatis

51:08 just the way he set up in right center

51:10 field. So he went ahead moved up into

51:13 scoring position. A very smart move by a

51:16 veteran player.

51:18 Speaking of a very smart veteran player,

51:20 Joe Lidle, what a fantastic fourth world

51:23 tour he is having as he gives the fans

51:25 in the second deck an opportunity. They

51:28 jump out of the way. His 432 batting

51:30 average that you see above the

51:31 scoreboard there. The best in banana

51:33 ball here about the halfway mark in this

51:36 inaugural season. He cranks this

51:38 straightaway center. Meadows retreating.

51:41 He will tip it. Grab the first trick

51:43 play of the bananas.

51:45 Gray could have cartwheelled home.

51:47 Instead, he will choose to jog. Sack fly

51:49 for Lidle as Bradley is over to third.

51:53 >> That's a smart decision as well from Dr.

51:55 Meadows. Again, the Bananas want to earn

51:57 that equalizer point here tonight. They

51:59 knew that Joe Gray Jr. was going to

52:02 score on that good piece off the bat of

52:03 Joe Lidle. So, Meadows just decided to

52:05 get his team in that trick play column.

52:09 And now they're going to leave it up to

52:10 Noah Nisnik to try and get this final

52:12 out in the inning against Dale Francis

52:14 Jr. Another

52:18 tremendously talented hitter who gives

52:20 this a ride. Right back to Meadows.

52:22 Nearly the same spot. Back flip catch.

52:24 You've got to be kidding me. To put a

52:27 close on an inning win for the Bananas.

52:30 They lead one point to nothing. The

52:31 inventor of the backflip catch putting

52:33 on a show for over 42,000 [music] in

52:35 Cincinnati. And drawing the Nanners even

52:38 in the trick play calm as well. Making

52:40 10 straight games with the trick play

52:42 for the doctor. And the Nanners with an

52:45 early 10 speed. [music]

52:52 [music]

53:07 Heat.

53:19 [cheering] Heat.

53:51 >> [cheering]

54:26 [music]

54:33 >> Welcome back to Banana Ball live on

54:36 ESPN. DR Meadows. A backflip catch to

54:39 put a close to a 3-1 first inning win

54:42 for the Bananas. That means they get one

54:45 in the allimportant points department.

54:48 And now Daniel Foster back out on the

54:51 bump. Proud of Rocklidge, Florida. It's

54:53 a foul ball from the Jacksonville,

54:55 Florida native. Ty Jackson at the den.

54:58 Bottom three in the order here to swing

54:59 it for the Nanners. Cox on deck. Olsen

55:03 in the hole. Look at tied just two

55:06 points below 300 here in his third World

55:08 Tour, fifth year as a Savannah Banana.

55:11 His bat just continues to heat up for

55:13 this squad. Saw him launch his first

55:15 home run since late September of last

55:18 season. weekend to go in Memorial

55:20 Stadium to tie on a 10 game on base

55:22 streak as well.

55:27 >> Talk about a big pitch here after two

55:29 ball four sprints in the first. He could

55:31 three on the game for Daniel Foster.

55:33 Something he had really corrected since

55:36 going into the starting rotation for the

55:39 Clowns. A 3-2

55:42 strikeout to sprint ratio, but man, that

55:44 number's going up. an okay so far and

55:46 already three by way of the sprint.

55:49 >> Yeah, Foster is two starts in June

55:52 combined for what would be a quality

55:53 start. Six innings pitched, three runs,

55:55 nine hits, of course, more than you

55:56 would want, but only two ball for

55:58 sprints compared to the 5Ks, which as

56:01 you just mentioned, Cam, it's now a

56:02 three to zero ratio from sprints to

56:04 strikeouts as Ryan Cox has a ball and a

56:07 strike on. And you talk about it, I

56:09 mean, Max Young Goldberg was the only

56:10 one that really put a drive into that

56:12 ball in the in the first inning. It's

56:14 not like they were being knocked all

56:15 over the yard. It's kind of the same

56:17 thing we saw from David Griffin last

56:19 weekend in that Saturday start.

56:21 Tailgator had three runs in the first

56:22 without really any loud contact. Bouncer

56:25 the opposite way from Cox. Payton to

56:27 Banks for one over to first in time.

56:30 Clowns go around the horn. KB with the

56:32 trick play in the middle of the double

56:34 play.

56:37 Nice little comeback for Kirkland Banks

56:40 who had the trick play miss that got

56:42 this whole thing started in the first

56:43 inning. Young Gold Coberg got the triple

56:45 we were just talking about with the next

56:47 hitter. Makes a really slick trick play

56:50 feed to to end the double play and Cox

56:54 out the fleet of foot. Banks, you know,

56:55 you're always as an infielder trying to

56:57 size up the guys in that batter box. So

57:00 he knew he had the time to transition

57:02 between the legs there and get the

57:04 clowns back out in front from a trick

57:05 play standpoint.

57:07 One two count on Jackson Olsen pulling

57:10 down the 10hole during his fourth World

57:12 Tour, fifth year as a Savannah Banana

57:14 after he debuted summer of 2022.

57:18 Great play there by Joe White. I don't

57:20 know how he backhanded that

57:24 >> slider from Foster part of his five

57:26 pitch mix as he'll have a square foul

57:29 and get another payoff because if you're

57:31 new here if that ball gets away Jackson

57:33 Olson's got some wheels on him he can

57:35 steal first base and that could have

57:37 just kept the ball rolling for the ball

57:39 for Sprint to have stolen first base.

57:40 Nice play by Lidle. He's kind of getting

57:43 back in that that catcher position the

57:45 last few weeks after battling an injury.

57:49 His knee popped a month and a half ago

57:52 while catching. And this is going to be

57:54 a called strike three right down the

57:56 shoot. Daniel Foster rings the bell and

57:59 a fantastic bounce back inning for the

58:02 23-year-old Southpaw faces the minimum

58:06 thanks to the twin killing and gets his

58:08 first catch.

58:10 exactly what he needed after starting

58:12 this off with a ball for sprint.

58:15 Let's get going in on our Banana Ball

58:17 backstage question of the night.

58:26 >> Hey guys, it's Christina Fusco from

58:27 Banana Ball backstage. I'm here with

58:29 Carter and his little brother Dean. I

58:32 heard you get a question for Brian

58:33 Danero.

58:35 >> Who strikes out the most?

58:37 >> Ryan, what do you think about that?

58:40 Hey Carter, great question. Who's going

58:42 to strike out the most? I'd say anybody

58:44 that faces my brother Matt Wolf.

58:50 >> That's pretty timely there from Dancer

58:52 Wolfie as we talked about on the pregame

58:54 show coming off his first career strike

58:56 out from the side last week in

58:58 Morgantown, West Virginia. He did it

59:00 with gusto, too, guys. the EAS to to

59:03 close out against Taj Corner doing that

59:06 Bill Lee reference. Certainly remember

59:09 the Easier Cincinnati

59:11 Tony was off that standing series 51

59:15 years ago.

59:17 Advancing abilities from Melanic and

59:19 company as we head to the bottom of the

59:22 second. Welcome into the animals.

59:25 Never know what you're going to see.

59:28 It's good to have you.

59:31 Of

59:31 >> course, the man of all faithful, big

59:33 fans of the spaceman as well. Bill Lee,

59:35 of course, part of that 2022 team as

59:38 well as the first half of the 2023 World

59:41 Tour. Legend of the sport. I'm sure

59:43 they're certainly a big fan too of the

59:45 lefty Noanis and his dance moves on the

59:48 pitcher mound. This is a guy that all of

59:50 his teammates will say, "This is the

59:52 best dancer on our ball club." And there

59:54 is no competition whatsoever. Every now

59:57 and then, you know, they they hold some

59:59 tryyous for who's going to do those

1:00:00 kinds of dances coming out to the

1:00:02 mounds. The pitchers come away and they

1:00:04 ask themselves all the time, what's the

1:00:05 point in the competition, guys? We know

1:00:07 N is going to win and he can pitch a

1:00:10 little bit, too, which is a nice added

1:00:13 bonus, isn't it?

1:00:15 >> The best starters across these last

1:00:16 three tours. Carell Prime, his teammate

1:00:20 for the last couple months of 2024, the

1:00:22 entirety of 2025,

1:00:26 gets to square off against his good

1:00:27 buddy.

1:00:30 This ball smoked center field. Dr.

1:00:33 Meadows back turned to home plate.

1:00:34 Watching it sail out of here. What a

1:00:37 blast off the batter's eye for prime

1:00:39 time. And just like that, we're tied at

1:00:42 one. Carell Prime.

1:00:46 Not a good friend to Noah Nisnik. The

1:00:49 last three at bats against him, a double

1:00:51 and now two dingers for Prime Time.

1:00:57 That's how you knock this thing right

1:00:59 back up.

1:01:01 >> And that's a half inning in 14 seconds

1:01:04 right there. That is the time it took

1:01:06 for Carell Prime to get the pitch and

1:01:08 send it out of Great American Ballpark.

1:01:10 Now the ninth home run the Clowns have

1:01:12 collected against the Savannah Bananas

1:01:15 in this season series.

1:01:20 And just like this long ball to

1:01:21 straightaway center from the Colorado

1:01:24 Rockies 2014 organizational player of

1:01:27 the year.

1:01:29 The long balls [music] have often been

1:01:31 clutch when it comes to the clowns

1:01:33 against the Danners. We're knotted at a

1:01:35 point each

1:01:38 [music]

1:01:42 [music]

1:01:46 face side and all

1:01:49 of right Bill and we call this side the

1:01:53 winning side.

1:01:55 What you got to say to that, professor?

1:01:57 That's That's cute, Jarius. That's cute

1:01:59 because I'm over here representing our

1:02:01 fans behind third base. Everyone out in

1:02:04 left field, the best in class of

1:02:06 Cincinnati.

1:02:11 >> Let's see who the best side is. Hit it

1:02:13 short.

1:02:15 >> All right, let's do it.

1:02:30 And the first point goes to

1:02:33 first brace in right field side.

1:02:40 >> Oh, we got to get it back. Come on.

1:02:56 And the second point goes to

1:03:00 >> third base in left field time.

1:03:24 And the winner of tonight's singoff is

1:03:30 the winner of tonight's singoff is

1:03:39 >> [music]

1:03:47 >> Welcome back to Banana Ball live on ESPN

1:03:50 from Great American Ballpark in

1:03:52 Cincinnati, Ohio. Boats sailing down the

1:03:56 Ohio River and a tie game here in the

1:03:59 home of the Cincinnati Reds. 1-1 thanks

1:04:01 to the swing of Carell Prime

1:04:04 to walk off the second inning.

1:04:07 The doctor Dr. Meadows watched it sail

1:04:09 over the fence at center field. Now he

1:04:11 leads off our third game. Top of the

1:04:13 order for the Nans. Dr. reached on a

1:04:14 trick play miss that started the

1:04:16 three-run rally that won the first

1:04:19 inning for the Bananas. One of the many

1:04:21 beautiful things about Banana Ball. You

1:04:23 got a guy in Forel Prime. 14 years of

1:04:25 professional baseball experience before

1:04:27 he came to Banana Ball in 2024. And

1:04:30 opening up our third inning, two guys

1:04:33 who maxed out at division 2 baseball in

1:04:35 college. You got Dr. the kid out of

1:04:38 Columbus State University

1:04:40 who just barely survives this foul ball

1:04:43 into the second deck and Foster on the

1:04:45 bump. Spent his entire college career at

1:04:47 Palm Beach Atlantic University. Leed

1:04:50 deep in the hole. No chance to get the

1:04:52 Speedy Meadows. Infield single.

1:04:56 That ball right at the lip of the

1:04:58 outfield grass. It was still a good

1:05:00 throw to get it over there, but man, you

1:05:02 would have really had to hurry up there,

1:05:04 Josh. And we we've mentioned this a

1:05:06 handful of times. You know, Dr. Meadows,

1:05:08 he dealt with a hamstring injury this

1:05:09 season, but you continue to see him

1:05:11 doing better and better as Young

1:05:12 Goldberg lasers this one off the right

1:05:16 field wall right into Joe Gray Jr.'s

1:05:19 glove.

1:05:21 That is a long single for Max Young

1:05:23 Goldberg. Now two for two, but the

1:05:25 Nanners with a guy in scoring position.

1:05:28 Meadows up to third.

1:05:34 Derek Cla with a beard.

1:05:38 What's happening?

1:05:57 You have [music]

1:06:07 bringing joy. [singing]

1:06:13 He is

1:06:19 only hope.

1:06:23 You can take,

1:06:27 [music]

1:06:28 you can give

1:06:32 [music]

1:06:35 him,

1:06:39 let [music]

1:06:40 him live.

1:06:44 If I die,

1:06:47 [music]

1:06:49 let

1:06:51 [singing]

1:06:55 me

1:07:06 bring you home.

1:07:20 >> [screaming]

1:07:25 >> about the multitasking

1:07:28 to hold the mustache on while imploring

1:07:30 Dan Over to bring David Ray Meadows in

1:07:33 from third base.

1:07:36 >> Could you get a better pep talk than

1:07:38 that right there?

1:07:40 >> It's a pep song, if you will.

1:07:43 Pep serenade

1:07:46 and Overburst is going to bring him

1:07:48 home, but the price he pays is a twin

1:07:51 killing that will deny him the RBI

1:07:53 available. Meadow scores. The tra the

1:07:56 clowns

1:07:57 trade the run for two outs.

1:08:04 Dance and

1:08:10 How

1:08:13 about that?

1:08:14 >> Second

1:08:17 543 double play with a Kirkland Banks

1:08:19 trick play in the middle of it in this

1:08:21 ball game.

1:08:21 >> Well, you got it started with Eli

1:08:23 Payeyton transitioning through the legs

1:08:24 as well. So, you got two trick plays in

1:08:27 that double play for the Indianapolis

1:08:28 Clouds. Now, a 5 to2 lead in trick plays

1:08:32 over this manner team.

1:08:37 That went straight to the back stop and

1:08:39 right back to Lidle. KJ wise to the

1:08:43 bounce. As soon as you take both feet

1:08:47 out of the box and head towards first

1:08:48 base, you are now officially a runner

1:08:50 and it's a force play at first in the

1:08:52 attempt to swipe the bag.

1:08:56 KJ never budged. Flew out to left his

1:08:59 first time. Brian Dancer behind the back

1:09:01 catch. Fooled by the slider there's

1:09:04 Daniel Foster ahead. One, two.

1:09:07 right back to it. Gets the K. Perfect

1:09:10 execution from Foster with another

1:09:13 fantastic slider. Second strike out of

1:09:15 the game for Daniel. That was absolutely

1:09:18 nasty from Foster. The slider at three

1:09:20 quarters. That is the out pitch and

1:09:23 lefty on lefty. That is almost not a

1:09:26 fair fight.

1:09:28 >> Let's get it down for our Bananas foster

1:09:30 family of the game. There are over

1:09:32 400,000

1:09:34 children and teens in foster care

1:09:36 without a permanent home. Look around.

1:09:39 That is enough to fill Great American

1:09:42 ballpark nine times with the amount of

1:09:45 children currently experiencing foster

1:09:47 care. To raise awareness and support

1:09:50 this community, we created Bananas

1:09:53 Foster, the official nonprofit of Banana

1:09:57 Ball. Our organization is dedicated to

1:10:00 celebrating those in the foster care

1:10:02 community while educating and inspiring

1:10:06 others to get involved. Tonight, we are

1:10:09 celebrating the Gra family. When

1:10:12 Debbiey's sister became a licensed

1:10:15 foster parent, Debbie was inspired to

1:10:18 become licensed herself to provide a

1:10:21 safe and loving home to children in

1:10:23 need. Together, Debbie and her husband

1:10:27 Donnie fostered youth from newborns to

1:10:30 teenagers.

1:10:32 After the passing of her husband, Debbie

1:10:35 has continued to foster as a single mom

1:10:39 of four biological children, two

1:10:42 stepchildren, and nine adopted children.

1:10:46 In 34 years of being licensed, this

1:10:50 family has welcomed over 300

1:10:55 children and teens into their home.

1:10:58 Fans, please help us celebrate the Gra

1:11:01 family for making a difference in the

1:11:03 foster care community.

1:11:07 [cheering]

1:11:20 That is as heartwarming as it gets.

1:11:22 Another massive, massive shout out to

1:11:25 Debbie and

1:11:28 Donnie Gra. For 34 years, welcoming over

1:11:31 300 children and teenagers into the

1:11:33 home.

1:11:35 tough to fully grasp

1:11:37 the incredible positive impact that they

1:11:39 have had on so many lives. Forget about

1:11:42 Cheaper by the Dozen. How about 15

1:11:44 different kids in the house? Cheaper by

1:11:46 the 15 does not quite roll off the

1:11:48 tough, but I'm sure it'd be a fantastic

1:11:51 move. We'll be right back.

1:12:26 >> [music]

1:12:27 >> Heat. Heat.

1:12:34 [music]

1:12:43 [music]

1:12:49 >> [music]

1:12:55 [music]

1:13:01 [music]

1:13:03 >> Welcome back to Great American Ballpark

1:13:06 in Cincinnati, Ohio. We've got over

1:13:08 42,000 fans on hand. The 595th straight

1:13:13 sold out crowd in Banana Ball history

1:13:16 for the Nanners against the Clowns.

1:13:20 Currently tied at a point each, but the

1:13:23 Savannah Bananas with a run across in

1:13:25 the top of the third inning. It'll be up

1:13:27 to Eli Payton, Nicoleizer, and Chris

1:13:30 Burgess to swing it here in the bottom

1:13:32 half. Try and deny the Bananas the point

1:13:35 and earn a point of their own. One run

1:13:37 would scratch the inning. Two runs that

1:13:40 gives the Clowns their first lead in the

1:13:42 allimp important points department as

1:13:44 Payton in a bouncer to Jackson Olsson

1:13:47 tries to go behind the back. Would have

1:13:48 been a very impressive trick play, but

1:13:50 he whiffs on it. And that will put the

1:13:53 innings tying run aboard.

1:13:56 Certainly an aggressive attempt by

1:13:57 Jackson Olsen to start the inning and

1:13:59 hopefully one that doesn't come back to

1:14:01 bite the bananas again. Only a one-run

1:14:03 lead here in the inning. You see

1:14:06 disappointed with himself and not being

1:14:08 able to feel that one spinning behind

1:14:10 his back now. Very powerful bat,

1:14:13 Nicoleser. Six home runs this year at

1:14:16 the dish.

1:14:18 Very powerful bat. Just ask the

1:14:20 scoreboard here at Great American

1:14:22 Ballpark. For the second weekend in a

1:14:24 row, he put on an absolute show in

1:14:26 rehearsal day. took the aluminum and

1:14:29 nailed it right under the PNC clock

1:14:32 which is overlooking everything in left

1:14:34 field. I have never seen a ball hit that

1:14:37 far. Now it was with Monet Davis's metal

1:14:39 bat

1:14:40 that helped out but uh I couldn't have

1:14:42 hit the ball out of the ballpark at all

1:14:44 with the aluminum institizer

1:14:48 swinging. First K of the evening for Niz

1:14:51 Nasty as you get a look at the slider.

1:14:52 Well executed.

1:14:54 >> Yeah, good call. I think you know Bill

1:14:56 Loy typically go with a change of there

1:14:58 in that scenario. Decided to switch

1:15:00 things up on Wholesizer and the

1:15:02 Indianapolis Clouds there. Now

1:15:04 Hollesizer 36 strikeouts this season

1:15:07 leading all players on tour.

1:15:12 It's a classic all or nothing approach

1:15:14 for wholeizer. Also the team leader in

1:15:16 ball force sprints earn three true

1:15:18 outcomes kind of guy as Chris Burgess

1:15:21 fouls off the cutter. Count now two and

1:15:24 one on the clown's extra hitter having a

1:15:26 superb first tour hitting 308 reaching

1:15:28 base out of 438 clip. He represents the

1:15:31 inning winning run here. Two of his

1:15:33 three home runs this year guys have been

1:15:35 of the walk-off variety. Did it in the

1:15:38 win over the Bananas in Kansas City as

1:15:41 one of those had the other last Saturday

1:15:44 against the Tailgator.

1:15:47 That was a colossal three-run shot

1:15:50 against the Bananas three weekends ago

1:15:51 in Kaufman Stadium in KCard

1:15:55 Showman as well. Going to learn the ball

1:15:58 for sprint right here. Well, Royy's

1:16:00 trying to figure out where to throw. He

1:16:01 finally chooses Jackson Olsson. Anders

1:16:03 need to get it to all seven fielders

1:16:05 behind the pitcher and catcher before

1:16:06 the ball is live. Payton Easley goes

1:16:08 first to third.

1:16:12 Roy was trying to figure out if Trey

1:16:14 Hudson was going to say that Burgess

1:16:16 went around on the check swing. He did

1:16:18 not. So, it is a sprint. Payton, who

1:16:21 reached on the trick play, missed is 90

1:16:22 ft away from tying this inning. Malachi

1:16:24 Mitchell, the clown's designated runner,

1:16:27 legendary Savannah Banana here in his

1:16:28 sixth world tour. First five years were

1:16:31 with the Bananas, is over at first base.

1:16:35 And Kirkland Banks, the rookie, in a

1:16:38 huge spot with one out and runners on

1:16:40 the corners.

1:16:46 Line shot to left and it'll fall in

1:16:49 front of Robert Anthony Cruz. Throw to

1:16:51 second just in time. Fielder's choice to

1:16:54 nav Flash. Payton does score the inning

1:16:56 tying run, but that is a massive second

1:16:59 out that takes the inning winning run

1:17:00 out of scoring position. That's a pretty

1:17:02 wild heads up play from Robert Anthony

1:17:05 Cruz. Malachi Mitchell was trying to

1:17:07 track that ball. I think he thought

1:17:09 Robert Anthony Cruz was going to lay out

1:17:11 wind up making the catch. So, Flash then

1:17:14 had to turn on the Jets as Joe Green Jr.

1:17:17 hits this one well, but foul into the

1:17:20 left field seats. Nonetheless, Rack a

1:17:23 good arm and Jackson right there with

1:17:25 the bag to get a force out. It was kind

1:17:27 of a tale of two different reads there.

1:17:29 Eli Payeyton was was sure of it that it

1:17:32 was going to drop. He scores very

1:17:34 easily, but it's sympathetic to the guy

1:17:36 on first base. That thing is hit hard

1:17:38 and sinking fast and that gets the force

1:17:42 out at second.

1:17:44 >> Joe Gray Jr. driven deep down the right

1:17:46 field line. Alexi runs out of room and a

1:17:49 lucky hop for the Nanners.

1:17:51 >> That might save the inning for the

1:17:54 Bananas. That might save take a point

1:17:55 off the board for the Clowns.

1:17:57 >> It does for now. Yeah, for certainly I

1:18:00 mean that's a ground rule double. Banks

1:18:01 would have scored easily from first and

1:18:04 if it didn't cling one hop off the foul

1:18:06 pole. Get another look. Great piece of

1:18:08 hitting again from Joe Gray Jr. second

1:18:10 hit of the ball game. Both of them the

1:18:11 opposite way

1:18:13 and you saw it leave play. Come back in.

1:18:15 Alexi with his hands up. Right field

1:18:18 umpire Ron Farnsburgger all over it. Now

1:18:21 Jackie Bradley Jr.

1:18:24 trying to give the Clowns their first

1:18:25 lead in points tonight. the ball for

1:18:28 sprint his first time.

1:18:31 Never saw a strike from his neck and he

1:18:33 still has not since six balls and he was

1:18:37 at the plate for an inning walk-off last

1:18:39 weekend. A man at third. It was a wild

1:18:41 pitch. So, he doesn't get credit for it.

1:18:43 Another one of those would do the trick

1:18:45 for the Clowns. Yeah, but this is the

1:18:47 right guy to have up for Indianapolis.

1:18:48 JBJ still leading the team both in hits

1:18:51 and runs batted in this season.

1:18:54 That's a 433 average with runners in

1:18:56 scoring position this year as he takes a

1:18:59 look at strike two for Miz.

1:19:01 >> Deuces wild.

1:19:04 Slow roller right side. Alex Eagler

1:19:06 gobbles it up and beats JBJ to the bag.

1:19:10 That is a brutal inning for the

1:19:12 Indianapolis Clowns to not come away

1:19:14 with a point.

1:19:16 That is a point taken off the board by

1:19:19 the warning track at Great American

1:19:20 Ballpark. That thing skips up into the

1:19:23 stands on Joe Gray Jr.'s double. Would

1:19:25 have easily scored Kirkland Banks and

1:19:27 instead we call it even in the inning.

1:19:38 At the conclusion [music]

1:19:40 of tonight's broadcast, it will be the

1:19:43 debut of Return of the Clowns E60

1:19:47 documentary [music]

1:19:48 special on the history of the

1:19:50 Indianapolis Clowns. from their

1:19:52 inception in Miami as the Ethiopian

1:19:55 Clowns all the way up to 1943 coming

1:19:59 here to Cincinnati. One year as the

1:20:01 Cincinnati Clowns, three more years as

1:20:03 the Cincinnati Indianapolis Clowns and

1:20:05 then the last surviving Neat Leagues

1:20:08 team all the way up to 1989 before they

1:20:11 were born again here in 2026 in Banana

1:20:14 Ball.

1:20:16 Cannot wait to watch. And we talk about

1:20:18 the special homecomings, the special

1:20:20 weekends that the Clowns have had this

1:20:22 year. In fact, just a month ago with Mid

1:20:25 Bay, the return to Indianapolis, we were

1:20:27 together in Kansas City for that. All

1:20:29 got to see the Negro League Museum with

1:20:31 Bob Kendrick and all the great things

1:20:34 happening there. This is certainly one

1:20:36 of those. Obviously, one of the great

1:20:37 baseball towns in America. They have

1:20:40 embraced Banana Ball more than once, and

1:20:43 it's special. I can't wait. I can't wait

1:20:46 to watch that right after we get off the

1:20:47 air.

1:20:48 >> How about the get up for the former Los

1:20:50 Angeles Dodgers minor leager Vinnie

1:20:53 Santar Sierra, the 67 righty out of

1:20:56 Gainesville, Florida.

1:20:58 And he's looking dapper in the middle of

1:21:00 Great American Ballpark.

1:21:01 >> Yeah, Vinnie Santar Sierra looking

1:21:04 really sharp here and the first man out

1:21:06 of the pen for the Indianapolis Clowns

1:21:08 who didn't get quite what they were

1:21:09 looking for from Daniel Foster tonight.

1:21:11 Vinnie though, an eighthround pick to

1:21:13 the Clowns in the Banana Ball player

1:21:14 draft. Of course, a former Dodgers

1:21:16 farmand this season. A lot of troubles

1:21:19 for the right-hander, averaging nearly

1:21:22 three base runners per inning pitched.

1:21:24 And he's only induced four trick plays

1:21:26 this year. And really, the reason that's

1:21:28 the case is it's very hard to get those

1:21:30 trick plays when you're putting so many

1:21:32 guys on base and you see 13 ball four

1:21:35 sprints for Vinnie.

1:21:38 And how about his bad roommate, the man,

1:21:42 the myth, the mullet, Joe Le miked up

1:21:46 behind the dish. Joe, what's going on

1:21:48 tonight, man?

1:21:49 >> Hey, Joe. Hey, Josh. Hey, Kim.

1:21:54 >> What's going on? Good looking.

1:21:56 >> Oh, you know, just out here having fun.

1:21:58 How are you guys?

1:22:00 >> I think if I was any better, it'd be

1:22:02 illegal.

1:22:05 >> No illegal things around here. Come on.

1:22:08 Joe, you've got your counterpart Bill

1:22:10 Loy leading off this fourth inning. Then

1:22:12 it will be Robert Anthony Cruz and Reese

1:22:14 Alexiatis.

1:22:17 >> And you get to take part in only the

1:22:20 second ever threeame series in a big

1:22:22 league park. How cool is this?

1:22:25 >> Sorry, Vince is yelling behind me. I

1:22:27 don't know what he's yelling at.

1:22:28 >> I think he just tried to eject somebody

1:22:30 from outside of your

1:22:31 >> Trevor. Trevor Turps is over there. I

1:22:33 don't know what he's doing. I can't hear

1:22:34 anything. So, if he's yelling at me, I

1:22:37 can't do anything about it.

1:22:39 >> Yeah. No, you've got a half an inning of

1:22:40 just hearing our voices. How wonderful

1:22:43 is that?

1:22:45 >> Athletic play.

1:22:46 >> Thank you. It's great. Um, I love

1:22:48 hearing y'all's voices, but uh, we're

1:22:51 going to need to have to lock it in

1:22:52 right here on this three count.

1:22:56 >> Got a boy. It's exactly what he does.

1:22:58 >> Yep. That's what we need.

1:23:01 Strikes. Strikes. Strikes. Strikes.

1:23:04 There's another one. Where'd it go?

1:23:06 >> I don't know where it is.

1:23:07 >> That's into the stands. You can chill.

1:23:08 Okay, thanks.

1:23:10 >> Oh, he almost caught it.

1:23:12 >> What a great effort by that guy.

1:23:14 >> Man, today's a weird weird look. I Every

1:23:17 foul ball I have no idea where it's

1:23:19 going.

1:23:21 >> We'll let you know if it's behind the

1:23:22 plate, Joe.

1:23:23 >> Thank you.

1:23:25 >> Nice pitch.

1:23:27 >> Good job by Vinnie fighting back from

1:23:28 the three out.

1:23:30 >> Oh, in the popcorn bucket.

1:23:32 >> Just missed it. Oh, okay.

1:23:34 >> That would have been sweet. You're

1:23:36 salty.

1:23:40 >> Approval.

1:23:42 >> Yeah. Good pitch.

1:23:43 >> Wow.

1:23:44 >> You good?

1:23:44 >> Yeah.

1:23:45 >> I get you.

1:23:47 >> Joe, is there a song that could come on

1:23:49 the PA that could get you out of a

1:23:51 groove in the game? A song that's so

1:23:52 good that would affect your ability to

1:23:54 call a game.

1:23:55 >> Uh, every time we touch Adam Boy, nice

1:23:58 pitch.

1:23:59 >> Sorry,

1:23:59 >> that was filthy. That was a turbo

1:24:02 sinker. That was crazy.

1:24:05 >> I swear I just called a fast ball.

1:24:09 >> I mean, he technically mostly just

1:24:11 throws fast ball splitter slider. I

1:24:13 think it just had some nasty two seam

1:24:15 bite to it.

1:24:16 >> Nasty.

1:24:18 >> Nice pitch.

1:24:19 >> It's got to be fun working with Sanier.

1:24:22 This is a guy who got up to 98 miles per

1:24:24 hour when he was with the Dodgers.

1:24:26 >> He's a good dude, man. He's a lot of fun

1:24:28 to talk to. He's very knowledgeable.

1:24:33 Sorry, I'm trying to figure out what he

1:24:34 was just trying to say.

1:24:37 Nice pitch.

1:24:39 >> What pitch you want here, Bo?

1:24:41 >> Oh, I would love a splitter, personally.

1:24:44 >> Shake.

1:24:50 >> Vinnie and I not on the same page, but

1:24:52 it's okay.

1:24:53 >> Slider not executed.

1:24:54 >> What do you want?

1:24:56 >> A fast ball. I think you just go right

1:24:57 after it. Good one.

1:25:00 >> Yeah, nice pitch.

1:25:03 >> Laser being into the sweets.

1:25:05 >> Good fight.

1:25:08 >> Just keep pouring them in here, right?

1:25:09 >> Oh, 100%. 100%. See what happens.

1:25:16 >> Yeah.

1:25:18 >> Wow. Come on, baby.

1:25:21 >> Firm heat. Back to back h for the big

1:25:23 man.

1:25:25 Joe, you're starting to get to

1:25:26 reaclimate yourself behind the dish,

1:25:28 returning from injury, but what is it

1:25:30 like to see the way in which your

1:25:31 pitching staff has evolved over the last

1:25:33 couple of weekends?

1:25:34 >> Yeah, it's been great, man. Honestly,

1:25:38 >> especially just getting more into touch

1:25:40 into the banana ball aspect of things,

1:25:42 you know, working faster and getting

1:25:43 more comfortable doing that, you know,

1:25:47 like Vinnie's a dude. That's a great

1:25:49 testament to that. Get rid of it. Out of

1:25:52 the way. Good play. And great

1:25:54 fundamentals, Joe. Backing up first

1:25:56 base.

1:25:56 >> It's a must. But anyways, Vinnie's a

1:25:59 good testament to that because he's he's

1:26:00 made a lot of adjustments so far. And

1:26:03 look at him now, bro. You know, his

1:26:04 first two outings weren't great.

1:26:06 >> Oh, dude. Look at this.

1:26:09 >> A, that is cute as could be.

1:26:12 >> So cute. Happy Father's Day, Vinnie.

1:26:14 >> Happy Father's Day,

1:26:18 >> Andrea and his kids, Ari and Nolan, with

1:26:21 a special message to him. Joe Le, thank

1:26:22 you so much. It was brief, but it was

1:26:24 wonderful. Thanks, Joe.

1:26:26 >> Thank you, Joe.

1:27:00 I want to know

1:27:42 I want to go

1:27:46 be my

1:28:02 There we go. There we go. Cincinnati,

1:28:04 you guys look amazing tonight.

1:28:12 >> Oh my goodness. YouTube, it's just us

1:28:13 for like 20 more seconds. Hello. I hope

1:28:15 you're having a wonderful night. Hello,

1:28:16 YouTube. So great to hear from you guys

1:28:18 tonight. I hope you guys are very

1:28:19 blessed. I love you YouTube you two. I'm

1:28:22 not afraid to say it.

1:28:39 Tonight's aerial coverage is brought to

1:28:41 you by Goodyear Eagle. Fast is in us.

1:28:46 And a big thanks to the crew aboard

1:28:48 Wingfoot One. Our eyes in the [music]

1:28:51 sky tonight looking down on Great

1:28:53 American Ballpark.

1:28:57 Beautiful home of the Cincinnati Reds.

1:29:00 Housing over 42,000 Banana Ball fans

1:29:03 tonight. There's Malachi Mitchell.

1:29:06 Get his whole squad in.

1:29:09 Middle of the fourth inning. Look, when

1:29:11 it's a homecoming, Bo, you got to get

1:29:14 everyone involved.

1:29:21 >> Forel Prime already with a homer in this

1:29:23 ball game, his fourth of the year,

1:29:24 literally waving the flag to wave a flag

1:29:28 for the Clowns. And they have carried

1:29:30 the flag of of this iconic franchise,

1:29:33 this iconic brand. It has been special

1:29:36 to watch. And this is just another one

1:29:38 of these special stops here in a

1:29:40 beautiful Major League Ballpark and in a

1:29:42 city that has really embraced Banana

1:29:44 Ball and has done so a couple of times

1:29:47 that you guys have seen and and we saw

1:29:49 it today. What a beautiful picturesque

1:29:51 day.

1:29:53 Massive shout out to Prime there. I mean

1:29:55 that's as fast as I've ever seen one of

1:29:57 those giant flags waved.

1:29:59 >> That's a workout.

1:30:00 >> He's got some muscle. Bo, did you not

1:30:02 see it?

1:30:03 >> Well, straightaway center. You got to

1:30:05 learn from one of the best last season.

1:30:07 Dakota Stilts Britain's usually the man

1:30:09 who does that for the Savannah Bananas

1:30:11 Primac two years with the Bananas team.

1:30:17 It's Bobby Leday. Then Joe Lidle fresh

1:30:20 off the mic on deck. Dale Francis Jr. in

1:30:24 the hole. But Leeday is truly the only

1:30:26 man due to swing it cuz if he goes long

1:30:28 bombs away, this inning will be over

1:30:30 just like that. That's what we saw

1:30:32 happen with Prime in the second. Second

1:30:34 pitch he got from Niznick straight away

1:30:36 center field.

1:30:38 And Leay certainly has the oomph coming

1:30:41 in hitting 320. Six homers just one shy

1:30:43 of the team lead. And his last game was

1:30:47 a cool three for three with a ball for

1:30:49 sprint. But how about this for a three

1:30:50 for three. Two doubles and a two-run

1:30:53 homer.

1:30:54 >> The ball for sprint.

1:30:55 >> The pop is in that bat. Let's do the

1:30:57 sprint thing again, though.

1:30:59 I love it.

1:31:00 >> Inning winning run is aboard. Great

1:31:02 speed at that

1:31:05 >> leay. 13 steals yet to be caught here in

1:31:09 his rookie season in banana ball. That's

1:31:11 the most stolen bases in the sport

1:31:13 without being called.

1:31:16 He's a really intelligent runner for the

1:31:18 Indianapolis Clowns, but honestly

1:31:21 doesn't need to get too aggressive here.

1:31:23 Joe Lidle, of course, leading the Banana

1:31:25 Ball World Tour in batting average this

1:31:27 season, has just been phenomenal since

1:31:30 returning for injury, a hit in each of

1:31:32 his first 10 games since coming back for

1:31:35 this team. And that that stat of leading

1:31:38 the league in average, that might be

1:31:39 underelling him a little bit. He leads

1:31:41 by 24 points entering tonight.

1:31:46 He is just dominated. And you talked

1:31:48 about it being banged up. Didn't have

1:31:50 all the time behind the plate. Sometimes

1:31:52 that can mess with the player's head. He

1:31:54 just hits, man. How about the Baltimore

1:31:56 chop over the leap of Ziggler when it's

1:31:59 going right? Sometimes the bounces just

1:32:02 go your way.

1:32:04 A lot of the knock after a sack fly his

1:32:06 first time and he pushes the day from

1:32:08 first to third. Inning run. 90 ft away

1:32:12 for Dale Francis Jr.

1:32:14 >> Man, when you're hot, you're hot.

1:32:17 And I'll be honest, he was thinking

1:32:18 about a twoagger there for a split

1:32:21 second. Talking to him the other day, he

1:32:23 said a goal for him was to try and lead

1:32:25 the World Tour in two baggers this

1:32:27 season. Nonetheless, he's going to be

1:32:28 happy with getting a guy just 90 ft away

1:32:31 from scoring with still no outs here in

1:32:33 the fourth as my barber comes up to the

1:32:36 plate.

1:32:39 Got my first career Dale Dale Francis

1:32:41 Jr. haircut yesterday in the Cincinnati

1:32:43 Reds visiting locker room shower.

1:32:47 >> And it looks great, Bo. It looks great.

1:32:49 Good touchup in the back, too. I love

1:32:52 that.

1:32:53 >> I think it's the best one you've ever

1:32:54 gotten.

1:32:56 >> I say it might be. And Dale puts some

1:32:59 oomph into this. One hop off the wall.

1:33:02 Leay jogs home.

1:33:05 Francis, his second walk-off of the

1:33:08 year. and my Barber puts the Clowns on

1:33:11 top two to one. Had three doubles in

1:33:13 three games against the Bananas in their

1:33:16 last series and now has another to walk

1:33:19 up the Nators here in the fourth and get

1:33:21 the Indianapolis Clowns their first lead

1:33:25 of the ball game through four innings of

1:33:27 play. Two to one Clowns leading [music]

1:33:41 athletes are on the gas and let's face

1:33:43 it, we all like a good natural athlete.

1:33:47 So tonight here in Cincinnati, we are

1:33:49 going to find the best natural

1:33:51 bodybuilder to be named Mr. Cinta Natty.

1:33:55 Let's meet our first contestant out here

1:33:58 making his way.

1:34:00 All natural. You better believe it. Come

1:34:04 on in over here. What's your name, my

1:34:06 man?

1:34:07 >> Nathan, how old are you?

1:34:08 >> 38.

1:34:09 >> Looking great at 38. All right, Nathan,

1:34:12 give us your best pose here.

1:34:18 >> Come on, Nathan. Show us something good.

1:34:23 Well, he's natural. There's no doubt

1:34:26 about that. That's Nathan. All right,

1:34:27 let's meet our second competitor

1:34:33 coming on out to the field.

1:34:36 What is your name, my man?

1:34:38 >> Jerham.

1:34:39 >> Jerham, how old are you?

1:34:40 >> 18.

1:34:41 >> Prime of your life. 18. All right,

1:34:44 Jerham, give me your best poses. Oh,

1:34:46 Jerham,

1:34:48 don't hurt him, Jerum. Yeah.

1:34:51 My god.

1:34:53 Never been on the gas. Not even a little

1:34:55 bit. That's Jerema. And let's meet our

1:34:58 third contestant out here.

1:35:05 Um,

1:35:10 hello. Uh, sir, what is your name? My

1:35:13 >> name is Dean. Dean.

1:35:15 >> Dean. Okay. Uh, how old are you, Dean?

1:35:17 >> 71.

1:35:22 >> Okay, Dean, show us your best pose.

1:35:26 >> [cheering]

1:35:35 [music]

1:35:39 >> Welcome back to Banana Ball live on

1:35:41 ESPN. Four innings in the books. Anders

1:35:45 jumped [music] out in front, winning the

1:35:46 first frame, claiming the first point

1:35:48 available. But the Clowns, a walk-off

1:35:50 home run from [music] Prime to win the

1:35:52 second. Walk-off double from Francis to

1:35:54 win the fourth and they go to their

1:35:56 bullpen again. Kobe Robinson takes over

1:36:00 for Vinnie Sanarsier. Another former

1:36:03 minor leaguer on the bump here for

1:36:04 Indianapolis. Yeah, former Padres's farm

1:36:07 hand. And Kobe Robinson is one of the

1:36:09 hottest arms on this Clowns team right

1:36:11 now. He has not allowed an earned run

1:36:13 since May the second against the

1:36:15 Firefighters. And in his last 10 innings

1:36:18 pitched, no earned runs for Hot Sauce.

1:36:21 three ball four sprints and seven

1:36:23 strikeouts

1:36:25 and only seven hits across that time as

1:36:27 well. I mean, Kobe is absolutely locked

1:36:30 in.

1:36:32 Starting to live up to his potential.

1:36:34 He's a guy who was 13th round draft pick

1:36:36 by the Padres's back in 2021. Spent four

1:36:39 years in their organization.

1:36:42 Originally out of Alcoa, Tennessee gets

1:36:44 a popup from Tai Jackson.

1:36:47 Prime will tip it. Kirkland Banks with

1:36:50 Tai flying by. Puts a bow on the prime

1:36:54 time trick play. That's some traffic to

1:36:56 avoid there if you're Kirkland Banks.

1:36:58 Look at this. Look how close he is. He

1:37:00 says, "No, that's all right. I got it."

1:37:03 Back to Kobe Robinson. Hot sauce. You

1:37:05 mentioned it, Josh. He has been such a

1:37:07 big part of how this bullpen has come

1:37:09 together. We've mentioned that a few

1:37:11 times tonight, how they've kind of found

1:37:12 their roles in the early parts of the

1:37:14 season. Kobe's a guy who's taken in the

1:37:16 last round of the of the BBCL draft.

1:37:19 11th round, only one other Crowns pick

1:37:21 behind him. And that's Clark Gilmore,

1:37:23 another bullpen arm who has gotten

1:37:25 better the last couple of weeks here.

1:37:27 Kobe Robinson has been really one of the

1:37:29 key guys. He and Nick Wilson have shored

1:37:32 up this Clown's bullpen that's been on a

1:37:34 tear. You see so much movement on the

1:37:37 fast ball as makes a two-1 count on Ryan

1:37:39 Cox. Drives this deep out to right

1:37:42 center. Split has to run out of the way.

1:37:45 It's going to be extra bases for the

1:37:46 Nanner shortstop. Cox looking for three.

1:37:49 Throw from Jackie Bradley Jr. all the

1:37:51 way to third and not in time. A stand up

1:37:54 triple

1:37:57 for the pride of Alquipa, Pennsylvania.

1:37:59 Cox's second three bagger of the year.

1:38:02 Perfect placement for Ryan Cox.

1:38:05 so good at hitting to the opposite field

1:38:07 but found the right spot in right center

1:38:09 to leg out a triple

1:38:10 >> inch run for the Savannah Bananas. He is

1:38:14 a Pro Bowler and wide receiver for your

1:38:18 Cincinnati Bengals. Please welcome T.

1:38:22 Higgins. [screaming]

1:38:55 Standing ovation from over 42,000 fins

1:38:58 here at Great American Ballpark.

1:39:00 for one of their star wide receivers on

1:39:02 the Bengals, the Pro Bowler T. Higgins.

1:39:08 Boogies with Macio Harrison, the

1:39:10 Nanner's legendary dancing base coach.

1:39:17 And the infield in here for the Clowns.

1:39:19 One out. Jackson Olsen at the plate.

1:39:27 You heard the tease all throughout the

1:39:30 ballpark here in Cincinnati. Right

1:39:32 across the street from the home of the

1:39:35 Cincinnati Bengals, one of their two

1:39:38 prized receivers, a national champion

1:39:40 guy in college and quite an athlete. A

1:39:43 lot of college basketball offers as well

1:39:45 before he decided on football at

1:39:47 Clemson.

1:39:49 >> Another chance for the fans. Yeah, clean

1:39:52 catch.

1:39:54 Gex and Olsen fouls out to the fans.

1:39:57 That is a massive play by the fella in

1:40:00 the Indianapolis Clowns shirt. That's

1:40:03 how you affect a game. Doesn't even need

1:40:06 the glove. Clown shirt makes an out for

1:40:09 the Clowns.

1:40:10 >> And that was a DQ shake snag. The fan

1:40:13 who caught the foul ball won free DQ for

1:40:15 his row. And you can win at home by

1:40:17 scanning that QR code to download the DQ

1:40:20 app and earn your own rewards.

1:40:28 Kobe Robinson

1:40:30 not out of this situation yet, but that

1:40:32 is a massive second out. The infield

1:40:34 gets to go back to their normal

1:40:36 positioning against Dr. Meadows,

1:40:39 the man at the top of this standard

1:40:40 order with two balls and a strike on

1:40:42 him. Well, last year in just two games,

1:40:44 seven fans caught foul balls here in

1:40:46 this ballpark. So, you know, it's

1:40:48 there's good reason to expect big things

1:40:50 out of the crowd here in Cincinnati

1:40:52 across three games. Athletes all over

1:40:56 the place here in Cincy as the Heater

1:41:00 just barely misses. Pretty good looking

1:41:02 fast ball by Robinson that brings in T.

1:41:05 Higgins, Dr. Meadows. One of the more

1:41:08 exciting runs batted in in his

1:41:10 illustrious banana ball career

1:41:16 and to bring in sixyear wide out for the

1:41:19 Bengals as he get a look at Por Stadium

1:41:24 literally right down the road from Great

1:41:26 American Ballpark. Really cool setup

1:41:28 here in Cincy.

1:41:32 And that ball force sprint continues to

1:41:34 be the Achilles heel

1:41:36 for this Indianapolis Clowns team.

1:41:38 Fourth of the ball game.

1:41:42 Max Young Goldberg foul ball all the way

1:41:44 into the third deck. And it's going to

1:41:46 be a foul out to the fans again. Second

1:41:49 of the inning. Second in the last three

1:41:51 batters.

1:41:54 That was a big league foul ball all the

1:41:55 way to the top deck. And the fans up

1:41:58 there ready for the action. the former

1:42:01 home of the clowns. Cincinnati loves

1:42:04 this team.

1:42:06 >> Two outs in the frame.

1:42:07 >> And MJG, he is speechless. It's the

1:42:09 first time in his Banana Ball career

1:42:12 that he has ever found out to the fans

1:42:14 here.

1:42:17 >> Oh man, that's that's incredible.

1:42:21 What a casual snag as we'll get it down

1:42:23 to the young professor.

1:42:26 And now fans, let's go back down to the

1:42:28 field and rejoin the young professor.

1:42:31 Banana Ball is a game that is all about

1:42:34 speed. The whole show is like that

1:42:36 except for this part because ladies and

1:42:39 gentlemen, it's time for the world

1:42:41 famous baby race. That's right, the

1:42:45 world's slowest race. We have eight

1:42:47 competitors here tonight. We have Theo,

1:42:49 Benson, Elelliana, Ripley, Daphne,

1:42:52 Penelopey, Jonah, Emory, and Bri. They

1:42:54 are going to be racing across the field

1:42:56 to the finish line where their parents

1:42:58 will be waiting for them. Parents, let's

1:43:00 get those babies ready. On your marks,

1:43:03 get set,

1:43:05 go, babies, go.

1:43:08 Nine babies have been placed on the

1:43:10 infield grass in front of over 42,000

1:43:14 fans in Great American Ballpark.

1:43:17 >> I think the one on the pole that you see

1:43:19 here was just woken up from a nap.

1:43:21 [screaming]

1:43:22 >> Not fun at all. And we got a scooter out

1:43:24 in front.

1:43:25 >> Normally crawling is the key to success

1:43:27 in these races.

1:43:29 That's this little youngster. Look, it's

1:43:31 a it's kind of a half crawl, but there's

1:43:33 the scoot. It's a hip heist with the

1:43:35 right leg as Yeah, there's your

1:43:37 >> I want to be asleep again, too.

1:43:39 >> Right. Very relatable.

1:43:42 We've all been there.

1:43:44 You get a look in from the Goodyear

1:43:46 blimp providing aerial coverage of the

1:43:49 world's slowest race. One mom comes in

1:43:51 to rescue her youngster who is having

1:43:54 just an absolutely terrible time on the

1:43:57 infield grass. And our leader just

1:44:00 completely content to hang out

1:44:03 about halfway on the race, letting

1:44:05 letting the race come to her.

1:44:07 >> Looks like being scooped up was

1:44:12 pretty cool for that one. And now we've

1:44:14 got ourselves a little competition.

1:44:16 Almost a stand right back down to the

1:44:18 rump and scooting the wrong direction

1:44:22 as we have our baby who was originally

1:44:25 crawling. Now it looks like a bit of a

1:44:27 smile on her face and the babies are

1:44:29 coming together. Meeting of the minds.

1:44:34 Never turn down a social opportunity.

1:44:37 Bo,

1:44:39 great life advice

1:44:42 given to us by the best among us. The

1:44:45 babies on the infield grass, their

1:44:47 parents imploring them, you are so close

1:44:50 to living forever in banana ball

1:44:53 history. And it continues to be this

1:44:55 youngster. The scooter. Oh no. Traveling

1:44:57 the wrong way again.

1:45:01 Just basking in it. Really enjoying. I

1:45:04 mean, this is tremendously manicured

1:45:06 grass. Now she might go all the way past

1:45:10 that youngster who was originally

1:45:11 crying. And how about the nodding? What

1:45:13 kind of communication is going on

1:45:15 between these babies?

1:45:18 I'm afraid we will never understand.

1:45:24 The finish line continues to move closer

1:45:26 to them as they move mostly in the wrong

1:45:29 direction. Especially our leader

1:45:33 spinning all different ways. This is

1:45:35 stunning. We have a new leader. Boing

1:45:39 to a victory.

1:45:43 What an impressive performance from

1:45:45 tears at the start to a victory at the

1:45:48 finish.

1:45:51 >> One of the most stunning comebacks you

1:45:54 will ever see.

1:45:58 Tortois the hairesque if you ask me.

1:46:02 Just a lack of concentration. The

1:46:05 >> young who wants it more?

1:46:07 >> That's the ultimate question you're

1:46:09 asking yourself.

1:46:10 >> Yes. and she clearly had all the talent

1:46:12 in the world. Just much more interested

1:46:15 in socializing with her opponents than

1:46:19 getting the victory that was right out

1:46:20 there for the taking.

1:46:23 Derek Clen,

1:46:25 first man out of this Savannah Bananas

1:46:26 bullpen,

1:46:28 fires a fast ball wide to Carell Prime.

1:46:31 Solo shot straightaway center, walked

1:46:34 off the second inning. And now a moon

1:46:36 shot out to left. Robert Anthony Cruz

1:46:39 eyeing it up. It's a rack flip. Wild

1:46:44 landing.

1:46:46 [cheering]

1:46:49 And what a trick play for Robert Anthony

1:46:51 Cruz. Rex strike in the pose after

1:46:54 landing the flip.

1:46:57 Second time the Savannah Banana has

1:46:59 landed the backflip catch here tonight.

1:47:00 And that is the first trick play for the

1:47:02 Nanners since the first inning of play

1:47:04 tonight. And a massive first down for

1:47:07 Derek Lenna trying to protect a one-run

1:47:10 lead at the moment. That was the first

1:47:12 trick play since that affforementioned

1:47:13 back flip catch from DR in center.

1:47:16 Closed out the bottom of the first.

1:47:18 Earned the Bananas their lone point in

1:47:20 this ball game. And now Eli Payton will

1:47:22 take his hacks against the Bananas

1:47:24 Broadway star and two former UCLA

1:47:27 Bruins. Eli Payton wins the battle

1:47:30 against Clen.

1:47:35 Second time on base for Eli Payton.

1:47:38 We talk about it. Winning run in the

1:47:41 inning coming to the plate here in a guy

1:47:43 who is no stranger to leaving the

1:47:46 ballpark

1:47:48 and the Nanners will go to the pen once

1:47:51 again. They call on their former Seattle

1:47:55 Mariners minor leager

1:47:58 and fellow rookie to Derek Clen, Mr.

1:48:00 Allan Satov, their ninth round draft

1:48:02 pick out of Ridgely Maryland. Spent

1:48:04 three years in the Mariners farm system.

1:48:06 Got up to double A and came straight

1:48:08 here to Banana Ball. Payton was off on

1:48:11 the pitch, but it's a pop fly foul

1:48:14 chased by KJ and Loy. They will watch it

1:48:17 land on top of their dugout. Nicolesizer

1:48:20 behind 01. Yeah, a lot of tough luck

1:48:23 recently for Allen Satis appearances.

1:48:26 Four runs have scored against them, but

1:48:28 none of them have been earned. body

1:48:30 lot a lot of faulty defense behind the

1:48:33 rookie right-hander who's sporting a 22%

1:48:36 strikeout rate this season that is still

1:48:38 been one of the strongest aspects of his

1:48:40 game

1:48:44 another big league foul ballizer

1:48:47 to the second deck no catch from the

1:48:49 fans you talk about a strikeout pitcher

1:48:52 against a strikeout hitter you know

1:48:54 Hollessizer one of those three total

1:48:55 outcomes guys leads the league in

1:48:58 strikeouts has one earlier today. When

1:49:01 that bat makes contact, can go a long

1:49:04 way. This is strength on strength here.

1:49:07 >> Alexi catches this one just in front of

1:49:09 the wall. Eli Payton trying to tag up to

1:49:11 second. He's in there. Great aggressive

1:49:14 base running by Payton.

1:49:18 >> How quickly did that ball get into Reese

1:49:21 Alexian's glove there, Pico?

1:49:22 >> Yeah, that was struck well by

1:49:26 step in front of the track and it got

1:49:27 there in next to no time. And that's why

1:49:29 we almost set a play there at second.

1:49:32 Just a few feet shy

1:49:34 of an inning winning oppo Taco. And

1:49:37 it'll be in the hands of Chris Burgess

1:49:39 now. Two down. Inning tying run in

1:49:41 scoring position.

1:49:43 And that one clangs off the mitt of Loy.

1:49:47 This likely will be ruled a pass ball as

1:49:49 Payton scampers over to third.

1:49:54 >> Really heads up base running the last

1:49:56 couple of pitches for Eli Payton.

1:49:59 to get a man 90 ft away and and try and

1:50:02 cancel out the run that the Bananas got

1:50:04 in the top half from T. Higgins.

1:50:07 >> Two-1 count on Burgess. Allen Sat has

1:50:11 not allowed an earned run since April

1:50:13 24th against the Party Animals in Yankee

1:50:15 Stadium. Trying to keep the streak going

1:50:19 up to the third deck. No catch from the

1:50:22 fans.

1:50:34 Massive two- two pitch coming. Fate of

1:50:36 the frame hangs in the balance. What a

1:50:38 take. Chris Burgess runs the count full.

1:50:43 We got the former Mariners minor

1:50:45 leagueer on the mound. Former Orioles

1:50:47 minor leaguer at the plate. Payoff pitch

1:50:50 coming.

1:50:52 Bounced up the middle. Ryan Cox diving

1:50:55 stop. He's got no play. Infield single

1:50:58 and a stake for Chris Burgess

1:51:02 as he denies the Nanners

1:51:04 their point opportunity here in the

1:51:06 fifth.

1:51:08 >> Perfect piece of hitting for Chris

1:51:09 Burgess going right up the middle. Cox

1:51:12 having to range a long way. Expecting

1:51:14 Burgess to pull that one more towards

1:51:16 the sixhole while Cox keeps it in the

1:51:19 infield. Nevertheless,

1:51:21 it ties up the inning for the

1:51:22 Indianapolis Clouds. Negates that point

1:51:25 and the Clouds still have a chance to

1:51:26 earn a walk up in another point. They

1:51:28 put Malachi Mitchell, the designated

1:51:30 runner on first base. 20 count here on

1:51:33 Kirkland Banks getting winning run is

1:51:36 aboard. Great speed. As Josh just

1:51:38 mentioned, I'll bet you that ribeye for

1:51:40 Burgess

1:51:42 tasted as good as the ribeye had at Jeff

1:51:44 Rubies last night, which he said was one

1:51:47 of the best steaks he's had in his life.

1:51:49 That goes from first. High bar.

1:51:54 >> And the Clowns Clowns have done it a

1:51:56 couple of different ways so far in this

1:51:58 game. A run in every inning for an

1:52:00 offense that overall was terrific, but

1:52:03 has been really downright bad as the

1:52:05 home team in their games this year.

1:52:08 Played less home teams than anyone in

1:52:09 the league. Kind of stacking them up

1:52:11 right now. But they got to Nisnik again.

1:52:15 Obviously in the lead in points, but

1:52:16 they keep bringing runners home. There

1:52:18 goes Flash again. Pitch was wide. Throw

1:52:20 from Laroy was short and Olsen can't

1:52:23 scoop it. Meadows there to clean it up.

1:52:27 Malachi Mitchell here in his sixth world

1:52:29 tour.

1:52:30 That is his league leading 18th stolen

1:52:33 base. He's only been caught four times.

1:52:38 That is a massive one. Ball four now

1:52:42 will win the inning for the Clowns on a

1:52:44 payoff pitch to Banks.

1:52:47 Flash was off again. Kirkland able to

1:52:49 spoil it.

1:52:51 >> Well, I think if you're Allen Sat and

1:52:53 Veroy, you can't nibble. You can't do

1:52:55 anything. You just go with the gas.

1:52:56 Challenge Kirkland Banks and make him

1:52:59 just win the battle. Get a better piece

1:53:01 of hitting. Instead, Sat will miss high.

1:53:04 And it's the Clouds able to manufacture

1:53:07 the runs with two outs,

1:53:10 earning points in back-to- back frames.

1:53:13 And now up three to one in the ball

1:53:15 game. the team with the worst ball four

1:53:18 sprint percentage as a home team this

1:53:20 year. Their fourth of the game and

1:53:23 extend the lead. It's the bottom of the

1:53:26 order. The 10hole hitter that gets him

1:53:28 in. The Clowns are hot in Cincy. One

1:53:32 time for the first career walk-off for

1:53:36 the pride of Lake Charles, Louisiana.

1:53:38 Kirkland Banks, welcome to the show.

1:53:41 Extends the lead for the Clowns to three

1:53:43 to one. It's his second run driven in of

1:53:45 the night.

1:53:46 >> And both runs with two outs.

1:53:50 >> Timely

1:53:51 hitting, I guess, timely patience from

1:53:55 the Indianapolis Clowns.

1:53:57 >> All of the above, Cam. It's a 3-1 Clowns

1:54:00 lead. Five [music] innings in the books.

1:54:02 Still four to play here from Great

1:54:04 American Ballpark.

1:54:09 Heat.

1:54:12 [music]

1:54:19 [cheering]

1:54:22 Heat.

1:54:28 [cheering]

1:54:37 >> [cheering]

1:54:43 [cheering]

1:54:47 >> Oh my gosh. It has just become apparent

1:54:49 to me, YouTube, that we are all alone as

1:54:52 the clowns

1:54:54 and bananas fire t-shirts into the

1:54:56 crowd. All right, guys. only player in

1:55:00 MLB history to play 500 games at five

1:55:02 different positions.

1:55:04 >> Wow. Pete Rose, his number 14 is retired

1:55:08 right below us. And trying to sneak some

1:55:11 trivia past Josh Tleski is like trying

1:55:14 to sneak a Sunbeam past a rooster. You

1:55:17 cannot do it.

1:55:19 >> I was on that thing like a bear on

1:55:20 toothpaste.

1:55:25 >> Didn't really give the chat a lot of

1:55:26 time to try and beat you there.

1:55:30 Joshki takes no prisoners in the trivia

1:55:34 game. You two be darn.

1:55:44 The full [music] capacity crowd here in

1:55:47 Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati,

1:55:49 Ohio have already made their mark on

1:55:51 this banana ball game. Two foul outs to

1:55:54 the fans in the top of the fifth inning,

1:55:57 helped the Clowns limit the damage. They

1:55:59 both went against the Savannah Bananas

1:56:01 and then Indianapolis with two runs in

1:56:03 the bottom half to earn their third

1:56:05 point of the ball game. So, this

1:56:06 actually teased me up perfectly for my

1:56:08 Josh's Obscure stat of the night

1:56:10 segment. Love it. Kobe Robinson, five

1:56:13 innings pitched now against the Savannah

1:56:15 Bananas across his last three series

1:56:17 against this team. A whole inning of

1:56:20 those five has been because of fan

1:56:22 caught foul balls. Three of his outs

1:56:24 have come courtesy of the fans against

1:56:26 this bananas team. You can't make it up.

1:56:29 1 2 3 fans first. Shout out the

1:56:34 wonderful people of Kansas City,

1:56:35 Missouri and Cincinnati, Ohio.

1:56:40 Big fans of hot sauce. Kobe Robinson

1:56:44 just misses the outside corner. runs the

1:56:46 count even at two and two on the Nanners

1:56:48 DH Danovers. 34 and five due to swing it

1:56:51 here in the away half of the sixth. Big

1:56:54 Boppers

1:56:56 as Over. Great take. That was a

1:56:58 disgusting breaking ball from Robinson.

1:57:01 Ober had that RBI ball for Sprint in the

1:57:04 first. His first RBI since the first

1:57:06 game in Kansas City against the Clouds.

1:57:08 >> Sneaks that past the dive of the day.

1:57:11 The board for the second time tonight.

1:57:14 That game was May 30th, by the way, to

1:57:16 close the book on that.

1:57:19 >> And now we're going to get something

1:57:20 special from Kyle Jackson. KJ, what's

1:57:23 the good word, my friend?

1:57:31 [music]

1:57:41 Heat. Heat. [music]

1:57:51 Heat. Heat.

1:58:24 Is that Is that what the kids call a

1:58:26 hard launch?

1:58:26 >> Hard launch accountable.

1:58:29 That's uh that's the ESPN version of a

1:58:31 hard launch. Mama me on national TV and

1:58:35 42,000 here in Cincinnati. Wa wea live

1:58:40 forever on YouTube. All of the above.

1:58:45 KJ having himself ahead of the second

1:58:48 full world tour. Third year on the

1:58:50 Savannah Bananas after his banana ball

1:58:52 debut was with the visitors our sports

1:58:55 developmental team back in 2024.

1:58:57 Obururst is in a sticky situation. He'll

1:59:00 be Robinson in control of the pickle.

1:59:02 Now Prime takes the steering wheel gets

1:59:04 it over till the day and Dan caught

1:59:07 stealing for only the second time in 17

1:59:11 tries this year.

1:59:14 >> Well, that's rare to see from Dan

1:59:16 Oburst. I mean, he's about as veteran as

1:59:18 it comes to Tyler Gillum's green light

1:59:20 special base running system, but let his

1:59:22 aggression get the better of him there.

1:59:25 Good job by Kobe Robinson's infield

1:59:27 communicating that overburst was off as

1:59:29 now Jackson blocks this one in to the

1:59:33 seats down the right field line. The

1:59:35 fans unable to make a play

1:59:40 two count on the kid out of Wait a

1:59:42 minute. That's a catch here.

1:59:44 >> Really?

1:59:47 Right field umpire Ron Armsberger saying

1:59:49 that that was a catch. Trey Hudson over

1:59:52 at first base appears to be overruling

1:59:54 him. I saw the juggle. There was not a

1:59:57 catch. That's that's the incorrect part

2:00:00 to Carum.

2:00:02 Ricochet.

2:00:06 Trey Hudson

2:00:08 saw that cleanly.

2:00:11 Clowns head coach Eric Fox not happy

2:00:13 about it.

2:00:14 Both teams in Banana Ball do have a

2:00:16 challenge

2:00:18 and they're vindicated when they use it.

2:00:21 They get to keep it. The Clowns decide

2:00:23 not to pull the trigger on that.

2:00:26 And a one-two count on the proud of

2:00:29 Bowling Green, Ohio. AJ from

2:00:32 about 3 hours north of Cincinnati by

2:00:35 Toledo

2:00:38 back in his home state.

2:00:43 Watch the count from 02 to 3-2.

2:00:46 He spent his entire college career in

2:00:48 Ohio as well at Kent State with a pop

2:00:51 fly opposite way. Matt Wolf in

2:00:53 defensively at third base. Tip drill.

2:00:56 Leay will tip it to himself. Wolf is the

2:00:58 only defender on that play who gets

2:01:01 credited with a correct play.

2:01:04 And two outs now for Robinson.

2:01:09 We talked about it in the open. The

2:01:10 Clowns really since that series against

2:01:13 the Bananas at the end of May have

2:01:16 turned it on in the trick play

2:01:18 department now with a six trick play

2:01:21 lead in this ball game.

2:01:27 Bill Loy ahead two balls, no strikes.

2:01:30 Ground out and a strike out so far

2:01:32 tonight for the Nanders captain.

2:01:37 Free Hudson said he was able to hold up

2:01:40 to make it 3.

2:01:45 Fast right down the chute. We'll

2:01:47 reassess whether that is a five or a six

2:01:50 trick point lead for the Clowns at the

2:01:52 end of this inning. Some disparities.

2:01:55 Joe Gray Jr. with the call. Tip drill.

2:01:58 Kirkland Banks into the jersey. That's a

2:02:01 double trick play with a boogie from

2:02:03 Banks at the tail end.

2:02:06 that Kobe Robinson faces the minimum

2:02:08 here in the sixth. That's the creativity

2:02:10 you love to see from some Banana Ball

2:02:12 rookies, especially Kirkland Banks, who

2:02:15 likely learned that from Matt Wolf, who

2:02:17 we already saw with the trick play here

2:02:19 in this inning, will be one of the first

2:02:21 guys to try and catch those banana balls

2:02:23 in the jersey. And now it works out for

2:02:25 Banks tonight in Cincinnati.

2:02:30 >> Let's get it on down to the field.

2:02:32 Middle of the sixth inning. Browns lead

2:02:34 3-1. Time for the greatest slowman.

2:02:38 >> Ladies, ladies and gentlemen, you've

2:02:41 seen the world's slowest race, but now

2:02:43 it's time to see if this race will be

2:02:45 even slower. I've gathered some of the

2:02:48 slowest men in Cincinnati. And now it is

2:02:52 time to see who will be the greatest

2:02:55 slowman. Gentlemen, on your mark,

2:03:01 get set. Wait, wait, wait, wait. Shirts

2:03:05 off.

2:03:06 Yeah.

2:03:08 Take those shirts off.

2:03:11 Come on.

2:03:12 On your marks, get set,

2:03:16 go.

2:03:19 And they're off to a slow start.

2:03:23 Who's going to get it?

2:03:25 Oh, what's rolling around? Oh, it's neck

2:03:29 and neck. Who would get there?

2:03:33 And it's big Danny Ste, the world's

2:03:38 greatest man. Thanks for tuning in.

2:03:47 >> And yes, folks, you are actually

2:03:49 watching ESPN right now.

2:03:54 Nico Scalla with Josh Tipsky and Cam

2:03:56 Stewart as we get a replay of the first

2:03:59 ever greatest Slowman race. Midinninging

2:04:02 entertainment in Banana Mallal as good

2:04:04 as it gets in sports.

2:04:06 >> You want to talk about entertainment?

2:04:08 >> Yeah, he took the words right out of my

2:04:10 mouth. Cam

2:04:11 >> old Knuckles Fisher Pauly Dorov coming

2:04:14 to the plate. One of the hottest hitters

2:04:16 in the Clowns lineup, mind you, with

2:04:19 Fischer Paul Dorov. Another hit last

2:04:21 weekend in a pitched appearance.

2:04:24 faces Grant Besser fresh into the ball

2:04:27 game. Besser the 510 Southpaw out of

2:04:29 Burn, Indiana. 360 pitch and a strike

2:04:32 out. That's a trick play for the Banana

2:04:35 Ball rookie. Banana's fourth rounder

2:04:38 starting to make a habit of those. And

2:04:40 the fourth rounder with his fourth trick

2:04:42 pitch strikeout of the season for the

2:04:44 Span Bananas

2:04:46 leading all players as far as the boys

2:04:49 in yellow are concerned. That has been

2:04:51 certainly one of the highlights for

2:04:52 Grant Besser, who was phenomenal when he

2:04:55 pitched in two games against

2:04:57 Indianapolis a couple weekends ago in

2:04:59 Savannah, Georgia. Picked up another

2:05:01 trick pitch strikeout in that series.

2:05:05 >> Peter Tomahawk foul by Jackie Bradley

2:05:07 Jr.

2:05:09 >> and some catching up to do in that trick

2:05:11 play department. We talked about it last

2:05:13 inning.

2:05:14 10 to four the Clowns lead. The bananas

2:05:18 work cut out for them if they want that

2:05:19 equalizer point. Good blinks there on

2:05:22 the slur from JBJ. Doesn't bite on the

2:05:25 bender from Basser

2:05:29 as he fouls off the 2- two there. The

2:05:31 circle change up from Brent Basser is

2:05:33 the best pitch in the arsenal. Pretty

2:05:34 much just fast ball change up breaking

2:05:37 ball as the Heater misses high and runs

2:05:40 the count full.

2:05:42 for the Red Sox legend.

2:05:47 Nice piece of hitting JBJ

2:05:50 able to dunk that in front of Alexi for

2:05:53 a single into right field.

2:05:55 Inning winning run is aboard with one

2:05:57 away in the bottom of the sixth.

2:06:10 >> Great stop, Bill Loy.

2:06:12 keeps JBJ at first base and it gives him

2:06:14 a check on the back pit.

2:06:17 >> Bobby Leay a fly out and a ball for

2:06:19 Sprint on his ledger so far tonight.

2:06:23 Ahead with a two- count.

2:06:28 Team leader with 19 extra base hits

2:06:31 their second round draft pick and Leay

2:06:34 pulled on that change up to even up the

2:06:36 count. Even though the Clowns have hit

2:06:38 300 as a team this year, Leay is one of

2:06:41 only three guys in the regular lineup

2:06:43 who has hit 300 as a home player.

2:06:46 >> Cox grabs the trick play on the fielders

2:06:47 choice. There you see the

2:06:50 lightning quick speed on display there

2:06:52 from the day

2:06:54 as the Nanners grab their fourth trick

2:06:56 play of the ball game. Still trailing

2:06:58 the Clowns by six in that department.

2:07:01 Yeah.

2:07:08 Joe Lidle, a guy who's already driven in

2:07:10 a run.

2:07:12 >> He's knocked up that 432 average.

2:07:16 Not this time. And we have an even sixth

2:07:19 inning after that ground out.

2:07:22 >> Great work from Brent Basser across his

2:07:24 last two weekends against the

2:07:26 Indianapolis Clowns. That is now three

2:07:29 innings of scoreless relief for the

2:07:31 Banana Ball rookie.

2:07:37 >> [music]

2:07:43 [music]

2:07:54 >> To our police officers,

2:07:58 to our firefighters,

2:08:01 to our nurses,

2:08:05 to our EMS workers,

2:08:08 to our dispatchers,

2:08:12 and to our school teachers,

2:08:18 the banos. Thank you.

2:08:51 Power.

2:09:41 As soon as this [music] game ends

2:09:42 between the Savannah Bananas and the

2:09:44 Indianapolis Clowns, it's the premiere

2:09:46 of the E60 documentary [music]

2:09:48 special, Return of the Clowns.

2:09:51 Documenting their legendary history to

2:09:54 the Negro Leagues to coming back to life

2:09:57 here in the Banana Ball Championship

2:09:59 League.

2:10:01 May's BBCL pitcher of the month, Nick

2:10:04 Wilson, taking to the hill here and has

2:10:07 absolutely been one of, if not the most

2:10:10 effective pitcher in this Clown's

2:10:12 bullpen. And Matt Wolf is joining him in

2:10:16 the barrel

2:10:18 halfway between home and third base.

2:10:24 Raka towering foul ball. Actually, it

2:10:28 looks like it might stay in a fair

2:10:29 territory. No, it lands foul just

2:10:32 barely. Joe Gray Jr. tried to trap it on

2:10:35 the outside of his glove for a trick

2:10:37 play. And right field umpire Ron

2:10:40 Arnsberger all over it as he get another

2:10:43 look. And he wasn't in fair territory as

2:10:46 he was receiving that ball. So that's

2:10:48 why a thooled foul by the right field

2:10:50 umpire. But it will give Rack another

2:10:53 life here against Nick Wilson. Again,

2:10:55 Mace pitcher of the month, but a guy who

2:10:57 said he wasn't exactly expecting to win

2:10:59 that award, but very honored

2:11:01 nonetheless, as this pitch will get away

2:11:03 from Joe Lidle and Robert Anthony Cruz.

2:11:06 An easy steal of first and then a

2:11:09 throwing error from Lidle. Prime was not

2:11:12 at the first base bag. Lidle still

2:11:15 offered a throw over in that direction.

2:11:18 And so that banana ball wound up around

2:11:20 the tarp in shallow right field and put

2:11:24 Cruz up to second base.

2:11:26 >> And that's two veterans who are not on

2:11:28 the same page. Lidle gets back there and

2:11:30 just fires it. The throw is there, but

2:11:32 Carell Prime not at first base and

2:11:35 probably thinking there was no play at

2:11:37 first. That goes from a play that could

2:11:40 have been a catch, a trick play in foul

2:11:42 territory from Joe Gray Jr. to a guy in

2:11:45 scoring position later in the at bat.

2:11:47 Yeah, there was no play at first. Leto

2:11:49 should have eaten that. That's his

2:11:51 second throwing error of the ball game.

2:11:54 He only had one error on the year coming

2:11:55 into tonight.

2:11:57 >> Just an ill-advised throw from a

2:12:00 veteran. I'll tell you that when he goes

2:12:02 back to look at it. Peter just misses to

2:12:06 even up the count at two and two on

2:12:07 Reese Selectiatis with JT Sakalov

2:12:09 dancing off second. Right back to

2:12:11 Wilson. He's going to make the sure out

2:12:14 over at first as Sakalov advances 90 ft.

2:12:18 >> That time the communication was there.

2:12:20 Matt Wolf designated fielder at third

2:12:21 base or guy who's come in at third base

2:12:24 saying no no no. And of course his his

2:12:27 overalls fell to the ground and we all

2:12:29 saw his boxers. But he did make the

2:12:33 communication to Nick Wilson. Hey just

2:12:34 go to first.

2:12:37 Ty Jackson looper into center. JBJ snags

2:12:40 it. Sakov tagging the throw from Bradley

2:12:43 is offline. He didn't have a chance to

2:12:45 grab the speedy Bananas designated

2:12:47 runner anyway

2:12:51 as Tai grabs his first RBI of the ball

2:12:54 game, 10th of the year. And the Daners a

2:12:57 chance to get another point as they've

2:12:59 got a run across here in the top of the

2:13:00 seventh.

2:13:04 Of course, unearned when it comes to

2:13:08 Nick Wilson's line. He's

2:13:15 the tallest athlete in the known

2:13:18 universe and good friend of Joe Lidle.

2:13:21 Dakota still digs in.

2:13:26 Base is empty. Two outs and Nick Wilson

2:13:29 throws it over our heads here on the

2:13:31 third level of Great American Ballpark

2:13:33 in the broadcast booth. Got it all the

2:13:35 way to the upper deck.

2:13:37 Wilson kind of threw his hands up. That

2:13:40 one just got away a little bit. Tomahawk

2:13:42 deep out to left. Dancer on the run

2:13:45 makes the play to take what could have

2:13:47 been extra bases away from Stilts. He

2:13:50 has never had an extra base hit in his

2:13:52 illustrious six-year banana ball career.

2:13:57 That's one of the best pokes of his

2:13:59 Bananas tenure.

2:14:03 A run does come across though for the

2:14:05 Bananas. They trail three to one in

2:14:07 points. Chance to cut [music] it just to

2:14:10 a one-point deficit.

2:14:16 [music]

2:14:34 Oh, here in downtown, you got to have

2:14:37 soul. So, I went looking and found three

2:14:40 soul singing granny's and they're about

2:14:42 to sing right here, right now. We got

2:14:45 first up, Grandma Kelly. Get it, DJ.

2:15:02 >> Our

2:15:04 Find out what it means to me. R E S.

2:15:10 [cheering]

2:15:13 >> All right, moving right along. We got

2:15:15 Mama.

2:15:35 Hallelujah.

2:15:41 >> All right. All right. All right. Last we

2:15:44 got Grandma Tiki.

2:16:02 I will survive.

2:16:07 I know that I will.

2:16:19 Welcome back. Welcome back to Banana

2:16:21 Ball live on ESPN. This is the opener of

2:16:24 a threeame set. All three games will be

2:16:27 right here on ESPN between the Savannah

2:16:29 Bananas and the Indianapolis Clowns.

2:16:32 We're making their triumphant return to

2:16:34 one of their original host [music]

2:16:35 cities here in Cincinnati.

2:16:40 They go to the bottom of the seventh

2:16:41 inning. Clowns lead three to one in

2:16:43 points, but the Bananas put a run across

2:16:45 in the top [music] of the inning. And if

2:16:47 they can get a zero here in the bottom

2:16:48 half, it will be a 3-2 game going to the

2:16:51 eighth. [cheering] Looks like something

2:16:53 special from Indianapolis to Open up

2:16:56 their half of the seven.

2:17:09 But you never look my way. I'm breaking

2:17:11 down your darling in every single way.

2:17:13 Your money for the fre on the way. The

2:17:15 thing I should do is shampoo and watch

2:17:17 your head and shoulder. Well, the older

2:17:19 the yo I told you I run the puzzle like

2:17:23 a trick for the music in the monkey

2:17:25 trill town. So that's how I feel now.

2:17:28 The deal is never real

2:17:31 and they trying to be handsome. Drinking

2:17:33 what you thinking cuz I'm leaving for

2:17:36 hip hop. This is hip-hop today. I give

2:17:38 props to hip hop. So, hip- hop hooray.

2:17:40 Ho hey.

2:17:44 Hey.

2:17:51 >> Number 44, Dale Francis.

2:18:02 >> What a way for Dale Francis Jr. to come

2:18:04 to the dish.

2:18:09 And a barrel immediately into the box.

2:18:12 Foul ball. Noah Cats right on top of it.

2:18:17 The Clowns are all out of their dugout.

2:18:19 Pretty apoplelectic about the foul ball

2:18:22 ruling there from Cats.

2:18:25 And it looks like they're going to

2:18:26 challenge.

2:18:29 It was bow.

2:18:31 >> Hey, Kyle Jackson.

2:18:33 >> I'm pretty sure it was Bow. Welcome to

2:18:35 the mic. You had one of the best views

2:18:36 in the ballpark.

2:18:38 >> I'm biased though.

2:18:42 >> Okay, KJ. Well, the umpires

2:18:45 will see if there is clear evidence to

2:18:48 overturn the call from

2:18:50 >> there's a very good chance that no got

2:18:52 it right. He is young. He's got those

2:18:54 good eyes.

2:18:55 >> Come on.

2:18:58 >> Well, we watch the replays here. That's

2:19:00 about as close as it can get. I'm not

2:19:02 big on the on watching the replays on

2:19:03 the board. I'd rather just be pleasantly

2:19:05 surprised.

2:19:06 >> I love it. How cool is it to get to play

2:19:09 your third career banana ball game here

2:19:12 in Great American Ballpark as an Ohio

2:19:14 born and bred legend?

2:19:16 >> I wouldn't say legend, but I am from

2:19:18 Ohio.

2:19:19 [laughter]

2:19:21 >> You're on your way, KJ. You're on your

2:19:22 way.

2:19:23 >> Um, Cincinnati is awesome. I never grew

2:19:25 up coming here. I was going to

2:19:26 Cleveland, but Cincinnati's

2:19:29 Ohio and I have a lot of pride for Ohio.

2:19:31 And these people rock. They've they've

2:19:32 showed out. They've supported us. And

2:19:34 for us to come back two years in a row

2:19:36 means it's obviously pretty special. So

2:19:37 these people rock and I'm excited to

2:19:39 come back and win this game.

2:19:41 >> So you see this juggler?

2:19:43 >> You really don't think that the special

2:19:45 walk up you did cements any kind of

2:19:47 legend status for you?

2:19:49 >> Dude, if I would have gotten a hit after

2:19:51 it would have. [laughter]

2:19:53 >> Fair enough. You know me, I'm always

2:19:55 trying to get a hit.

2:19:56 >> The call in the field is overturned.

2:19:58 It's a defend.

2:19:58 >> Oh my goodness. What? Give him a single.

2:20:00 >> What a Yeah, he's a single. It would

2:20:02 have been a double.

2:20:03 >> Would have been a double.

2:20:04 >> And now we're about to get a double

2:20:05 play.

2:20:06 >> That's fascinating.

2:20:08 >> You give him a double. Like what do you

2:20:10 do?

2:20:11 >> I would think that they would have gave

2:20:12 him a double person.

2:20:13 >> No,

2:20:15 >> absolutely not.

2:20:18 >> I didn't even know you could challenge

2:20:20 Fair Pal. Maybe that's silly to say, but

2:20:22 I didn't even know you could do that. Oh

2:20:24 yeah, those are the toughest calls to

2:20:26 overturn.

2:20:27 >> I mean,

2:20:30 I guess.

2:20:32 >> Oh, no. All right.

2:20:34 >> Nice piece of hitting for all.

2:20:35 >> Will he run?

2:20:36 >> His second knock of the ball game.

2:20:40 >> Cox will listen to the KJ and cut that

2:20:42 [cheering] throw off for Meadows.

2:20:44 >> I kind of like being miked up. I can't

2:20:45 hear anything but y'all.

2:20:47 >> It's got to be a fascinating experience

2:20:49 in the middle of over 42,000 fans. You

2:20:52 literally can't hear anything besides

2:20:53 y'all.

2:20:55 >> I can't hear these people over here

2:20:56 screaming cage every 10 seconds.

2:20:58 >> It's just for you.

2:21:00 >> Oh yeah. Roll it.

2:21:01 >> No cover.

2:21:02 >> Deflected off. Ziggy Olsen throws the

2:21:05 ball off Prime and

2:21:07 >> the outfield. Francis will score to tie.

2:21:09 Eat it. Eat it.

2:21:11 >> Prime over to third

2:21:13 >> as retreats back to first.

2:21:15 >> Save it. Let's go, boys. All right. No

2:21:18 outs. Tie inning. That hurts.

2:21:22 >> Yeah, there was not a lot of your

2:21:23 teammates listening to you on that one.

2:21:25 Probably just go one there, but you

2:21:26 know, I actually love the Now we have to

2:21:29 go for it. Here we go.

2:21:32 >> Inning winning run 90 ft away. Carell,

2:21:36 that dude hit a bomb earlier, bro.

2:21:39 >> Yeah, that was a shot. Batter's eye

2:21:42 straight away center.

2:21:43 >> Yeah. Yeah, that's where the big boys

2:21:45 play.

2:21:47 Now Brian Dancer off the bench. Looper

2:21:50 into center. Meadows makes the catch.

2:21:53 >> Cut it. Cut it. Cut it.

2:21:55 >> Good.

2:21:56 >> Good Bill. Good Bill. All right. Double

2:21:58 play.

2:21:58 >> Prime knows how good that arm is for

2:22:01 >> as well as anybody. That was a great

2:22:03 throw.

2:22:06 It's a tough play, too.

2:22:10 >> Yeah. Moving over to left field. Off

2:22:12 balance.

2:22:13 >> All right. Here we go.

2:22:19 Chris Burgess RBI single back in the

2:22:21 fifth.

2:22:25 >> Yep.

2:22:26 >> That's a beautiful change up from

2:22:28 Basser.

2:22:33 >> Foul. Foul. Foul tip. You bet.

2:22:35 >> Get back here. Prime Vincent Chapman on

2:22:37 top of it.

2:22:40 >> So a hot shot to you. You going to

2:22:42 second here. KJ.

2:22:44 >> Jackson.

2:22:48 All right. Maybe. [laughter]

2:22:51 Oh, no. That's uh actually I'm going to

2:22:53 do neither. I'm just going to stand here

2:22:54 and uh observe with the homies.

2:22:57 >> Chris Burgess.

2:22:58 >> Well, that was fun.

2:22:59 >> The walkoff, man. He did it last week in

2:23:02 Morgan Town.

2:23:03 >> Hey, last thing in Cincinnati.

2:23:05 >> Oh, wait.

2:23:07 >> I love it. KJ, thank you so much for

2:23:09 joining us.

2:23:11 >> Thanks, KJ. Yep.

2:23:13 >> So there goes Kyle Jackson. Burgess his

2:23:16 team leading fourth walk-off of the year

2:23:19 as the Clowns flip the switch

2:23:23 on the Bananas in the seventh inning.

2:23:25 Nanners had a run across. Clowns double

2:23:27 him up and lead four to one in the

2:23:29 allimportant points department. I asked

2:23:32 Chris Burgess earlier today. You got

2:23:34 another walk-off in you. He says if I

2:23:36 make contact selling himself short a

2:23:39 couple of symbols a ball for sprint wins

2:23:42 another point

2:23:46 [cheering]

2:23:49 and that was a massive challenge from

2:23:51 the clowns that started that rally would

2:23:53 have been a foul ball on Dale Francis

2:23:54 Jr. Who knows how the plate appearance

2:23:56 would have ended, but Eric Fox uses his

2:23:59 challenge. Call is overturned. Clowns

2:24:01 still have a challenge. And Eastston

2:24:03 Parish on three pitches off the bench

2:24:05 has already struck out to open up our

2:24:07 eighth inning. [cheering]

2:24:10 Nick Wilson, his second inning of relief

2:24:11 gets his first punching.

2:24:17 EP swinging it there in the 10 hole for

2:24:19 Jackson Olsen. So back to the top we go

2:24:22 to David Ray Meadows. Ugly swing on a

2:24:25 gnarly slider from Wilson. Evens up the

2:24:28 count.

2:24:30 >> While the ball force sprint was a

2:24:32 problem for this clown staff earlier in

2:24:34 the game, this is the guy you want on

2:24:35 the mound if you want to correct that.

2:24:37 3.6 to one in terms of the strikeout to

2:24:40 ball force sprint ratio. Comfortably the

2:24:43 best on the Clowns roster. But he's got

2:24:46 a payoff coming right here. B. That's a

2:24:48 firm fast ball. Low 90s from Wilson

2:24:52 as the payoff. A cut and a miss. High

2:24:55 heat gets DR to chase. You do not see

2:24:57 that very often. It's backto-back Ks for

2:24:59 Wilson to open up the eighth inning.

2:25:01 Well, this is a situation where you're

2:25:03 seeing the bananas pressing. You know,

2:25:06 they've given up some points due to some

2:25:09 costly errors and just different things

2:25:11 that haven't quite gone their way. And

2:25:13 now at the plate, they're trying to make

2:25:14 up for it and not finding a lot of

2:25:16 success. Nick Wilson, he's been very

2:25:19 good at uh MPI this season in the top

2:25:23 three right now in banana ball. And

2:25:25 you're seeing it on full display here.

2:25:26 He is speeding up some bananas bats.

2:25:30 So impressive. The number 24 overall

2:25:33 draft pick. Third rounder for the Clowns

2:25:34 last November and he has adapted to

2:25:37 banana ball very quickly. Been the

2:25:39 clown's most consistent pitcher as young

2:25:40 Goldberg

2:25:42 has shown off his eye here in his rookie

2:25:44 campaign. He reaches for the third time

2:25:46 tonight and that is his tour leading

2:25:48 28th all four sprint earned as he gives

2:25:51 way to JT Sakov the Bananas designated

2:25:54 runner.

2:25:55 Pinch run one time every trip through

2:25:57 the order. This is the fourth time

2:25:59 through the lineup for Bananas. Sakov

2:26:02 out there for the third time tonight.

2:26:09 He takes off right back up the middle.

2:26:10 Banks was positioned perfectly but

2:26:12 couldn't field it cleanly.

2:26:17 They have a good idea, but the official

2:26:19 scoring decision. That's a hit.

2:26:26 >> So, Sakov up to second. Ober's his

2:26:28 second knock of the ball game. He's

2:26:30 aboard for the third time just like

2:26:33 Goldberg was to try and kickstart this

2:26:35 one out rally or two out rally rather.

2:26:38 And KJ fresh off the mic 0 for three

2:26:42 and changes it immediately right through

2:26:45 the four hole. Sakov getting the wave.

2:26:46 Throw from Gray on the money. A

2:26:49 superhero dive. Sakov avoids the tag and

2:26:52 somehow scores. That was a perfect throw

2:26:56 from Joe Gray Jr. Dan Over comes in to

2:26:58 score. Well, the clowns have been

2:27:00 arguing and KJ heads up base running all

2:27:02 the way over to third.

2:27:05 >> We're going to need a fan challenge

2:27:07 here. Bo, the clowns have already used

2:27:09 and lost their challenge. Excuse me,

2:27:11 they've used it. We got to get another

2:27:13 look on this tag. This was all Betham

2:27:16 breaking loose. Two runs in as it stands

2:27:19 right now and a man at third base for

2:27:21 the bananas. Get another look. You need

2:27:23 to see clear evidence that the tag was

2:27:25 landed on Sakalo. That's looks pretty

2:27:27 good right there. I'll tell you what.

2:27:29 >> Yeah. And Lidle right away was saying,

2:27:30 "I got him on the shoe." Wilson's saying

2:27:32 it too. The shoe. The shoe. It looks

2:27:34 like you can see the glove bend. That's

2:27:36 what I'm seeing underneath that. I think

2:27:37 this call will be overturned.

2:27:40 >> Another angle.

2:27:43 >> Yeah, I'm seeing the glove bend

2:27:45 personally. Yeah, that was a quick

2:27:47 challenge right there. The call from

2:27:48 Vincent Chapman overturned and the

2:27:50 Clowns back-to- back innings have

2:27:52 challenge plays. This one coming from

2:27:54 the fans. Both have gone the clowns way.

2:27:56 Indianapolis, they still have their

2:27:58 challenge. And Cowboy Joe with the

2:28:02 lasso. Two weekends in a row. He has

2:28:06 thrown a man out at the plate. Do not

2:28:08 run on Joe.

2:28:43 dark

2:28:46 and I

2:28:55 See you Cincinnati.

2:28:57 Come on.

2:29:27 Baby.

2:29:43 Let's hear it.

2:29:49 >> Ah, that's right.

2:30:05 >> Thank you. Thank you. What? Welcome back

2:30:08 to Banana Ball Live on ESPN where

2:30:10 tonight's aerial coverage is brought to

2:30:12 you by Goodyear Eagle. Fast is in us.

2:30:19 The wing foot one giving us a beautiful

2:30:22 view of downtown Cincinnati.

2:30:29 And at the bottom of your screen,

2:30:31 there's Great American Ballpark with

2:30:32 over 42,000 fans in it. We'll be back in

2:30:37 action tomorrow night right here on ESPN

2:30:39 at 700 p.m. Eastern again. And then

2:30:41 Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. Eastern. ESPN

2:30:45 once again, three straight days as Danny

2:30:47 Hosley,

2:30:49 the greatest closer in the history of

2:30:51 our young sport. Man out of Vienna,

2:30:53 Virginia here in his fourth World Tour,

2:30:56 comes in for the bottom of the eighth

2:30:58 inning. No run support from the Nanners

2:31:00 in the top half thanks to the fantastic

2:31:02 throw from Joe Gray Jr. out in right to

2:31:05 gun down Sakalov at the dish and the

2:31:08 challenge from the fans as Kirkland

2:31:11 Banks has a three-0 count

2:31:14 and that's a four pitch sprint. Just

2:31:17 missed the inside corner. You do not see

2:31:19 that from Danny Hosley very often.

2:31:22 >> Yeah, play the lottery. Golly. Yeah,

2:31:25 it's the lowest ball for sprint rate on

2:31:27 tour this season. That's how rare it is

2:31:30 to see from Danny do it all. Pitching in

2:31:32 his 11th straight game for the Savannah

2:31:34 Bananas and just had his streak of 11

2:31:36 and two/3 consecutive innings without

2:31:38 allowing an earned run snapped last

2:31:41 Saturday after surrendering a walk-off

2:31:43 homer to EJ. Now Joe Gray Jr. gives this

2:31:46 ball a ride and that one is into the

2:31:49 seats and out of the ballpark.

2:31:52 Joe Gray Jr. A walk up bomb for the

2:31:56 Indianapolis Couts. And it is 5 to one.

2:32:00 He throws guys out. He hits balls out.

2:32:04 Joe Gray Jr. alone in second place.

2:32:07 Eighth home run of the tour. And they

2:32:11 finally finally get to Danny Hosley in

2:32:15 his eighth appearance against the Clowns

2:32:18 this year. They finally tag him for a

2:32:21 run.

2:32:24 The former number three overall prospect

2:32:26 for the Brewers. What a way to get his

2:32:28 first career walk-off in banana ball.

2:32:30 Joe Gray Jr. does it in style.

2:32:34 Two-run shot down the left field line.

2:32:37 And this thing is all clowns. 5-1 lead

2:32:40 as we go to our final inning where every

2:32:42 run scored counts as a point. And how

2:32:44 about Joe Gray Jr.? We talk about the

2:32:47 struggles for this clown team as the

2:32:50 home team. No one has seen that more

2:32:53 than Joe Gray Jr. about a 200 point

2:32:56 difference in the batting average and

2:32:59 all of the power stats way down as the

2:33:01 home team. He knows it. How about a

2:33:04 three for three night and a triple shy

2:33:07 of the cycle. Don't know if we'll get to

2:33:10 that for another at bat, but what a

2:33:12 night. And right after Danny Hosley gave

2:33:15 up only his third ball four sprint in 23

2:33:19 and 2/3 innings of work this year,

2:33:22 [cheering] he gives up only his second

2:33:24 home run across that span.

2:33:27 Remarkable.

2:33:30 Deon Reinoso takes to the hill for the

2:33:33 Clowns. He

2:33:36 blocked it down for the first series win

2:33:38 the Clowns ever had against the Bananas.

2:33:40 That was just two weeks ago. in Grayson

2:33:43 Stadium on that Friday night. He shut

2:33:45 the door and the Clowns the only team in

2:33:48 the BBCL to not blow a save this year.

2:33:52 >> Yeah, the Clowns as a team eight for

2:33:54 eight as you can see or as you saw at

2:33:56 the bottom of this graphic. Dion two for

2:33:57 two, but Joe Ray Jr. just took this out

2:34:00 of the equation of being a save

2:34:01 opportunity now that it's a four-point

2:34:03 lead. Well, we mentioned earlier tonight

2:34:06 the scoreless streak that Kobe Robinson

2:34:08 was on for the Indianapolis Clowns.

2:34:09 Reoso's on a similar one for the Clowns

2:34:12 as well. Hasn't allowed an earned run

2:34:13 since May the 1st against the

2:34:15 Firefighters. Yeah, Kobe and Dion both

2:34:18 came in with six straight scoreless

2:34:20 appearances. And since allowing that

2:34:22 earned run, Reoso just two hits allowed

2:34:24 in five and two/3 scoreless innings of

2:34:27 relief.

2:34:32 Just a hair low. A ball and a strike on

2:34:34 Bill Loy. Robert Anthony Cruz waits on

2:34:37 deck. Reese Alexi in the hole

2:34:42 as that's a swing and a miss on the

2:34:44 slider from Reoso. Fast balls gotten up

2:34:46 to 98. He sat 95 with the heater in the

2:34:50 Frontier League last year.

2:34:53 Former Los Angeles Angels minor leager.

2:34:58 First was battling against the Bananas

2:35:00 as a Spartanberger in the Coastal Plane

2:35:02 League summer of 2021 against his twin

2:35:04 brother Levon on the Nanners. And boy,

2:35:07 Dion has turned into exactly what Eric

2:35:10 Fox was hoping at the back end of this

2:35:13 bullpen.

2:35:14 He's faced six hitters in June. He's

2:35:16 retired them all.

2:35:19 Bill Loy trying to break that streak.

2:35:24 Chance for the fans to get the first out

2:35:26 in the ninth.

2:35:30 Long look from the umpires. Joe Lidle

2:35:32 thought it was a clean catch. The Clowns

2:35:34 were out of the dugout thinking it's a

2:35:35 clean catch.

2:35:37 Vincent Chapman unsure, looking for

2:35:39 help. Trey Hudson, his first base

2:35:40 umpire, saying it was not snagged by the

2:35:43 fans.

2:35:46 So, another life for Laroy.

2:35:50 0 for three tonight.

2:35:55 Swing and a miss. The slider. It's

2:35:58 downright disgusting.

2:36:01 And make it seven straight hitters

2:36:02 retired for Dion in June. I mean, it's

2:36:05 just crazy the evolution for Dion

2:36:08 Reynoso. This guy was originally a

2:36:10 position player at Earthkin. And then in

2:36:12 his final collegiate season, he

2:36:15 transitioned to pitching. The Angels saw

2:36:17 him consistently clocking in at 95, as

2:36:20 high as 98. That got him in their

2:36:23 system. And now all of a sudden, you see

2:36:24 him the new closer for the Indianapolis

2:36:27 Clowns.

2:36:29 And virtually unhitable this month. I

2:36:33 mean, And it's kind of a microcosm of

2:36:36 this whole Clowns bullpen how the roles

2:36:38 have developed. These guys just keep

2:36:40 getting better outing by outing. It's

2:36:42 cliche, but it's true. Jam shot from

2:36:45 rack. Shallow right. Here comes Gray.

2:36:49 Bananas down to their final out.

2:36:58 >> It'll be up to Reesei to start a two-out

2:37:00 rally. [cheering]

2:37:04 A fly out and a pair of ground outs for

2:37:06 Super Reese

2:37:10 >> as the Nanners try to solve Dion

2:37:12 Reynoso.

2:37:15 Slider just misses low.

2:37:24 Fast ball just misses high.

2:37:30 It's fastball slider splitter for Reosa.

2:37:34 Everybody on their feet here in Great

2:37:36 American Ballpark

2:37:39 as that one grazes the inside corner.

2:37:45 Over 42,000 fans

2:37:49 clapping, jumping around. The energy

2:37:51 palpable here in the home of the

2:37:52 Cincinnati Reds. That's a good job by

2:37:55 Lidle to make sure it didn't get too far

2:37:56 away. Alexiotis leads the league with

2:38:00 five steals at first base.

2:38:04 If he knew he could have taken it, he

2:38:06 would have taken off.

2:38:08 3-1 fouled straight back and the Nanners

2:38:12 are down to their final strike.

2:38:30 Payoff pitch. Great take from Super

2:38:33 Reese. He's the first hitter to reach

2:38:36 against Reoso in June. A hard-earned

2:38:39 ball for sprint as he spits on the 3-2

2:38:42 slider. And the Nanners still draw

2:38:45 breath.

2:38:47 You just got to keep the line moving

2:38:48 from here. You're not looking for big

2:38:50 hits. You're just trying to continue to

2:38:52 string something together and hope you

2:38:55 can load the bases or do something to

2:38:57 get that inning tying point at this

2:39:00 point up to the plate.

2:39:04 There goes Alexi. He'll take second

2:39:06 base. Late throw from Lidle.

2:39:12 It's been a productive night offensively

2:39:13 for Tai Jackson, the extra hitter.

2:39:16 >> 0 for one, but a ball for sprint and a

2:39:18 sacrifice fly.

2:39:25 This is where the banana ball gets so

2:39:27 interesting. That final inning, like

2:39:28 Josh said, every run counting as a

2:39:31 point. So, I know we got two odds here,

2:39:33 but four runs is just four points and

2:39:37 anything's possible.

2:39:39 The Bananas need three straight hitters

2:39:41 to reach base.

2:39:44 There's very much a world that Ty

2:39:46 Jackson's able to get on. Ryan Cox on

2:39:48 deck. The bananas may already go to a

2:39:50 golden batter. See if they can just keep

2:39:52 the line moving and and trusting Jackson

2:39:55 Olsson after that. Peter misses wide.

2:39:58 Four straight bad ones to tie Jackson.

2:40:01 Alexi comes in to score from second.

2:40:04 Dancer of a seventh and final clown

2:40:06 defender who needed to touch that ball

2:40:08 before it was live.

2:40:10 Tie his second sprint and stake of the

2:40:13 evening. But most importantly, he he

2:40:16 passes the baton to Ryan Cox

2:40:20 as the game's tying run is now in the on

2:40:22 deck circle.

2:40:35 >> Cox bounced it to a double play back in

2:40:37 the second inning. Roped a triple to

2:40:39 right center in the fifth. was pinch hit

2:40:42 for by Dakota Stilts Albertton in the

2:40:44 seventh.

2:40:46 Jackson will take off for second. Throw

2:40:47 from Lidle a hair late.

2:40:57 This is Deja Vu all over again, guys.

2:41:00 The ball for sprint, a steal of second.

2:41:03 That's how the last run came in after

2:41:05 the Ty Jackson ball for sprint.

2:41:08 And now it's seven straight balls fired

2:41:10 by Dion after he was locked in off his

2:41:13 first two hitters. Had a 3-2 count to

2:41:15 Alexiotis. Lost them as Super East

2:41:18 didn't bite on the slider low and away.

2:41:23 And there finally is a strike.

2:41:27 3-1 on Cox. One of the best bat to ball

2:41:29 guys in the history of the sport.

2:41:35 Taking all the way. The Bananas once

2:41:38 again down to their final strike.

2:41:44 3-2

2:41:45 bounced up the middle. Kirkland Banks

2:41:48 over to first [cheering]

2:41:51 in time. The Indianapolis Clowns hang

2:41:54 on. A 52 victory to open up this

2:41:57 threeame set in Great American Ballpark.

2:42:00 A homecoming eight decades [cheering] in

2:42:04 the making. The Clowns are back in

2:42:06 Cincinnati and in the win column,

2:42:10 desperate for a W tonight, they out hit,

2:42:14 they out pitch, and they out trick the

2:42:17 Savannah Bananas for an emphatic victory

2:42:21 at Great American Ballpark.

2:42:24 >> The Bananas are challenging the out call

2:42:27 at first base. They had a challenge in

2:42:29 their back pocket.

2:42:31 No reason not to pull the trigger on it

2:42:34 as we'll get another look right here

2:42:39 blouses

2:42:43 for Prime knew it or else you would have

2:42:45 seen a big old stretch from the 65 first

2:42:47 baseman

2:42:50 >> and Vincent further review

2:42:53 >> let the over 42,000 fans

2:42:56 >> still here in Great American Ballpark

2:42:58 know that the Bananas did in fact

2:43:01 >> lose the opener of this three-game set.

2:43:08 We'll be right back here on ESPN

2:43:10 tomorrow night, 700 p.m.

2:43:14 for the middle game of this three-game

2:43:16 series in the home of the Reds as the

2:43:19 Clowns look to take their second

2:43:21 straight threeame set against the

2:43:22 Bananas across these last three

2:43:24 weekends.

2:43:26 And the Nanos will try and even this up

2:43:28 and force a rubber game Sunday

2:43:29 afternoon.

2:43:49 We get to witness the Indianapolis

2:43:51 Clowns victory dance here on ESPN.

2:43:55 >> I'll tell you the entertainment factor.

2:43:58 These two teams have delivered the last

2:44:00 two plus series. They have played. I

2:44:03 know it's 5 to2, but it comes down to a

2:44:05 couple of key moments. Just like all

2:44:07 great banana ball games, too. No

2:44:09 different tonight.

2:44:13 We will hear from Joe Gray Jr. in the

2:44:15 near future, our showman of the game.

2:44:19 There's no doubt about that. But right

2:44:21 [music] now, we get to enjoy our smooth

2:44:24 plays of the game thanks to our dear

2:44:26 friends over at Tropical Smoothie Cafe.

2:44:30 And as you mentioned, Cam, it was trick

2:44:32 plays galore from the clowns. They never

2:44:34 really gave the bananas a chance to earn

2:44:36 [music] that equalizer point. Well, I

2:44:37 mean, you saw 17 total trick plays in

2:44:39 tonight's contest. Couple [music] back

2:44:42 flips, Robert Anthony Cruz and Dr.

2:44:44 Meadows. But the Indianapolis Clowns, I

2:44:46 mean, you always have the benefit to

2:44:48 collect more trick plays. Playing us at

2:44:49 home team. You are guaranteed 27 outs in

2:44:53 the ball game. And you saw Indianapolis

2:44:56 a really great all-around performance.

2:44:57 [music]

2:44:58 Kirkland Banks, Matt Wolf, everybody.

2:45:01 And even the showman Joe Gray collecting

2:45:04 trick plays. For more with Cowboy Joe,

2:45:06 let's send it down to Sam Bowman.

2:45:13 at Cincinnati. Let's hear it here for

2:45:15 our showman of the game for the

2:45:17 Indianapolis Clowns, Joe Gray. Joe, what

2:45:19 it mean to have such a performance here

2:45:21 in Cincinnati for this crowd?

2:45:23 >> I mean, it's an honor, you know. Um,

2:45:26 there's a lot of history here with the

2:45:27 Clowns coming to Cincinnati, being able

2:45:30 to perform in front of all y'all. This

2:45:32 is amazing. I I will comfortably say on

2:45:36 the behalf of the Clowns, this is the

2:45:37 best fan we fans we played in front of

2:45:39 this whole year, you know. So, I got to

2:45:42 I got to say I appreciate y'all,

2:45:44 especially with a kid that had a dream,

2:45:46 you know, playing at Big League

2:45:47 Stadiums, you know, being in affiliated

2:45:49 ball with the Brewers for so long, you

2:45:50 know, it's this is an honor.

2:45:53 >> Joe Greg, the home run there to seal

2:45:55 things. What was it like to hear from

2:45:57 this amazing crowd as you're coming home

2:46:00 basically writing this one off? Oh yeah.

2:46:02 Like I said, man, this is a this is a

2:46:04 little kid that first starts off playing

2:46:06 baseball, man. This is this is a dream.

2:46:08 This is a dream to do this on a big

2:46:10 league big league stadium, big league

2:46:12 stage, big league fields in front of a

2:46:14 big league crowd with the fans first,

2:46:17 you know. And uh we all we love y'all.

2:46:20 >> One more time for our showman of the

2:46:22 game, Joe Gray.

2:46:24 [cheering]

2:46:28 >> What a cool moment [music] for Joe Gray

2:46:31 Jr. guy who spent seven years in the

2:46:32 minors, six of them in the Brewer system

2:46:35 [music]

2:46:36 and across the last two years was in the

2:46:40 Atlantic League and the American

2:46:41 Association. [music]

2:46:41 Started his evening with a great piece

2:46:43 of hitting the single the opposite way

2:46:45 and then the ground roll double to right

2:46:47 [music] field as well. Josh, you

2:46:50 mentioned the trick plays out in right

2:46:52 field, teaming up with Kirkland Banks

2:46:54 for that one. And then the big blast

2:46:58 two-run walk-off homer off one of the

2:47:01 greatest pitchers in the history of the

2:47:02 sport to win the eighth inning and give

2:47:05 the clowns that insurance on their way

2:47:07 to the 5-2 win. Look, you wouldn't have

2:47:08 been able to tell it based on the

2:47:10 [music] way he played tonight, but Joe

2:47:11 Jr. here in the month of June only had

2:47:14 two hits this month for the Indianapolis

2:47:16 Clowns. He recorded three in tonight's

2:47:19 ball game. So, you saw him really wake

2:47:22 up with that bat yet again. again. He

2:47:24 has been the table setter for this team.

2:47:26 The leadoff game every single game since

2:47:29 April the 10th for the Indianapolis

2:47:31 Clowns and their record [music] has

2:47:32 drastically improved since they made

2:47:34 that move. So Joe Gray Jr. continuing to

2:47:38 pay dividends for this team in his

2:47:39 rookie campaign. Yeah, and you mentioned

2:47:41 it, the tone setter, right? [music] So

2:47:44 many times the Clowns have slugged their

2:47:45 ways to wins this year. They've gotten

2:47:47 contributions up and down the lineup,

2:47:49 but let's be honest, this team is going

2:47:51 as Joe Gray Jr. goes. The runs have been

2:47:54 there, but the points are there when Joe

2:47:56 Gray Jr. is having nights like this, and

2:47:59 this was a big one, including the home

2:48:01 run against Danny Hosley. I mean, you

2:48:03 couldn't have asked for a better

2:48:04 performance for Joe Gray and really from

2:48:06 this whole Clowns team.

2:48:08 >> Really impressive team victory for

2:48:10 Indianapolis as they have won four out

2:48:12 of their last six against the Bananas.

2:48:14 And we welcome you back inside with the

2:48:16 statistical savant of Banana Ball, Josh

2:48:17 Tipsky, and the voice of the

2:48:19 Indianapolis clowns, Mr. Cam Stewart. I

2:48:21 am Bo Scala saying so long for now. A

2:48:24 big thank you to our entire cast and

2:48:26 crew here who put on this broadcast.

2:48:28 Can't wait to put on two more across the

2:48:31 rest of this weekend. Up next here on

2:48:33 ESPN, it is the premiere of Return of

2:48:36 the Clowns, an E60 documentary going

2:48:39 through the entire history of the

2:48:41 miraculous Indianapolis Clowns, who are

2:48:44 such an inspiration to the Savannah

2:48:45 Bananas, the entire sport of Banana

2:48:47 Ball, and now revived here in the

2:48:50 inaugural season of the Banana Ball

2:48:51 Championship League. Cannot wait to

2:48:53 watch that and can't wait to see you

2:48:55 back here on ESPN tomorrow night, 700

2:48:57 p.m. Eastern for first pitch for game

2:49:00 two of this threeame set here in Great

2:49:02 American Ballpark. For the executive

2:49:04 producer of BTV, Mr. Josh Richardson,

2:49:07 our producer here tonight, Mr. Mohawk

2:49:09 Mike, and our director, Alex Gross, I am

2:49:12 Bo Scalla saying so long for now. Enjoy

2:49:15 Return of the Clowns. We'll see you

2:49:16 tomorrow night. And of course, we will

2:49:18 see you later. [screaming]

2:49:20 Heat. Heat.

2:49:43 Heat.

2:50:01 Heat.

2:50:05 [music]

2:50:06 Heat. Heat. N.