Texas Tailgaters @ Firefighters
The Texas Tailgaters vs The Firefighters in Charlotte, NC! (Game 3)
📝 Full transcript (3965 segments)
0:00 [music]
0:06 >> On the best day of my and Brett Loftis'
0:09 life, we are live streaming in the night
0:10 three. How about Charlotte three wins to
0:12 step between the Firefighters and the
0:14 now first place Texas Tailgaters. The
0:17 boys in blue and orange have won with
0:18 offensive firepower this weekend and
0:21 then cranked up the defensive horsepower
0:23 last night. Can the Fire and Flames get
0:25 the checkered flag in stage three here
0:28 in the Queen City? It's the
0:29 Firefighters. It's the Texas Tailgaters
0:32 live and in living color. Let's roll.
0:38 And with that, welcome inside the
0:39 dispatch center here in Charlotte, North
0:42 Carolina. He's Brett Loftis, I'm Zach
0:44 Staten. Brett, how blessed are we? We
0:46 just got to sit in a NASCAR stock car
0:49 for a few moments of our Saturday.
0:51 >> Yeah, man. Almost as much as we are to
0:52 watch these Texas Tailgaters right now
0:54 who are now the first place team in the
0:56 sport of Banana Ball with their win last
0:58 night and the two losses this weekend up
1:00 to the Savannah Bananas. For the first
1:02 time ever, the boys in blue and orange
1:04 sit in spot number one in the Banana
1:06 Ball Championship league standings.
1:07 >> If I were to tell you that one team had
1:09 22 hits, 14 runs, 27 trick play outs,
1:13 and struck out the other team 19 times,
1:15 I figured we'd be going into a green
1:17 white checkered here today. But that's
1:18 how special the Texas Tailgaters have
1:20 been. The Firefighters have not won a
1:22 single game this weekend.
1:25 >> Yep.
1:28 >> Kaden Green is one of those guys that
1:30 has truly stacked up the trick plays
1:32 here for the Firefighters. Let's hear
1:33 from him.
1:34 >> Hey, thanks guys. One thing you cannot
1:36 deny about the Firefighters for these
1:38 past two games, they brought it with the
1:39 trick plays. The Texas Tailgaters, the
1:41 best team with trick plays have had to
1:43 battle back from a pretty significant
1:45 deficit. One guy who is responsible for
1:47 a lot of those trick plays is the guy
1:49 prac-
3:54 >> Mhm.
4:33 >> You have a firefighter and being a
4:35 friend of so many different
4:38 firefighters,
4:39 it feels like this was meant for me.
4:42 >> Fighting the flames for 19 games in
4:44 2024, a year of history for the
4:46 Firefighters.
4:47 >> DAKOTA MCFADDEN, THE FIRST HOME RUN in
4:50 the HISTORY OF THE FIREFIGHTERS
4:52 FRANCHISE. UNDER THE LEG TO BRITO AT
4:54 SECOND, A TRICK PLAY AND THE FIRST WIN
4:58 IN FIREFIGHTERS HISTORY.
5:00 AND HE'S TAGGED OUT
5:02 AND THE FIREFIGHTERS have won THEIR
5:05 FINAL GAME OF 2024.
5:10 AND IT'S THE PERFECT ENDING FOR THE BOYS
5:13 IN RED AND YELLOW.
5:17 >> IN 2025, THE SCHEDULE going to 33
5:19 missions across the country, including
5:22 the team's very first headlining tour, a
5:24 three-city journey across Virginia, a
5:27 barnstorming month that left fans with
5:29 plenty of fiery moments.
5:31 >> Isaac Para, BEHIND-THE-BACK, GREEN
5:34 THROUGH THE LEGS, DOUBLE PLAY WITH THE
5:36 BARE HAND, BACKFLIP, HANDSPRING, YES
5:40 SIR. INTO CENTER FIELD, IS IT GONE? OH
5:44 MY GOODNESS.
5:46 Noah Bridges is the hero in Salem.
5:50 >> And a host of new characters like mascot
5:52 Bow the Beaver.
5:56 And the first ever Dalmatian bat dog.
6:02 >> [screaming]
6:02 >> THE BLAZE SPREADING TO MAJOR
6:04 PROPORTIONS. The firefighters playing in
6:06 10 major league ballparks with their
6:08 first ever win in an MLB stadium coming
6:11 in Denver last August.
6:13 >> THE FIREFIGHTERS STOP THE BANANAS
6:15 WINNING STREAK AT 14 GAMES [cheering]
6:18 and they TAKE GAME TWO HERE AT COORS
6:20 FIELD in showdowns.
6:22 >> And they gave us one of the most
6:23 emotional nights in Banana Ball history.
6:26 >> We pause to honor
6:28 and remember.
6:29 Reflecting on the lives forever changed
6:33 on September 11th, 2001.
6:36 And tonight we honor both the lives that
6:38 were lost and the lives that were saved
6:41 because of the selfless actions of first
6:44 responders.
6:46 Firefighter John Ross Stella.
6:49 >> [applause]
6:51 [cheering]
6:53 >> Firefighter Chris LaGrow.
6:55 >> [applause]
6:58 >> Firefighter Frank Perez.
7:03 Firefighter Mike Manowski.
7:09 >> [applause]
7:09 >> And firefighter Chris Shipler.
7:16 And firefighter Malcolm Moore.
7:20 >> [applause]
7:22 >> 9/11 first responder Port Authority
7:26 >> [cheering]
7:30 [applause]
7:33 >> And 9/11 first responder Lieutenant Eric
7:39 >> [cheering]
7:41 >> And 9/11 first responder Tom
7:46 >> [cheering]
7:47 [applause]
7:52 [cheering]
7:54 [applause]
8:02 [cheering and applause]
8:10 [cheering]
8:17 [applause]
8:20 >> Going into the post season, the
8:22 Firefighters earning the fourth seed
8:24 after going 6 and 27. Only winning three
8:27 times in 23 chances against the Savannah
8:30 Bananas, the odds stacked against them
8:32 going against the team in yellow. Until
8:35 Bradford Webb [music] and Ben Dunn
8:37 stepped up.
8:37 >> Bradford Webb, six innings, six goose
8:41 eggs, four Ks. He was miraculous.
8:45 Ben Dunn, THE THIRD FIRED UP AS HE
8:48 DRIBBLES THIS ONE OVER TO FIRST. STEPHEN
8:50 COHEN WILL TAKE IT BEHIND HIS BACK AND
8:53 INTO THE BACK
8:54 AND THE
8:55 FIREFIGHTERS WIN GAME BEN DUNN, A NINE
8:58 OUT SAVE.
8:58 >> A one nothing win in game one of the
9:00 semi-finals, giving the Firefighters
9:03 just as good a chance as anybody else.
9:05 But they dropped game two by one point,
9:07 leading to a winner take all showdown in
9:10 Grayson Stadium. Dalton Cornett getting
9:12 his chance to shine and creating a
9:14 moment that will last in Banana Ball
9:17 history.
9:18 >> THAT BALL DEMOLISHED DEEP OUT TO RIGHT.
9:21 GONE!
9:23 DALTON CORNETT
9:24 SENDS THE FIREFIGHTERS TO THE 2025
9:27 BANANA BALL TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL.
9:33 >> I DON'T EVEN HAVE WORDS RIGHT NOW.
9:35 This is like the greatest moment in
9:36 baseball
9:37 >> From four seed to the championship game,
9:39 the the Firefighters becoming the
9:41 ultimate Cinderella story in Banana
9:44 Land.
9:47 The Fire and Flames picking right up
9:48 where they left off in 2026 with
9:51 long-time Bananas Eric Jones Jr., Jared
9:54 Donaldson, and Zack Phillips officially
9:56 aboard. The team picked up its first
9:58 ever sweep in Banana Ball over the Loco
10:00 Beach Coconuts in Little Rock, Arkansas.
10:05 Launched an historic offensive
10:07 performance in Montgomery, Alabama
10:09 scoring 22 runs in one game to beat the
10:12 Indianapolis Clowns 4 to 2. Then swept
10:15 the Party Animals for the first time
10:17 ever in Albuquerque highlighted by an
10:20 incredible two rounds of showdowns in
10:22 game two. In May, the Firefighters going
10:24 to Corpus Christi, Texas bringing
10:27 Valparaiso back to her hometown and
10:29 giving us one of the most emotional
10:31 weekends in Firefighter history.
10:33 >> AND THE FIREFIGHTER FROM RIGHT HERE in
10:37 Corpus Christi.
10:39 Please welcome Valparaiso.
10:47 >> WHAT A COOL MOMENT.
10:48 >> THAT MOMENT, I mean, it's special. Um
10:50 hearing hearing everything from the
10:52 crowd, of course, and then seeing
10:54 everyone of my guys just pumping their
10:55 chest and cheering for me. I mean, that
10:57 means everything and it's a testament to
10:58 the culture we have in our locker room.
11:01 >> LAMAR SPARKS!
11:04 WELCOME BACK TO THE LONE STAR STATE,
11:07 LAMAR. THAT IS HIS LITTLE SISTER,
11:09 CHENSEY.
11:11 And she's ABOUT TO GIVE LAMAR THE RIDE
11:14 BACK HOME RECREATING A MOMENT from their
11:18 childhood.
11:19 >> [cheering]
11:25 [music]
11:33 >> I don't really have words for it. It's
11:35 something I've been wanting to recreate
11:36 for a long time now, and finally I'm in
11:38 a league, I'm in a place where I can
11:39 recreate that and have some great people
11:41 around me, have some great staff, some
11:42 great teammates. Val stuck her neck out
11:44 as well and said, "We're going to make
11:45 this happen. We want to make this
11:46 happen, you know, cuz this is bigger
11:48 than the Nanner Ball."
11:51 >> When you enter the fire service, you are
11:54 entering a brotherhood unlike any other,
11:56 and you're trying to be the one who is
11:59 going to save somebody's life every
12:00 single day. And you're in those
12:01 high-stress situations. That is a bond
12:03 unlike any other. So, remember when you
12:05 put these jerseys on who you represent.
12:07 Take honor in that, take pride in that.
12:09 When you enter this locker room, you
12:11 have officially entered the brotherhood
12:13 of the Nanner Ball fire department. And
12:15 let's take pride in that.
12:19 >> ON HIS FIRST SWING WITH THE
12:20 FIREFIGHTERS, A.J. PUMPS [screaming] IT!
12:24 JARED DONALDSON STRIKES OUT THE SIDE HIS
12:27 FIRST FRAME AGAINST THE NANNERS.
12:29 >> RECORDED! Has locked IT UP THE GRAVE
12:32 YARD! [screaming]
12:33 >> WE'RE HOT! We're hot, baby!
12:40 >> NOAH BRIDGES IS TIMELESS!
12:43 >> WE HAVE A GOOD OFFENSE.
12:45 >> YEAH.
12:45 >> TINY WITH THE BIG SHOT!
12:50 DARIAN MCDOWELL!
12:52 >> THERE [screaming] YOU GO!
12:53 LOOK AT THAT!
12:55 >> OH MY GOODNESS!
12:56 >> WHAT A HOT TEAM OF SPORTS, BABY! LET'S
12:57 GO!
13:11 >> WE ARE IN THE NUMBER 43 nascar
13:13 racingexperience.com.
13:16 Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to reach
13:17 up there and PULL THEM BELTS TIGHT ONE
13:19 MORE TIME!
13:24 >> BUGGEDY BUGGEDY BUGGEDY, let's play
13:26 banana ball! ball.
13:30 >> Dispatch to Banana Ball. All units
13:32 converge on [music] the best day of mine
13:34 and Brett Loftis's life. WE ARE RACING
13:37 in an I-3 of our Charlotte three-game
13:39 series between the Firefighters [music]
13:41 and the now first-place Texas
13:43 Tailgaters. The boys in blue and orange
13:45 have [music] won with offensive
13:47 firepower this weekend and cranked up
13:49 the defensive [music] horsepower last
13:51 night. Can the Fire and Flames get the
13:53 checkered flag and stage three here in
13:56 the Queen City? It's the Firefighters.
13:58 It's the Texas Tailgaters live and in
14:00 living color. Let's roll.
14:06 And with that, welcome inside the
14:07 dispatch center here at Truist Field.
14:09 He's Brett Loftis. I'm Zach State. And
14:11 Brett Loftis, how blessed are we on a
14:13 Saturday in our lives? We got to spend a
14:15 few minutes inside a NASCAR stock car.
14:18 >> The only thing we're more blessed to do
14:19 is watch these Texas Tailgaters, man.
14:22 How special is it for the first time
14:24 ever the Texas Tailgaters are first
14:26 place in our sport of Banana Ball. With
14:28 their two wins of the last two nights
14:29 here in Charlotte with the Banana's two
14:31 losses in Savannah against the
14:33 Indianapolis Clowns, the Texas
14:34 Tailgaters are a half a game ahead and
14:37 in place number one in the Banana Ball
14:40 Championship League standings. Such a
14:42 blessed life we get to live indeed, my
14:44 friend.
14:45 >> I don't think Brett Loftis can say that
14:46 enough to get the smile off his face. So
14:48 much happened last night. Kyle Martin
14:51 broke records and then some. Keaten
14:52 Peanut Green turned in a lot of trick
14:54 plays becoming the first firefighter
14:56 ever to reach 50 in one regular season.
14:59 There's a lot to get to here in
15:01 Charlotte, North Carolina, but we got to
15:02 start with Peanut. He talked to Rex
15:04 Pestello just a few minutes ago about
15:07 those trick plays and how the
15:08 Firefighters continue to get tricky here
15:11 in the Queen City.
15:15 >> Hey, thanks, guys. One thing you cannot
15:16 deny about the Firefighters for these
15:18 past two games is they brought it with
15:20 the trick plays. The Texas Tailgaters,
15:22 the best team with trick plays, have had
15:23 to battle back from a pretty significant
15:25 deficit. One guy who is responsible for
15:28 a lot of those trick plays is the guy
15:29 practicing right now, Kaden Pinar Green.
15:32 Peanut, when you came into the series
15:33 against the Texas Tailgaters, you knew
15:35 they would bring it with trick plays.
15:36 Was that an emphasis for you and the
15:37 Fighters to be on point with trick
15:39 plays?
15:39 >> Yeah, of course. We've already lost to
15:41 them a couple of times to them, and we
15:42 know they're very aggressive with trick
15:43 plays. They'll rip them two outs, ninth
15:45 inning, whenever they can, and they're
15:46 very good at them and they're
15:47 successful. So, yeah. That was a That
15:49 was a point coming into this weekend
15:51 was, "Hey, let's match their trick
15:52 plays, match their aggressiveness, and
15:54 uh I think we've done pretty good so
15:55 far."
15:55 >> Hey, a lot of people may not be even
15:57 close to keeping up with the Texas
15:58 Tailgaters at that point. So, Peanut, I
16:00 got to ask you the Fire and Flames with
16:02 that performance these past two [music]
16:03 days, have you proven you can keep up
16:04 with anybody in this league?
16:05 >> Yeah, I mean, we've been working our
16:06 tails off on trick plays uh back in
16:08 Savannah in practice every single day in
16:10 the offseason working on it, and so
16:12 getting to show getting to show that,
16:13 "Hey, we can hang, and we can do this."
16:15 Uh I think we've been doing a pretty
16:17 good job at it, and uh that's the plan
16:18 to keep on rolling.
16:19 >> Hey, that's just part of the game here,
16:21 because this guy, what a night he had.
16:23 Four for four, four hits back there,
16:24 Peanut. And a lot has gone right, but
16:27 what is it going to take to get it over
16:28 the finish line and avoid the sweep here
16:30 in Charlotte?
16:31 >> Yeah, I know. I I think we just need to
16:32 keep playing loose. Uh we need to play
16:33 loose, but have intent, you know? Have
16:35 some aggression. I think I've been
16:37 telling the guys this week or this or
16:38 today, like play with some swagger.
16:40 Like, have a little bit aura about you.
16:41 Play with some swagger. Go out there,
16:43 act like you're the best on the field at
16:44 all times. So, I think we're going to
16:46 have to do that, and I think we'll have
16:47 a good result.
16:47 >> Speaking of aura, you see the bandana,
16:49 y'all? It's bedazzled. It's got some
16:50 bling to it, just like his game. It is
16:52 flashy, Peanut. Thank you so much, guys.
16:54 Hey guys, before we get down to the
16:56 game, we got to know what the rules are.
16:57 So, here's Jesse Cole with the rules.
17:01 >> Banana Ball is the fastest and most
17:03 entertaining show in sports. And the 11
17:05 rules guarantee [music] the most
17:06 fans-first experience every second.
17:09 >> Unbelievable!
17:10 Welcome to THE BANANA BALL CHAMPIONSHIP
17:12 LEAGUE!
17:13 >> Rule number one, win the inning, win the
17:16 point. The [music] team that scores the
17:17 most runs in an inning wins the point.
17:20 >> IT'S A WALK-OFF winner for the team
17:22 that's going to win.
17:24 >> OH MY GOODNESS.
17:25 >> With the equalizer [music] point, trick
17:26 plays provide the away team an
17:28 opportunity to earn a point going into
17:30 the final inning.
17:31 And in the final inning, every run
17:33 counts as a point.
17:35 Rule number two, Banana Ball has a
17:37 two-hour time limit, guaranteeing that
17:40 every game is fast-paced and
17:42 action-packed.
17:43 Rule number three, no [music] stepping
17:45 out of the batter's box. If you do, it
17:47 will result in a strike.
17:49 >> Max stepped out of the box, and because
17:50 he stepped out of the box
17:52 >> That's it.
17:52 >> Rule number four, no bunting [music] cuz
17:55 bunting sucks. If you bunt, you'll be
17:58 thrown out of the game. Rule number
17:59 five, [music] batters can steal first
18:01 base.
18:02 >> Ball three, GIDEON TAKING OFF FOR FIRST
18:04 THROW FROM LEROY IN TIME.
18:06 >> RULE NUMBER SIX, there's no walks. Walks
18:10 are ball four sprints. The batter can
18:12 advance as far as they want until every
18:14 position player touches the ball.
18:16 >> Those defenders have touched the banana
18:18 ball. IT IS A FOUR-BASE SPRINT TO OPEN
18:22 UP the ball game.
18:23 >> Rule number seven,
18:24 no mound visits.
18:26 Nope.
18:27 Rule number eight, foul balls caught by
18:30 a fan count as an out.
18:38 Rule number nine, the showdowns. In
18:40 showdowns, the best of the best face
18:42 [music] off in the biggest moment. One
18:44 hitter versus one pitcher with one
18:47 fielder behind him, and the hitter has
18:49 to score.
18:54 Rule number 10, the Banana Ball
18:56 Challenge Rule gives the coaches and you
18:58 the fans a chance to impact a call on
19:01 the field.
19:02 >> [cheering]
19:02 >> Rule number 11, the golden batter. Once
19:05 a game, each team can give any player an
19:07 at bat regardless of the lineup. This
19:10 offers the biggest matchups on the
19:11 biggest stage.
19:13 >> Big on big.
19:14 >> K-Mart,
19:15 let's go!
19:16 Let's go!
19:18 >> Get out of here,
19:21 ball! That thing had
19:22 >> [screaming]
19:24 >> And those are the rules of Banana Ball.
19:30 >> That's is Virtual Jeff Cole, and those
19:34 are the 11 rules of our sport [music] of
19:36 Banana Ball. You are looking at
19:39 Charlotte, North Carolina. 10,000 strong
19:42 set to fill our firehouse and Truist
19:45 Field [music] for night three of a
19:47 three-game
19:49 monster series in Charlotte. Last night,
19:53 game two, we saw history made [music] by
19:57 these Texas Tailgaters again, led by who
20:00 else but K-Mart, Brett Loftis.
20:02 >> Welcome to the action. Top of the first
20:05 inning, a two-run shot for K-Mart.
20:09 Wouldn't be the only
20:10 >> home run of the top of the first. Cole,
20:11 K-Mart, wouldn't be his only home run of
20:13 the ballgame as one pitch later, Francis
20:15 J. B says, "See you later." Three runs
20:18 in the top half of the first en route
20:20 [music] to a point, but not before we
20:22 can make it out with some really good
20:23 defense from the Firefighters.
20:24 >> Look at Mason Maxwell somersaulting and
20:26 then Tyner Hughes underneath that fire
20:28 to get something going. But another
20:30 trick play. This time, Jordan Barnes
20:32 right around the horn, and the Texas
20:33 Tailgaters get an early point. But then,
20:37 Zack Watson almost got stuck at Circle
20:39 [music] K.
20:40 >> I've been in there a couple times
20:41 before, and Noah Bridges throwing on in,
20:42 but not before another three runs could
20:45 come across in the top of the second.
20:47 But [music] Tyner Hughes would help
20:48 negate that and then some. Double on the
20:49 left field line would bring in runs
20:51 three [music] and four of the inning.
20:52 That scores the Firefighters a point. We
20:54 are all square at one apiece. Then, in
20:57 the third inning, DC3, how about it?
21:00 That'll make it 2-1 in favor of the
21:01 Firefighters. And then,
21:03 >> we welcome you back to the action. Home
21:05 run number 14 on the year for Kyle
21:07 Martin. That would set him up as he
21:10 enters today one home run shy of tying
21:13 the record, two away from breaking the
21:15 single season home run record. Peanut,
21:17 Tyner, book it, book it over to Mason
21:19 Maxwell. Little 6-4-3 [music] action.
21:22 How about Sunshine on the microphone
21:25 with us, Tyner.
21:27 Book it, book it. The two best trick
21:30 play artists in the land, Jordan Hussein
21:32 and Jonathan Sunshine Luders. A record
21:34 [music] right here as Kyle Martin with
21:36 his seventh RBI of the ballgame broke
21:38 the single season RBI single game RBI
21:40 record. As then Zach [music] Watson a
21:42 little shabang for Matthew Fletcher.
21:45 Book it as well. Darian McDowell trick
21:47 play miss. [music]
21:48 That would allow a run to score right
21:50 there. Two more in the inning from the
21:52 Tailgaters taking a 4-2 lead. Brother
21:55 pokes it up the middle. Another really
21:57 good trick play from Tyner. Another
21:58 [music] 6-4-3 double play that would be
22:00 overturned via a challenge. And then how
22:02 about this to win the equalizer point in
22:05 the bottom of the eighth inning. Jordan
22:06 Barth, Zach Watson goes what he whoa on
22:09 us. And then Reese Miller yet again
22:11 comes in and shuts the door as the Texas
22:14 Tailgaters who do trick plays in the
22:15 night win yet another series over the
22:17 Firefighters moving to 6 and 2 last
22:21 night and moving to 7 and 2 on the year
22:24 over the boys donning red and yellow
22:26 today. As now we get to take a look at
22:28 the glorious NASCAR driving bench card.
22:32 And as well as the Banana Ball
22:33 Championship League standings. The
22:35 duality of the seasons to this point.
22:37 The Tailgaters who have already clinched
22:38 that playoff spot due to their victory
22:40 in the Banana Ball Open. Now sit at the
22:42 top of the Banana Ball Championship
22:44 League standings. But the duality of who
22:46 sits in last place, Zach.
22:48 >> Yep. Firefighters go from the two seed
22:50 in the Banana Ball Open down to last
22:52 place. Now, you cannot get it all back
22:54 in one game. You must take it mission by
22:57 mission, game by game here for the
22:58 Firefighters. But hey, [music]
23:00 anything can happen and it can start
23:02 right here tonight in Charlotte, North
23:04 Carolina. But the Texas Tailgaters not
23:06 only won themselves a playoff spot, but
23:08 have now stolen first place right under
23:11 the Savannah Bananas.
23:12 >> Did you say "stealing"?
23:13 >> I did.
23:13 >> I KNOW A MAN who loves to steal,
23:15 stealing bases. He's my good friend. We
23:18 call him Pip. You probably call him the
23:20 same. His real name Jacob Pipperscik. He
23:22 spoke earlier with my good friend Rex
23:23 Castillo.
23:27 >> Hey thanks, guys. One of the best
23:28 weapons you could have in Banana Ball is
23:30 the designated runner. Jacob Pipperscik
23:33 has become an absolute weapon for the
23:35 guys in blue and orange. Pip, what was
23:37 it like when you get out there and why
23:39 are you so aggressive on the base paths?
23:41 >> Brett Loftis, my my second or third week
23:43 here told me run wild, so I've taken
23:44 that to heart.
23:45 >> Hey, we're going to go for a little walk
23:46 here because this is a lot slower than
23:48 what Pip usually does. So, you talked
23:50 about being aggressive. What is it like
23:52 out there when you're causing chaos out
23:54 there on the base paths and you're
23:55 putting your team set to set them up to
23:57 score?
23:57 >> It's a lot of fun being able to
23:58 contribute in a very unique way.
24:02 You know, I'm just very happy to be part
24:03 of a team that gives me the opportunity
24:05 to get out get out there and put on a
24:06 show for the fans.
24:07 >> And he definitely puts on a show. Again,
24:08 second in the Banana Ball Championship
24:10 League in stealing bases. And what's
24:13 really incredible about this, his
24:14 journey to Banana Ball took lefts,
24:16 rights, ups, downs. But when you got
24:18 that call and they said, "Pip, we got a
24:19 jersey for you. We got a spot for you."
24:21 What was that like for you?
24:22 >> It was incredible. Something I wanted to
24:23 be a part of and to be a part of the
24:25 Tailgaters was
24:26 a message dream come true. It was
24:28 pretty pretty special group of guys
24:30 here, so it's a lot of
24:31 >> Running wild, chasing a dream. And if
24:33 you don't pay attention, watch out cuz
24:34 13 is going to steal a whole bunch of
24:36 these. And if you're wondering about his
24:38 mentality, about what it's like to be
24:40 out on the base paths, it's very simple,
24:41 three words, right, Jake?
24:42 >> JKS, just keep swinging.
24:44 >> Just keep swinging, that's from Pip. Hey
24:46 Brett, Zach, back to you guys.
24:49 >> JUST KEEP SWINGING. It's what the boys
24:52 in blue and orange have just been doing.
24:53 Just keep running, Jacob Pipperscik.
24:56 Here's what the boys in blue and orange,
24:57 at least the best of the best have been
24:59 doing over the last five games. How
25:01 about Nick Lopez? You see everybody else
25:03 in this graphic. We talk about K Mart.
25:04 Indy's been tearing it up. Taylor
25:06 Justice, Zack Watson since he's been in
25:07 a lead off spot. But Nick Lopez, can I
25:09 tell you a secret between me and him
25:10 guys before you throw first pitch
25:11 tonight? Nick Lopez was hitting .237 two
25:14 and a half weeks ago. [music] Lopi has
25:17 never had a struggle like that in his
25:18 baseball {slash} banana ball career.
25:20 All it took was a mindset change. He is
25:23 12 for his [music] last 21 since game
25:25 one in Corpus Christi. This has been
25:27 over the last five games all against the
25:29 firefighters. [music]
25:30 And Lopi has reinvented himself and he's
25:32 exactly the guy he was in 2025 as an
25:34 all-star. Makes him a little junkyard
25:37 dog.
25:39 >> What I want to focus on is Taylor
25:40 Justice.
25:40 >> Mhm. Talk to me.
25:41 >> 23 games in a row, that man has been on
25:44 base. That is extremely difficult
25:47 [music] to do at any level of the sport,
25:49 but especially in banana ball where so
25:51 many wacky things can happen. Taylor
25:53 Justice has been a man on a mission on
25:55 the base [music] pads, especially
25:57 earning the ball four sprints. And
25:59 again, when he has the glove in his
26:01 hands in the field, [music] he's
26:02 tremendous. But his offensive stats
26:04 should not go unnoticed. Eight ball four
26:06 [music] sprints over the last five
26:08 games. He's patient, he's calm at the
26:11 plate, he's poised. And on a group of
26:13 absolute [music]
26:14 bombers,
26:16 that dude, his patience and poise, I
26:18 think it plays off better than most
26:19 [music] people could expect.
26:21 >> Yeah, man. That baseline that you get to
26:23 have here, that's what the auction is
26:25 all about. And Kyle Martin this year, I
26:28 I mean, it's incredible. 14 home runs
26:31 he's hit. 15 if you include that one
26:33 that he didn't step on home plate. But
26:35 he has been [music] absolutely
26:36 incredible. Two more he hit last night.
26:40 He's going opposite field. [music] He's
26:41 going pull side. He's going dead center.
26:44 I I What he did last night, you see it
26:46 there on your screen, [music] eight RBI,
26:48 single game banana ball record. He has
26:51 [music] been playing a video game on
26:53 beginner mode, but it's real life in a
26:56 sport that has real [music] pitching,
26:58 really good arms. He's 33 years old.
27:00 He's seen a thing or two, and he's still
27:02 in his prime. [music] That's what we're
27:03 dealing with when we're talking about a
27:05 man like Kyle Martin. And Unk has
27:07 definitely been going [music] crazy.
27:09 Last year, Jake Schock, can I give you a
27:11 little context? Jake Schock played 65
27:13 games for the Party Animals last year
27:16 hitting 15 home runs. Tonight, for the
27:17 Texas Tailgaters, this will be game
27:19 number 29. Kyle Martin is at 14 [music]
27:22 home runs in 28 games to begin the year.
27:25 That puts him on pace for 31 home runs
27:27 and well, if you're wanting to keep that
27:29 thing at home and and if you're wanting
27:31 to to think about, "Hey, will he break
27:33 the record tonight?" Maybe. Will he
27:35 break it next week in Morgantown? Maybe.
27:36 But can we play a little hypothetical
27:38 for a moment? May I? Could I please,
27:40 Chris Haynes back in Savannah? Could I
27:41 please, Mohawk Mike sitting here next
27:43 [music] to me?
27:44 If Kyle Martin were playing 162 games in
27:46 Major League Baseball this year, he
27:48 would be on pace for 81 home runs. The
27:50 single-season Major League Baseball
27:52 record is 73.
27:53 >> [music]
27:53 >> That's how special Kyle Martin has been
27:55 in 2026.
27:57 >> It's incredible.
27:58 That just goes to show you age is truly
28:01 but just a number.
28:02 >> Ooh.
28:04 Especially these crazy [music] numbers
28:05 here.
28:07 14, just one away from breaking another
28:09 record. And hey,
28:10 we have another home run hero on the
28:12 field.
28:14 >> SIX-YEAR-OLD
28:16 LEDGER!
28:22 FANS, LEDGER HAS A TOUGH TASK AHEAD. He
28:25 has to hit a home run against these
28:26 nasty Tailgaters. And remember, he's
28:29 only 6 years old.
28:31 AS YOU CAN SEE, PITCH NUMBER ONE COMES
28:32 IN AND IT'S A STRIKE.
28:35 PITCH NUMBER TWO ON THE WAY.
28:37 ANOTHER BIG SWING AND A MISS. FANS, HE'S
28:39 ONLY 6 YEARS OLD. HE'S GOING TO NEED
28:41 YOUR HELP TO CHEER HIM ON SO HE CAN GET
28:43 this done.
28:44 WHAT'S WHAT'S ON?
28:46 OH MY GOSH, BO TAKES THE SCENE.
28:49 HE TAKES THE PITCHER TO THE GROUND.
28:51 OH MY GOSH, HE'S DOING HIS SIGNATURE
28:53 MOVE. HE'S KNOWING HIS LEG [screaming]
28:55 OFF.
28:56 BO TAKES THE BALL AND PUTS IT ON THE
28:58 TEE.
29:00 LEDDY TAKES A BIG SWING AND IT'S A FOUL
29:02 BALL. FOUL BALL.
29:04 HE GRIPS IT AGAIN.
29:08 ANOTHER FOUL BALL. WAIT.
29:11 IT'S FOUL. IT'S FOUL. It's foul. It's
29:12 foul.
29:13 He's grinding here.
29:14 >> [screaming]
29:14 >> THERE HE GOES. HE SWINGS AND RIPS IT.
29:18 >> [cheering]
29:18 >> LEDDY'S ON HIS WAY TO FIRST.
29:22 HE TOUCHES FIRST AND HE'S REALLY FAST.
29:24 HE'S BLAZING TO SECOND.
29:27 THE TAILGATERS CAN'T GET A GRIP OF THE
29:29 BALL.
29:30 SUCH A GUY GETS IT. WHAT IS THIS? HE'S
29:32 GOING TO CHASE HIM ON THE UNICYCLE.
29:37 LEDDY ROUNDS THIRD. HE'S HEADED FOR
29:39 HOME.
29:41 THE PLAY AT THE PLATE.
29:43 HE'S GOING TO BE
29:45 SAFE!
29:47 JUST BY A COUPLE INCHES.
29:49 HIS DADDY PICKS HIM UP AND CELEBRATES AT
29:52 HOME.
29:54 WHAT IS THIS?
29:56 THE FIREFIGHTER'S SIGNATURE MOVE. CHOP.
29:59 CHOP. CHOP.
30:01 FANS, GIVE IT UP ONE MORE TIME FOR
30:03 TONIGHT'S HERO HITTER, LEDDY.
30:05 >> [screaming]
30:13 >> CHARLOTTE, North Carolina.
30:16 The cast is ready. The players are now
30:20 ready. But it's now time for you, the
30:22 fans, to get ready. So, everybody on
30:26 your feet.
30:30 Now, with everybody on your feet, please
30:34 help me welcome
30:36 our fan warm-up who will be leading it.
30:39 It's
30:40 6-year-old
30:42 Amaya.
30:53 All righty, Amaya. So, this is what's
30:56 going to happen. Whatever dance moves
30:58 you do, everybody in this sold-out
31:01 capacity crowd will do as well.
31:04 But, I need to know.
31:06 Are you ready?
31:08 >> Yes.
31:09 >> All righty, cue the music.
31:14 Clap those hands, audience.
31:18 Hey, tap them toes now, y'all.
31:24 Woah, get those some combos. One, two.
31:29 Hey, we're going with swimming now,
31:31 y'all.
31:35 Cock-a-doodle-doo.
31:39 Get it rolling.
31:44 Charlotte, North Carolina, please help
31:46 me give it up one more time
31:49 FOR 6-YEAR-OLD
31:52 AMAYA.
32:11 >> LADIES, GENTLEMEN, boys and girls, hot
32:15 shots and smoke shows from around the
32:18 world. Tonight, you and thousands of
32:21 your friends here live and millions more
32:24 watching at home have gathered to
32:26 witness something beyond your wildest
32:29 imagination.
32:30 From sparks to sirens, from the station
32:34 to the stadium, firefighters from across
32:37 the globe have come together to witness
32:40 this.
32:41 This is not baseball. This is the
32:44 crucible where the toughest, hottest,
32:47 and most entertaining players are
32:49 forged. This is a game of the fans, by
32:52 the fans, and for the fans. But, this is
32:56 not your granddad's pastime. And no,
32:59 this is not any other night at the
33:00 firehouse. This game is baseball by
33:03 birth, fruit by name, and an absolute
33:07 worldwide phenomenon by the grace of
33:10 God. But, make no mistake. When the heat
33:13 gets too intense, we don't cool off. WE
33:15 RUN TOWARDS THE FLAMES. This is a time
33:19 for all 10,000 people in attendance to
33:22 get on your feet and give ME YOUR
33:26 VOICES.
33:30 >> [cheering]
33:31 >> BECAUSE THIS is the hottest show in
33:33 sports. Show it. This is BANANA
33:38 BALL.
33:39 >> [groaning and screaming]
33:47 >> TIME TO play the game.
33:52 >> And now, the starting lineup for your
33:56 Firefighters.
33:58 Leading off, ranging center field,
34:00 number 30, ARMANDO BECERRA. [groaning]
34:06 IN THE TWO HOLE, THE hot shot at
34:09 shortstop, number two, Kayden "Peanut"
34:13 Green.
34:16 Batting third, manning the hot corner,
34:19 number 11, Logan "Showtime" Lacey.
34:28 Batting cleanup, the designated hitter,
34:31 D-C-3,
34:33 Dalton Cornett.
34:39 In the five-hole, ranging left field,
34:42 number zero, LAMAR
34:44 >> [screaming]
34:46 >> SPARKS.
34:51 BATTING SIXTH, at first base, number
34:54 four, Eric Jones, Jr.
35:01 In the seventh slot, the second baseman,
35:03 number 55, Tyner Tiny Hughes.
35:11 In the eighth hole, the extra hitter,
35:13 number seven, Mason Mad Max Maxwell.
35:21 Batting ninth, ranging right field,
35:24 number 24, Dakota Diesel McFadden.
35:32 And the decky, behind the plate, number
35:35 12, Zachary
35:37 Bridges.
35:43 The flamethrower on the mound, tonight's
35:46 starting pitcher, number 37, BLAKE
35:50 "BEAMO"
35:52 MORGAN.
35:56 The firefighters are led by Battalion
35:59 Chief Val Perez, Captain Corey Pi, and
36:03 Lieutenant Drew Yunesta.
36:13 Ladies and gentlemen,
36:15 at this time, we ask all those who are
36:17 able to please rise, uncover your heads,
36:20 and turn towards the flag with your
36:22 right hand over your heart for tonight's
36:23 performance of our national anthem.
36:26 Performing this evening, please welcome
36:29 Shanelle Ladonna Brooks with her
36:31 rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner.
36:35 >> Oh.
36:38 Oh,
36:39 can you [singing]
36:40 see
36:42 by the dawn's
36:46 early light,
36:46 >> [singing]
36:48 >> what so proudly
36:51 we hailed
36:54 at the twilight's
36:56 last gleaming?
36:59 Whose broad stripes
37:01 and bright stars,
37:04 through the perilous
37:06 >> [singing]
37:06 >> fight,
37:10 o'er the ramparts
37:12 we watched,
37:15 were so gallantly
37:18 streaming?
37:20 And the rockets'
37:23 >> [screaming]
37:23 >> red
37:24 glare,
37:24 >> [crying]
37:26 >> the
37:27 bombs bursting
37:29 in air,
37:31 >> [screaming]
37:32 >> gave proof through the night
37:37 that our flag was still there.
37:43 Oh, say [singing] does that
37:46 star-spangled
37:49 banner
37:52 yet wave
37:56 o'er the
37:56 land
38:01 of the free
38:05 and the home
38:08 of the
38:10 brave?
38:14 >> Thank you very much, Shanelle Ladonna
38:17 Brooks.
38:23 One more time.
38:27 Firefighters
38:28 and Texas Tailgaters,
38:31 the final match up between these two for
38:34 the next couple of months.
38:36 We see them matched up one more time in
38:38 September in Syracuse, New York. 17 and
38:43 11, the Texas Tailgaters are the best
38:45 they've ever been. The Firefighters,
38:47 their backs up against the wall one more
38:50 time. We know how they respond in those
38:53 [music] moments. How does game three
38:55 play out in Charlotte, North Carolina?
38:58 He's Brett Loftis. I'm Zack Staten. Rex
39:01 Castillo on the sidelines. And we start
39:05 with the Firefighters defense, [music]
39:07 which lines up with the middle
39:09 infielders as the best trick play stars.
39:12 Kaden Peanut Green at shortstop
39:14 officially now above 50 trick plays
39:17 right at the number to be exact. [music]
39:18 Tyner Hughes at 44. Those two very much
39:22 in the hunt to try and get 100 this
39:24 year. [music] Eric Jones Jr., the
39:26 Charlotte native, is at first base.
39:28 Zachary Bridges will catch. The Four
39:30 Oaks native, right field, Dakota
39:32 McFadden will not be ranging over there.
39:34 Sam Trimble is the designated fielder,
39:36 and he'll head out
39:38 in right field.
39:40 That is the starting defense for your
39:42 Firefighters. The man in the middle is
39:45 [music] Blake Morgan.
39:48 He is making the start tonight for the
39:50 first time ever in his Banana Ball
39:53 career. A rookie in this sport, drafted
39:56 in November's Banana Ball Player Draft,
39:59 here is how he stacks up.
40:01 Maybe the number's not exactly what he's
40:03 wanted,
40:04 but in his first season, he's paced
40:06 [music] himself quite well. He can throw
40:08 extremely hard and extremely fast.
40:11 That's one of the things he talked about
40:13 today, just getting his feet planted and
40:15 throwing with confidence against a very
40:18 good Texas Tailgater group. It's a
40:20 special moment for him here near his
40:22 hometown of Durham, North Carolina. But,
40:24 tonight he hopes to spoil a potential
40:26 sweep from the Texas Tailgaters.
40:28 >> His catcher,
40:29 Zachary Bridges, also his college
40:31 catcher. So, what a special connection
40:34 as well in their home state. As you
40:35 mentioned, facing these Texas
40:37 Tailgaters, who is one of the hottest
40:39 teams in all of sports.
40:41 >> Facing the hottest team in sports
40:43 tonight. When I'm talking hot, I'm
40:44 talking in between the lines. We showed
40:46 you the graphic in the pre-show how hot
40:47 that man's been. The man behind him, the
40:49 man behind him. Watson, Lopez, Martin.
40:52 Top of this lineup is as treacherous as
40:54 it comes in our great sport of banana
40:55 ball. And it all started in the first
40:57 inning last night. Can they tackle the
41:00 man making his first career banana ball
41:01 start tonight in Blake Morgan?
41:04 Brett Loftis is ready. I'M READY. SHAD,
41:07 I KNOW YOU'RE READY. LET'S GO DOWN TO
41:09 THE field and start the fire.
41:12 >> Down on the first base side, here to get
41:15 this game started, it's Kaz Egan.
41:18 >> Charlotte, [snorts] it is about time we
41:20 start the clock, but I am going to need
41:23 some help. Please welcome 7-year-old
41:26 Zoe.
41:29 >> [cheering]
41:30 >> Hello, Zoe. Thank you so much. Now, on
41:33 the count of three, you and 10,000 of
41:37 your closest friends are going to yell,
41:40 "Start the fire." Are you ready?
41:43 >> Start the fire!
41:49 >> Zoe starts the fire, and off we go.
41:54 In Charlotte, North Carolina, to the
41:56 dulcet tones of Fuel by Metallica. First
41:59 pitch, a little low at 6:58.
42:07 Blake Morgan.
42:12 Zack Watson through the gap and
42:14 immediately a base knock for Mr. Watty.
42:17 >> Got a hit in all three games now this
42:19 weekend.
42:20 The OG firefighter man is continues to
42:23 rake against the team that helped
42:24 welcome him into the sport of
42:25 Bananaball.
42:28 >> Val Perez's daughter Emma,
42:31 her favorite player of Bananaball again.
42:32 >> And it's interesting now you're looking
42:34 at Nick Lopez facing a lefty. [music]
42:37 So he and Taj Porter at least for the
42:39 first time through the lineup as switch
42:40 hitters will be swinging it from the
42:41 right side tonight, something we haven't
42:43 seen at either one of those two this
42:45 weekend.
42:47 >> That one planted, Tanner Hughes it goes
42:49 underneath his glove. Zack Watson will
42:50 put the brakes [music] on at second, but
42:52 that is back-to-back singles to start
42:54 this one off. And for Nick Lopez,
42:56 switching sides of the plate, same
42:58 result. And now the man in the box has a
43:01 chance to tie history with one swing
43:03 tonight. Kyle Martin, 14 homers on the
43:07 year, eight RBIs last night, a new
43:11 single game record. One swing
43:14 potentially for history.
43:15 >> And he does well with the left field and
43:16 lefty matchup. He's trying to tie the
43:20 single season home run record with one
43:21 more and break it with two more.
43:25 What a special year it's been for this
43:26 dude. Nine straight weekends now with a
43:28 home run. If you include the Bananaball
43:31 open, he's at 16 of his 17 home runs in
43:34 the last 2 months plus.
43:37 >> Oh, way above K-Mart. Runners will move
43:39 with steel.
43:41 Bimo immediately pointing to him.
43:43 My apologies.
43:44 >> See, K-Mart leaving the box there.
43:46 Obviously one of the 11 rules of
43:47 Bananaball, you can't leave the box or
43:48 it would be a called strike unless
43:50 you're trying to evade a pitch the same
43:51 way K-Mart's trying to do right there.
43:54 >> Now the infield comes in here, Zack. We
43:57 got a 3-0 count.
43:58 Ball four sprint, easily score two. And
44:01 it will be a ball four sprint.
44:03 So now all seven fielders behind Blake
44:05 Morgan must touch that banana ball
44:07 before they could stop Kyle Martin. He
44:09 will put the brakes on it first, but
44:10 already two runs across another scoring
44:13 first inning for the Texas Tailgaters.
44:15 >> What's Mick doing? What is Mick doing?
44:23 Go get him, Mick.
44:30 YEAH. YEAH. HEY.
44:33 >> [laughter]
44:33 >> OH, MAN.
44:35 YOU TALK ABOUT age as good as ever.
44:37 That's the most mobile 62-year-old I've
44:39 ever seen. That's my skipper, Joe
44:41 Manganello.
44:43 What about my right fielder, the
44:45 auction?
44:46 Kyle Martin. He now has 10 runs batted
44:48 in
44:49 in the last 24 hours. Absolutely
44:52 incredible run he's been on leading the
44:53 Banana Ball Championship League in that
44:55 category as well.
44:57 >> Jordan Barfield looks at ball one up
44:59 high. Brett Loftis, can I tell you a
45:00 secret between you, me, and God? Here we
45:02 go.
45:02 >> That's the first time I realized Joe
45:04 Manganello was [music] 62 years old.
45:06 >> Yeah, man. He does not look it. He's as
45:08 ripped as they come. I tell people all
45:10 the time, this is not a secret. If I
45:12 looked half as good as Mick does
45:14 30 plus years from now, I'll be doing
45:16 good for myself.
45:18 >> Barfield fouls it back. If I have the
45:19 energy of Joe Manganello at 62 years
45:21 old, I'll be doing good.
45:22 >> So, I ate breakfast with Mick the other
45:24 morning in our hotel. It was Friday
45:25 morning, yesterday morning. And I asked
45:27 Mick
45:28 a very intriguing question.
45:31 >> Well, let's make sure the question gets
45:33 a pin put in it cuz Blake Morgan just
45:35 got a strikeout, his first as a starter
45:37 here in Banana Ball.
45:38 >> Question I posed to Mick was, is Taylor
45:40 Justice as hot as they come up at the
45:42 dish? I said, "Mick, is there a timeline
45:44 when you'd be done in Banana Ball?" He
45:45 said, "The day I stop having fun, the
45:47 day I stop having energy, and the day I
45:49 stop loving the ball is the day I'll
45:51 give it up."
45:52 >> Taylor Justice high in the sky. Kaden
45:54 Green tracking back for it. Lamar Sparks
45:56 tip drill, tip drill. Over to Armando.
46:00 And usually you try to see or you see
46:02 those guys do the double tip drill to
46:04 see if you can get it to somebody else
46:05 for another trick play. That time you
46:07 just get the one, but hey, Fire Fighters
46:09 will take it.
46:10 >> Yeah, and that's a tough one. We we've
46:12 talked, you know, extensively about the
46:14 sun here. Kind of tough to battle out
46:16 there. Just want to make sure you get
46:17 the trick play and out number out number
46:19 two here in the top of the first.
46:21 >> And hey, that's a big one for Lamar
46:22 Sparks' confidence, [music] as well.
46:23 Usually the designated or extra hitter
46:25 for the Fire Fighters out in left field.
46:27 That's a nice one for his confidence.
46:28 Just get a couple in the air and get you
46:30 a trick play, the first one of the game
46:32 for either team.
46:33 >> Brother!
46:37 >> Bimo really trying to get him to go at
46:38 that one. It's a 1-1 count.
46:40 >> We talk about how good Bimo's fastball
46:42 is and how hard he can throw it. He's
46:44 got some good move to his slider.
46:47 >> I I just can't get over it's a dude who
46:49 didn't throw a competitive pitch for 7
46:51 years and has thrown as well as he has
46:53 early on a Banana Ball. Outstanding
46:55 human, as well.
46:56 >> One of the best humans you could ever
46:57 hope to meet as that one goes to the
46:59 outside. [music]
47:00 >> Before Banana Ball, he felt like he
47:01 needed to kind of get some experience
47:03 back on the field. So, in 2024, he
47:05 joined [music]
47:06 a semi-pro men's league called the
47:08 Mid-America League with the Texarkana
47:10 Rhinos.
47:11 Pitched 33 and 2/3 innings in that
47:15 league with that team. Bimo thought he
47:16 had a walk-off strikeout.
47:19 >> And tonight is the first time his son
47:21 has ever seen him pitch live.
47:23 >> Beautiful moment.
47:23 >> happened to work out that way that he's
47:25 here tonight. Only game he was coming to
47:26 the whole weekend.
47:27 >> Absolutely beautiful stuff.
47:30 >> Brother, foul. Seeing Bimo in the locker
47:34 room today, talked to him for about 10
47:35 minutes and he told me he said, "Man,
47:37 it's just funny how that stuff works."
47:39 He goes, "I didn't know I was starting
47:40 till 11:57 p.m. last night." He said,
47:43 "But my whole family's here and it's
47:45 just really cool, really neat what's
47:46 happening."
47:48 >> That's not what he's looking for there.
47:49 Another ball four sprint. Kmart will
47:51 turn second, go to third. Brother will
47:53 stay at first. So, that's [music] a
47:54 couple of ball four sprints worked by
47:57 the Texas Tailgaters. Here is Mac a
47:59 Doodle, Mac Danford.
48:02 Jack Manford, I think some people are
48:03 calling him. Steps up with again, what I
48:06 believe is like a top three walk-up song
48:08 here, Return of the Mac.
48:10 I do love my '90s R&B, as you know very
48:12 well. You were in here pre-game today.
48:15 Oh, yeah. We listened to some Lauren
48:18 Hill,
48:19 some What else we have in there?
48:22 Salt-N-Pepa, for familiar.
48:26 TLC, of course.
48:30 How could you not listen to TLC and be
48:31 moved?
48:33 Same way Bimo's moving out here.
48:34 >> [laughter]
48:35 >> I tell you what.
48:36 Guy's got some good hips. You should
48:38 have seen the dance moves he broke out
48:40 when I introduced him today at Fire
48:41 Drill Live. He was moving and grooving.
48:44 Just like that pitch goes inside, Mac
48:46 will stick that old booty out and take
48:48 ball one.
48:50 Runners on the corners, two have come
48:51 across here for the Texas Tailgaters.
48:55 ZB lost it. Where is the ball? It's on
48:57 his glove.
48:59 Huh.
49:01 That was odd, to say the very least.
49:04 >> Can we see a replay of that? We got
49:05 time. Let's see that.
49:08 I see what he thought. He felt it kick
49:09 up on his hand and thought it kicked up
49:11 off of him behind him. It just knocked
49:13 his mitt off. Put that in a banana ball
49:15 blooper reel right there.
49:18 >> ZB, able to save a run though. Ball
49:20 never got by him. And it's good on Blake
49:22 Morgan to come up, find it, and
49:23 immediately get to it.
49:24 >> [music]
49:24 >> But now, a two-out potential ball four
49:27 sprint on the table
49:29 with runners both in scoring position.
49:30 They could easily score. Mac Danford
49:34 works it full. Payoff pitch.
49:36 Ball four sprints.
49:38 So, another two runs will come across
49:40 here.
49:41 Make it a four-nothing inning
49:44 as Mac a Doodle works the third ball
49:46 four sprint of the inning.
49:47 >> I
49:48 can tell you a secret between me, you,
49:50 and God now, can't I?
49:51 >> Yeah.
49:51 >> I walked around this warning track today
49:53 with Mac Danford for about 45 minutes.
49:56 And Mac, in a lineup that's been hotter
49:58 than the surface of the sun, he he has
50:00 had his fair share of, you know, as Ty
50:03 Sports the doughnut batter, he's had his
50:04 fair share of what he feels like in a
50:05 slump. And he talked to me for a while
50:07 today just talking about how he's
50:08 getting OUT OF THIS.
50:10 LOGAN LACEY MIGHT GET THE FIREFIGHTERS
50:12 OUT OF THIS INNING, AND HE DOES.
50:15 SHOWTIME!
50:17 WHAT an incredible play
50:20 to make sure the Firefighters can strand
50:22 one more on the base paths. But again,
50:24 the Texas Tailgaters offense patient and
50:26 poised.
50:27 >> And a big boost of confidence for Mac
50:29 Danford. Just to finish off on that
50:30 note, Logan Lacey, a great play to
50:33 conclude the defensive half of the
50:35 inning for the Firefighters. What about
50:37 the defense for the boys in blue and
50:38 orange tonight? It's the same exact one
50:40 as the previous two games, man. You got
50:42 Waddy and K Martin on the corner
50:44 outfield spots. Indiana Stanley, one of
50:45 the best defensive center fielders in
50:47 the sport. [music] Jordan Barth, racking
50:49 up on the trick plays last night. He's
50:50 had four of them. Taylor Justice, he
50:53 ended, I think it was a 10-game streak
50:55 of recording a trick play. [music]
50:57 And that came to an end last night. Had
50:59 a trick play mess, but expect TJ to
51:01 continue ripping them over there at
51:02 [music] first. Sunshine and Jordan
51:03 Hussein up the middle. The Quadfather
51:05 behind the plate. And it's his best
51:07 friend and his battery mate
51:09 for over six years now. Going all the
51:11 way back to their times at Southern
51:13 University, my good friend, the 2025
51:16 All-Star, [music]
51:17 Christian Davis. CD, 95 trick plays
51:21 induced, the best in banana ball. And
51:24 he's trying to induce some ground balls
51:26 against his Firefighters lineup. Hello,
51:28 Armando Becerra, back at the top of the
51:30 Firefighters lineup for the first time
51:33 since their first game of the season at
51:36 Florida State, where he had himself a
51:38 home run on his first hit with the
51:40 Firefighters. And welcome back to the
51:41 400 club, Cayden Peanut Green, swinging
51:43 the stick now at 402 after a four-hit
51:46 performance last night. By the way, that
51:49 happened after he got hit in the dome.
51:52 >> Yeah, I mean, second at bat of the ball
51:54 game, he gets hit in the head on the
51:56 back of the head. Thank the good Lord
51:57 above it just barely skimmed him on the
51:58 back of the head. And then he goes on
52:00 and like you said goes four for four.
52:01 We're not talking about that fast food
52:03 restaurant.
52:04 I mean, it was absolutely incredible
52:06 what he was able to do last night.
52:07 Armando, he talked to him today said,
52:09 "They hadn't been falling for me." He
52:11 said, "But I love hitting in the top of
52:12 the lineup towards the top of the
52:13 lineup." I'd expect a really big game
52:15 tonight from Armando Baseta, especially
52:18 being able to set the table here in the
52:19 bottom of the first.
52:21 >> Over the last couple of weekends, he
52:23 seems to have really found the
52:24 confidence in his swing.
52:26 As he goes first pitch swinging right
52:27 there. Sunshine, MY GOODNESS. OH, DOUBLE
52:31 TRICK PLAY.
52:32 >> BUCKET. BUCKET.
52:34 ONE PITCH IN.
52:36 Two trick play for the boy in blue and
52:39 orange.
52:40 Christian Davis. Trick plays 96 and 97.
52:44 He's induced on the year.
52:47 >> Armando will have to wait for that first
52:48 hit of the night.
52:50 For his next plate appearance, Kaden
52:51 "Peanut" Green.
52:53 The man is flowing here in 2026. Looks
52:57 at that one outside. 402 average a year
53:00 after hitting 250 in his first full-time
53:03 season in Banana Ball with the Fire
53:05 Fighters. Fouls that one right back.
53:08 And the first Fire Fighter to ever get
53:10 50 trick plays in a season. Again, it's
53:13 a milestone for this team and he wants
53:16 100.
53:18 Right now he wants a hit over the
53:19 backstop, but he'll stay in in the box.
53:21 >> He's the defensive leader of this team,
53:22 too. I was talking to Ryan Franklin for
53:23 a while today and and Frank told me he
53:25 said, "Kaden Green, we only go as far as
53:28 we do defensively because of who's
53:29 playing shortstop for us." But what he's
53:31 been able to do offensively as well,
53:32 back over 400 as you mentioned. What a
53:34 big-time asset.
53:36 >> Swings the stick. Sunshine giving it
53:38 chase. Will it land? Yeah, it will.
53:41 Kaden Green bloops one
53:43 in the right field and hey, that young
53:45 man has had five straight go his way.
53:47 Five hits in a row.
53:48 >> Sometimes you'd rather be lucky than
53:49 good and he was really good last night.
53:52 Right there got a little Bermuda
53:53 Triangle action to get the first hit of
53:54 the ball game for the Firefighters.
53:56 >> I will say it's always fun to see Kyle
53:58 Martin lose that cowboy hat cuz you get
53:59 to see how good his hair looks.
54:02 >> Panteen.
54:04 Whatever it is he's doing, I need to get
54:06 some of that gray.
54:07 >> maybe.
54:08 >> Well, okay, hold on.
54:09 >> he is 33.
54:10 >> Hold on a minute now. Age just a number.
54:12 Let's not assume he has gray hair.
54:13 >> Mag, if you're [clears throat] watching
54:15 >> [laughter]
54:16 >> I'm sorry.
54:17 His wife, Ms. Mag, of course.
54:20 >> Oh my goodness.
54:23 Outside to Logan Lacey, 2-1 count. Hey,
54:26 Showtime was awful good last night as
54:28 well in the six hole, a double [music]
54:29 and a single along with the ball four
54:31 sprint. He was excellent.
54:33 Along with one of the cooler trick plays
54:35 we've seen so far from the Firefighters,
54:37 ranging into the Tailgaters area, almost
54:39 in the dugout, turning behind the back
54:41 for the first out of the game.
54:44 And he earns a ball four sprints.
54:46 So, the Firefighters get a couple
54:48 runners on the bases. Logan Lacey's
54:50 return to the top half of the lineup
54:51 starts nicely.
54:52 >> That's a great point, Zach. That's
54:53 exactly [music] the point I was going to
54:54 make. You put him back in the three
54:55 hole, sandwich into him between Caden
54:57 Green and this guy coming up to dish and
54:59 Dalton Cornett, it's tough to navigate
55:01 two, three and four there when Logan
55:02 Lacey's hitting in the three hole.
55:04 >> Do you see the bat Dalton Cornett is
55:06 swinging right now?
55:08 >> I'm sorry. I couldn't do it out loud.
55:09 >> TWO ONLY
55:10 >> SHOULD HAVE.
55:11 I you've I've done book it references a
55:13 couple different times. If you'd have
55:14 done chief, that would have been
55:15 incredible.
55:16 Chief
55:17 I think should autograph that bat.
55:19 Dalton Cornett swings it high.
55:21 >> People are talking about my ageism. I
55:23 love young
55:25 a little bit older and even the old. I
55:27 have no ageism. As we've made the point
55:29 multiple times this broadcast, age is
55:31 nothing but a number. Correct.
55:33 >> Maybe one day I'll hit 15 home runs in a
55:35 season like Kyle Martin.
55:36 >> Well, we hadn't gotten there yet.
55:38 >> Pokes it left side. Jordan Barth between
55:41 THE LEGS. SUNSHINE!
55:43 IT'LL just be one trick play, one out.
55:46 Cayden Peanut Green comes in to score.
55:50 That'll make it a 4-1 inning with Lamar
55:52 Sparks coming up. But Jordan Barth, look
55:54 at that. Right there. Maybe a little
55:56 trouble on the transition.
55:57 >> Well, and you're going to rip him right
55:58 there if you're Sunny. Bucket, by the
55:59 way. You're going to rip him right there
56:01 if you're Sunny because you're up four
56:02 to nothing at that point. You're willing
56:04 to concede a run with two outs as Lamar
56:06 Sparks pokes it in the sky. Taylor
56:08 Justice, WHAT SAY YOU? TIP DRILL.
56:10 BUCKET.
56:12 Four trick plays to one in the frame.
56:14 Four to one in the frame when it comes
56:16 to runs. And one to nothing after the
56:18 first inning of the ballgame. The boys
56:21 in blue and orange lead it here in the
56:23 Queen City.
56:25 >> So, both teams bring in multiple runners
56:28 on the base paths, but the Texas
56:30 Tailgaters bring in four of them. We go
56:31 down to the field to relish the moment.
56:35 >> Third base here is the Tailgaters host,
56:37 Garrett Rhinestone Lampert.
56:40 >> Charlotte, in the age of cell phones,
56:42 it's become harder and harder to be
56:43 truly connected to those we love. And
56:45 down here on the field, I've got two
56:47 couples who are here to get as connected
56:49 as they've ever been in a couple versus
56:51 couple dance off. It'll work like this.
56:54 Each couple will have an opportunity to
56:55 dance for you, and then you, the fans,
56:58 are going to pick our winner. The
57:00 winning couple is safe. The losing
57:02 couple is going to get a mouthful of
57:05 sweet relish. Ladies and gentlemen, we
57:08 call this one Relish the Moment. Let's
57:10 meet our first couple. We've got Tony
57:12 and Peggy. They've been together for 11
57:16 years.
57:18 And couple number two, we've got Jeff
57:20 and Dina, and they've been together for
57:22 22 years.
57:25 All righty, Tony and Peggy, let's watch
57:27 you guys dance. Play that track.
57:33 >> Relish the moment.
57:35 >> So sweet.
57:40 Oh my.
57:41 >> [cheering]
57:42 >> They're getting real connected here,
57:43 Charlotte.
57:46 Some contemporary dance moves from
57:47 couple number one.
57:54 Wow. They've done this before.
58:00 Truly in love. That's couple number one
58:02 for you, Charlotte. Remember that.
58:05 Now it's time to meet couple number two.
58:07 Let's watch them dance. Jeff and Dina,
58:09 take it away.
58:16 Dancing to the king of country music. A
58:18 little bit of two-stepping.
58:23 Oh my goodness.
58:24 Oh, yeah.
58:28 The closest they've ever been, ladies
58:29 and gentlemen.
58:33 Couple number two, it's time to vote.
58:35 Who was your winner? Jeff and Dina, 23
58:38 years.
58:42 Or was it Tony and Peggy?
58:45 >> [cheering]
58:47 >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I think our
58:49 winners were Jeff and Dina, which means
58:52 Tony and Peggy, you guys are getting a
58:55 mouthful of relish. Here we go.
59:00 >> So you see, they lost the promo, so they
59:03 have to eat a bunch of relish.
59:04 >> Oh, oh, no.
59:06 >> That's the point of that. That's what
59:07 they have to do. But I must I must tell
59:09 you a story between me, you, and
59:11 America, and the good lord above, Zach
59:13 Staten. The Indianapolis Clowns have a
59:15 similar dance off promo. And my good
59:18 friend, my best friend, my roommate on
59:19 the road, Garrett Lampard, who just did
59:21 a great job of hosting that one here
59:22 called Relish the Moment in Charlotte,
59:24 his brother
59:26 and fiance
59:28 were doing that same promo
59:30 in Indianapolis
59:32 and won the promo. How cool is that?
59:35 It's Stanley. It's Hussain. It's Watson
59:37 doing it here in the top of the second.
59:39 But, the wall has opened up in left
59:40 field. Indiana Stanley, are you in a
59:43 stock car?
59:46 Maybe even a fast car.
59:52 >> [music]
59:55 [singing]
1:00:14 [music]
1:00:22 [music]
1:00:26 >> Let me tell you something. Let me tell
1:00:28 you something.
1:00:30 WHEN I GOT THE call at approximately
1:00:32 9:43 a.m. yesterday morning, and our
1:00:35 director of entertainment Jordan Watson
1:00:36 told me,
1:00:38 "We're going to have a NASCAR stock car
1:00:40 here tomorrow." I could have cried. And
1:00:41 my center fielder for the Texas
1:00:44 Tailgaters got to do a walk up in it.
1:00:46 I'm now he's hitting in a full fire suit
1:00:49 and a racing helmet. God forbid he hits
1:00:51 a home run here.
1:00:53 Speed racer Stanley, baby.
1:00:56 Or Indiana Stewart, as he was referred
1:00:58 to in our broadcaster group chat earlier
1:01:00 today. We can't call him Smoke. Someone
1:01:01 else has that nickname, but hey, we'll
1:01:03 take it.
1:01:05 I'm not going to lie, man. That fire
1:01:07 suit is pretty cool. The NASCAR driving
1:01:11 experience right up the road in Concord,
1:01:13 North Carolina at Charlotte Motor
1:01:14 Speedway. As we are in the home of
1:01:17 NASCAR here in Charlotte, North
1:01:19 Carolina. As you've seen with our cold
1:01:20 opens this weekend, Brett and I love
1:01:22 ourselves some auto racing.
1:01:24 >> Plus, man.
1:01:26 >> Indy to the crowd.
1:01:28 Do the people have one in them?
1:01:31 >> Again, equally as cool. Another secret,
1:01:33 if Indy were to foul out to a fan while
1:01:35 wearing this.
1:01:37 >> But a home run would be cooler, I must
1:01:39 admit.
1:01:40 Well, let's find out together. Payoff
1:01:42 pitch. Indy.
1:01:44 Will do neither of what we just said.
1:01:46 Tyner Hughes underneath. Dick drill.
1:01:49 Armando!
1:01:51 Everybody ran in a little too much.
1:01:53 >> So, Indy, not the hardest 90 we've ever
1:01:56 seen. Is Jacob Pippsert going to come in
1:01:57 to run? Because inevitably, as we found
1:02:00 out through the years, it is hard to run
1:02:02 in a fire suit.
1:02:04 It is.
1:02:05 >> Yeah.
1:02:06 By the way, for the firefighters,
1:02:09 they have missed three trick plays this
1:02:11 weekend. That has led to six runs being
1:02:13 scored
1:02:15 and three points being allowed.
1:02:18 That is now the fourth trick play
1:02:20 missed.
1:02:29 Lemo now having to work out of damage,
1:02:30 but we see with those trick with those
1:02:32 trick plays missed, it is hard to get
1:02:34 out from underneath them if you don't
1:02:35 respond quickly. So, the firefighters
1:02:37 have got to lock in. J5 play. Charge
1:02:40 into that one. Armando, right back to
1:02:42 it. Right back to it. That's a double
1:02:45 trick play. Call him both in.
1:02:47 But remember, you can tag up as soon as
1:02:50 the ball touches the glove.
1:02:52 >> So, Jacob Pippsert is up to second.
1:02:54 South threw it back to first like he was
1:02:56 trying to tag up.
1:02:58 >> Firefighters learning that lesson the
1:02:59 hard way there, but it just moves them
1:03:01 up into second base, runner in scoring
1:03:03 position.
1:03:03 >> Does bring you within one in the trick
1:03:05 play battle, four to three. Albeit,
1:03:06 we're still very early. And now back to
1:03:08 the top of the order in the form of Zack
1:03:09 Watson.
1:03:11 >> Started off this game with a single. He
1:03:13 has been excellent against his first
1:03:15 team in Banana Ball.
1:03:20 Smar, excuse me, Watson. I was at Smoke.
1:03:23 They don't look a thing alike. LAMAR
1:03:25 CHASING WAY BACK AND HITS THE WALL.
1:03:29 NEVER GOT TO IT. Mick giving the wave to
1:03:32 Pip
1:03:33 and he will get on in easily. Another
1:03:35 run scores here for the Texas
1:03:36 Tailgaters. Five.
1:03:38 >> That one off the bat of Wlady.
1:03:39 >> And another extra base hit from the
1:03:42 pride of Ruston, Louisiana. Wlady man
1:03:46 had a two-run double last night in his
1:03:47 second at bat. Here with an RBI double
1:03:50 in his second at bat.
1:03:52 Plates another run for these Tailgaters.
1:03:56 >> That run
1:03:58 will go unearned against Blake Morgan
1:03:59 because of the trick play missed.
1:04:02 So, his ERA will not take a hit for
1:04:04 that.
1:04:05 Right now, the Firefighters got to find
1:04:07 some confidence here from the defense.
1:04:09 Lopi, high chopper over Lacy. Goodness
1:04:11 gracious, tried to go little twist and
1:04:13 turn action. Instead, that jumps over
1:04:15 him.
1:04:17 And Nick Lopez will get over to first.
1:04:19 Second straight AB with a single.
1:04:20 >> Man, that's that's a tough ball to play
1:04:22 right there. This is such a good infield
1:04:24 in Charlotte, but if you watch a replay
1:04:26 here
1:04:28 looked like it hit off the lip and then
1:04:29 took another quick hop over Logan's
1:04:31 Logan's hand right there. Kind of
1:04:33 mistimed the jump a little bit. And now,
1:04:35 the action
1:04:37 two runs. Ball four sprint his first
1:04:39 time up.
1:04:42 >> Bimo way outside.
1:04:44 Yeah, Lacy almost had to do the twisting
1:04:45 and turning action over at third just by
1:04:47 necessity to get the ball. It would have
1:04:49 been an incredible play.
1:04:51 But, it would have been an extremely
1:04:52 difficult play. So, Lopi
1:04:54 on the first, Wlady at third. A double
1:04:57 play would be massive here for Bimo.
1:05:01 Good move on that slider.
1:05:03 >> Nick [music] Lopez, by the way, six hits
1:05:05 in the last 24 hours.
1:05:07 Absolutely incredible stretch he's been
1:05:09 on. 14 hits over the last two weekends.
1:05:12 Right through the gap. Won't be a home
1:05:14 run, but it is just as productive here
1:05:16 for Kyle Martin. Another RBI on the
1:05:18 weekend. Makes it two nothing in the
1:05:20 inning.
1:05:21 >> Three of them already here tonight.
1:05:24 My goodness.
1:05:26 This is silly business what Kyle Martin
1:05:28 is doing right now.
1:05:31 >> And as you see the replay of another RBI
1:05:33 here for K Mart.
1:05:35 B Mo's night
1:05:37 has come to a close and in comes an
1:05:39 original firefighter, an original banana
1:05:42 baller in Christian Dierman. Over the
1:05:45 last couple of weekends, this young man
1:05:47 has picked up the keytar and become a
1:05:48 superstar there.
1:05:50 >> The what?
1:05:51 >> A keytar superstar.
1:05:53 >> What Explain to me what the keytar is.
1:05:54 >> So, a keytar Jordan Barth goes high in
1:05:56 the sky. I'll put a pin in that for a
1:05:57 moment. Lamar racing in and he'll just
1:06:00 get the out. No trick play trying there,
1:06:03 but probably smart play there from the
1:06:05 left field. So, a keytar it's almost
1:06:07 like you see like the piano or a
1:06:08 keyboard in guitar form.
1:06:11 So, Christian Dierman has brought that
1:06:13 to El Paso,
1:06:15 to uh Scranton,
1:06:17 Corpus Christi, and now this weekend
1:06:19 here in Charlotte, North Carolina. And
1:06:21 he's actually doing riff-offs during
1:06:23 way-ins. He's doing stuff at Fire Drill
1:06:25 Live as he checks back over with Nick
1:06:27 Lopez. It's a heck of a play from Tyner.
1:06:28 He'll keep that from going into center
1:06:29 field.
1:06:30 >> Yeah, I usually see more communication
1:06:32 when you got to back pick a guy at
1:06:33 second. But like you said, great play
1:06:35 there by Tyner. Christian not too
1:06:37 thrilled with that call. Jordan Barth,
1:06:39 excuse me, Taylor Justice
1:06:40 >> Justice is ahead 2 and 0.
1:06:43 Justice flew out on a trick play in his
1:06:45 first AB, but
1:06:47 right now ahead with a commanding 3-0
1:06:49 count. Firefighters outfielders coming
1:06:51 in.
1:06:52 And that one will go for a strike. 3-1
1:06:54 count.
1:06:57 That is red foul.
1:07:00 >> Indy, who just changed out of that fire
1:07:03 suit, almost made the play with his hat
1:07:06 coming down the third base line there.
1:07:07 >> It disappoints me he's not going to play
1:07:09 the entire game in that fire suit, but I
1:07:11 understand why.
1:07:12 >> Barth
1:07:13 >> Excuse me.
1:07:14 >> Taylor Justice stays alive.
1:07:15 >> The The mobility of the fire suit
1:07:18 >> Yes.
1:07:18 >> As shown off by Tony Stewart for many
1:07:20 many moons
1:07:21 >> is is not that mobile.
1:07:24 >> You can climb a catch fence. You cannot
1:07:26 run in it.
1:07:27 >> Taylor Justice might be running for a
1:07:28 while.
1:07:29 That one's going to get all the way to
1:07:30 the track. In comes Lopey. Kmart
1:07:33 rounding. Justice rounds second and will
1:07:36 hold there. A two RBI double and it's
1:07:39 another four-run frame for the
1:07:42 Tailgaters.
1:07:43 >> How good is Taylor Justice been right
1:07:45 now? I mean, dude has been insane. Three
1:07:48 ball four sprints last night. Another
1:07:50 two-run double from him right here.
1:07:54 >> I can't wait to tell my children, my
1:07:56 grandchildren, and my
1:07:56 great-grandchildren about the year that
1:07:58 was 2026 for Taylor Justice. And now my
1:08:01 July, Jason Arn is at the dish.
1:08:04 >> That is 24 games in a row that Taylor
1:08:06 Justice has gotten on base. He's He's a
1:08:08 nutcase, man. And that is as positive as
1:08:10 I can say. That is not a positive result
1:08:12 for Jason Arn [music]
1:08:13 in terms of pain. It is for getting on
1:08:15 base.
1:08:17 Hit by a pitch. Christian Niermann's got
1:08:19 to find it now. As Mac Danford strolls
1:08:21 on in
1:08:23 he'll take it though.
1:08:24 Jay was talking to me the other day,
1:08:26 man, about
1:08:28 working through some more of these plate
1:08:29 appearances. Just getting on base has
1:08:30 got to feel good.
1:08:32 >> [music]
1:08:32 >> Mac Danford, a man who got on base his
1:08:33 first time up, two run sprint.
1:08:40 Mac stays alive
1:08:42 with a foul off. Early to be telling you
1:08:44 this, but just so we can all note it,
1:08:46 Ben Dumb is already starting to get
1:08:48 loose in the Firefighters bullpen.
1:08:51 As Niermann in, that one lands in the
1:08:53 dirt. ZB chases back. Runner will move
1:08:56 up to third. That's Taylor Justice.
1:08:58 The first ball moves the runners up
1:09:00 [music] at least 90 ft to the corners.
1:09:03 Jason Art will stay at first.
1:09:05 There's Ben Dunn, the reigning pitcher
1:09:07 of the year.
1:09:08 Runner off from first to second. Jason
1:09:10 Art will steal. His first stolen base of
1:09:13 the year.
1:09:15 Two-two. Mack high to the sky. Logan
1:09:18 Lacy and Peanut chasing it. Somebody
1:09:21 call it. OH MY GOODNESS.
1:09:25 Caden Green at the last second might
1:09:27 have taken a shoulder tackle, but he
1:09:28 does come away with the out. And the
1:09:30 Firefighters strand a pair on the bases,
1:09:32 but they surrender four again for the
1:09:35 second straight inning. And they got
1:09:36 their work cut out for them as CD goes
1:09:38 back up to the bump.
1:09:39 >> Wow.
1:09:41 That is incredible stuff out of Caden
1:09:43 Peanut Green right there. Just to get to
1:09:45 that banana ball.
1:09:47 >> Might have had to take a shoulder to the
1:09:48 chest. You know what? You'll take it for
1:09:50 the love of the game right there.
1:09:52 >> Yeah, clearly some miscommunication
1:09:54 happening out there in shallow left
1:09:56 field, but your shortstop able to able
1:09:59 to take over there.
1:10:00 >> Let's look at our trick plays induced
1:10:01 thus far. As Christian Davis needs one
1:10:04 more to break a hundred. This was
1:10:06 entering today that Christian Davis had
1:10:09 induced 95 trick plays. The Tailgaters
1:10:11 induced four of them there in that first
1:10:13 inning. Now, this is comparative to the
1:10:15 leaderboards of last year where only
1:10:17 four pitchers in the sport of banana
1:10:19 ball got over a hundred trick plays
1:10:21 induced a season ago. Jared Donaldson of
1:10:23 banana last year, Firefighter now.
1:10:25 Corwell Prime, congratulations on the
1:10:26 showman of the night last night as a
1:10:28 clown was a banana last year. And then
1:10:29 Brett Helton and Noah Nisbet still
1:10:31 [music] with their respective teams as
1:10:33 well. So Christian Davis as it stands is
1:10:35 on pace to surpass the totals of Noah
1:10:37 Nisbet from last year where we thought
1:10:39 that was unbreakable with 144 trick
1:10:41 plays induced. The next one he induces
1:10:44 will be number 100 on the year for Mr.
1:10:46 CD, the 2025 All-Star who's well on his
1:10:49 way to being another one here in 2026.
1:10:53 >> The guy due up here for the Firefighters
1:10:55 is the hometown kid, Eric Jones Jr.
1:10:59 Former Banana himself
1:11:02 with four world tours under his belt.
1:11:04 With the team in yellow now in his first
1:11:06 campaign
1:11:07 with the Firefighters first pick
1:11:10 for our team in the Banana Ball Player
1:11:12 Draft and he looks at three straight
1:11:14 outside.
1:11:17 Tailgaters outfielders were way back to
1:11:19 the track.
1:11:20 That one works inside.
1:11:23 >> We showed a graphic pregame, Eric Jones
1:11:24 Jr.
1:11:25 >> a lot of pop.
1:11:26 >> Quite a bit.
1:11:28 And he looks at one for the ball four
1:11:29 sprints. That's a positive way for the
1:11:31 Firefighters to start right there.
1:11:33 He'll halt the brakes and go right back
1:11:35 to first. Usually about this time is
1:11:37 where you see the designated runner come
1:11:39 in and Noah Bridges is right there. So
1:11:40 he'll take over for EJ at first, but
1:11:42 that is
1:11:44 a nice moment there for Eric Jones Jr.
1:11:45 He's had himself a fine weekend here.
1:11:47 Couple of hits back in his hometown.
1:11:50 Might see some special stuff from him a
1:11:51 little later. And now, Tiny Hughes
1:11:54 comes on in.
1:11:56 The normal lead-off batter over
1:11:59 the last two months, Tiny now sliding
1:12:01 back down to the seven hole.
1:12:03 Might be a nice spot for him to see
1:12:04 something different. Boy, our home plate
1:12:06 umpire, Brett Bullard,
1:12:08 squared up like he was going for strike
1:12:09 and said calls the ball.
1:12:12 That one much more to the liking. That's
1:12:14 a strike.
1:12:16 Firefighters got a run
1:12:18 in the first inning. Not nearly enough
1:12:20 to do anything. Tiny
1:12:22 slices that one into center field and
1:12:24 it's a tornado catch.
1:12:26 >> Bucket! The Texas Tornado from Indiana,
1:12:30 Stanley.
1:12:31 And how about that? That's the way to
1:12:34 induce your 100 trick play of the year
1:12:36 if you're Christian Davis. Indy,
1:12:39 firesuit off, trick play engaged for out
1:12:41 number one.
1:12:43 >> Mason Maxwell has gone from an 11th
1:12:46 round pick for the Firefighters [music]
1:12:48 to one of their most consistent bats
1:12:50 this year.
1:12:53 Can he lob this one into fair territory?
1:12:55 Not even close.
1:12:58 Already this year, .346 average, .424
1:13:01 OBP. This is a guy who slid all the way
1:13:03 to the final five picks
1:13:05 of the draft.
1:13:07 Into the fans. Anybody.
1:13:11 OH MY GOODNESS! THE FIRST FAN IN THE FAN
1:13:14 CAUGHT FOUL BALL HERE IN CHARLOTTE.
1:13:18 HOW ABOUT HIM?
1:13:21 A WHOLE LOT OF BACK SPIN. MY MAN USED
1:13:24 COOL HANDS.
1:13:27 IN A SEA OF HANDS.
1:13:31 That's Papa Bear of the year right
1:13:33 there.
1:13:36 That hurts. D-Mac, SUNSHINE, WHAT ARE
1:13:39 YOU UP TO?
1:13:41 BUCKET.
1:13:43 What an inning.
1:13:44 A tornado catch from Indy, a fan caught
1:13:47 foul ball, and Sunshine another trick
1:13:50 play, and another point for the boys in
1:13:52 blue and orange as they lead it two to
1:13:54 nothing after two frames here in game
1:13:56 three from Charlotte.
1:13:59 From that, we go to another great
1:14:02 tradition here.
1:14:04 Babies racing slowly, or in this case,
1:14:06 Dalmatians.
1:14:07 >> filled with the cutest thing you'll ever
1:14:09 see. It's Kaz again. Ladies and
1:14:11 gentlemen, if you've been to a Banana
1:14:13 Ball game before, you may have seen the
1:14:15 world's slowest race. Well, here at the
1:14:18 Banana Ball Fire Department, we are
1:14:20 going to have the Dalmatian race. We
1:14:23 have puppies, Dakota, Josie, Greer, Leo,
1:14:26 Jasper, and Savannah. The first one
1:14:29 across the finish line will be the
1:14:30 winner. On your mark, get set, drop
1:14:33 those babies.
1:14:36 >> And they're out of the doghouse.
1:14:40 The Dalmatian race underway. A child is
1:14:43 looking at Kaz again. He'll get need
1:14:47 Nobody is moving.
1:14:49 Can we get them a treat to entice them
1:14:51 to move?
1:14:52 Parents waving. Now one breaks clear. A
1:14:56 CHILD IS CRYING.
1:14:58 A CHILD SITS.
1:15:03 CHIEF, WHERE ARE YOU? WE NEED YOU.
1:15:07 INSPIRE. NOW ANOTHER CHILD IS BREAKING
1:15:09 FREE.
1:15:10 >> OH, the waterworks. You can see the
1:15:12 glassy eyes in that young lad.
1:15:14 >> But you know what? The glassy eyes not
1:15:16 blurring their VISION FOR THE START
1:15:19 FINISH LINE. COME ON, CHILD. GLORY
1:15:22 AWAITS YOU AS THEY TURN and sit on their
1:15:24 keisters.
1:15:25 >> How happy is he though? That guy is
1:15:27 ready to just hang out.
1:15:28 >> He's collapsing.
1:15:29 >> He's looking. The firefighters are
1:15:30 telling him to go. What was that? He
1:15:32 just hit the dougie. Did you see that?
1:15:34 He looked like Ron Funkyneff last night
1:15:36 hitting the dougie. Oh, no, he's getting
1:15:37 horizontal, Zach.
1:15:39 >> He's going sideways. That is not the way
1:15:41 you WANT TO GO. WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
1:15:43 >> HE'S GOING TO KAZAN. LOOK, HE'S LOOKING.
1:15:47 >> NOW HE'S TURNING AROUND. OUTSIDE. LOOK
1:15:49 IN THE OUTSIDE LANE.
1:15:51 THE PUP WITH THE EARS [screaming] OUT.
1:15:53 >> AND THE SHOES. Look at the sneaker game
1:15:56 on that young lad.
1:15:57 >> CONVERSES. JUST CRAWL. OH. [screaming]
1:16:01 ONE MORE CONTENDER.
1:16:03 IT'S A PHOTO FINISH.
1:16:04 >> IT'S THE PIGTAILS.
1:16:06 >> SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING. A TOY
1:16:08 >> CAR IS THROWN.
1:16:10 >> WAIT.
1:16:11 LIKE QUITE LITERALLY A PHOTO FINISH.
1:16:14 WHO'S IT GOING TO BE?
1:16:15 >> [screaming]
1:16:16 >> TOP OF THE SCREEN.
1:16:17 TOP OF THE SCREEN. THE YOUNG MAN WHO GOT
1:16:19 HORIZONTAL. He's got A BALD SPOT. HE'S 4
1:16:23 MONTHS OLD. HE'S IN A DALMATIAN COSTUME.
1:16:26 AND HE WON.
1:16:27 >> AND HE'S CRYING TEARS OF JOY. LOOK AT
1:16:30 THIS.
1:16:31 BY A NOSE.
1:16:34 OR A BABY FINGER.
1:16:36 WOW.
1:16:38 One of the greatest things we've ever
1:16:39 seen. And now back to Banana Ball.
1:16:41 Bindum
1:16:43 is on the mound. I have a friend named
1:16:45 Tiner. Tiner is my friend. Tiner, you're
1:16:48 on the mic now. Tiner, you're on the mic
1:16:50 now. Hi, Tiner.
1:16:51 >> Hey, Zach. How are you doing?
1:16:53 >> Dude, I'm doing so well. How are you, my
1:16:55 friend?
1:16:56 >> I'm doing good. How I mean, listen, the
1:16:58 sun just went down. I'm really happy
1:17:00 now.
1:17:00 >> Okay, yeah. Let me ask that at like at
1:17:02 How do you still have your vision after
1:17:04 what the sun has been doing to you over
1:17:05 the last three nights?
1:17:06 >> I just squinted until like I could
1:17:08 barely see anything. So, I think it's
1:17:10 scars.
1:17:11 >> You're typically mogging anyway, so
1:17:13 that's not not typical for you, you
1:17:15 know?
1:17:16 >> No, I don't do that.
1:17:17 >> Yeah, sure. You don't mog? Did you uh
1:17:20 Taj?
1:17:21 >> Foul.
1:17:21 >> Did you have any money on anybody in
1:17:23 that baby race? That Dalmatian race,
1:17:24 excuse me.
1:17:25 >> I don't know. I saw the yard car and
1:17:27 like
1:17:28 another baby started trying.
1:17:31 I like to save my money, personally.
1:17:33 >> Okay, good. Mm. For what, exactly,
1:17:35 Tiner?
1:17:36 >> Uh hey, you know, I might have to buy
1:17:38 somebody a ring.
1:17:40 >> Excuse me, just one more time, can we
1:17:41 reiterate that point?
1:17:43 >> One day
1:17:45 hopefully
1:17:47 I'll have to buy one a ring.
1:17:48 >> Mm. Good.
1:17:51 I liked your planning for the future
1:17:52 this far into it, huh?
1:17:54 >> That's right.
1:17:55 >> I love you, Tiner. I was going to say
1:17:56 you're saving money for more duck calls.
1:17:58 You have a necklace of about 15 of them
1:17:59 bad boys.
1:18:00 >> Yeah.
1:18:00 >> Where is it?
1:18:01 >> It is in uh the locker room, actually.
1:18:04 >> You don't have [cheering] to save any
1:18:05 money for donuts because Taj just struck
1:18:07 out as the Dunkin Donut batter of the
1:18:09 game.
1:18:10 Go get you some Munchkins, Tiner.
1:18:12 >> What else would I might
1:18:14 I might get by.
1:18:15 Is that uh that uh that little race car
1:18:17 that was just out here?
1:18:18 >> Dude, did you get a chance to get in
1:18:20 that race car earlier?
1:18:22 >> No, but I saw it and took a good little
1:18:23 look at it.
1:18:25 It looked fast.
1:18:26 >> It was. It was loud inside of them. Zach
1:18:28 and I got to ride around in it out on
1:18:29 the warning track, very loud.
1:18:31 >> Oh, so y'all are just cool, huh?
1:18:33 >> Yeah, pretty pretty darn. You get to You
1:18:35 got to experience my driving a couple
1:18:36 days ago as was Indy Stanley. Pounds out
1:18:37 one of the dirt. Lacey between the legs
1:18:39 over to EJ and time.
1:18:42 >> Look.
1:18:44 >> Tyner, what have you been doing around
1:18:45 the city of Charlotte? We got up here a
1:18:47 little bit early on Wednesday. Brett and
1:18:48 I went to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. What
1:18:49 did you do?
1:18:51 >> Me and my my twin brother, we went to
1:18:53 the gym.
1:18:54 >> Your twin brother is of course
1:18:56 >> Donnie, Jared Donaldson.
1:19:00 And then after that, we went and we ate
1:19:02 some steak.
1:19:03 Because you got to have a steak and
1:19:04 Gator the night before a game.
1:19:06 >> Does Donnie have the best food hookups
1:19:08 on this team?
1:19:10 >> I would say him or Philly. This is a
1:19:12 close race. Close race.
1:19:13 >> Here's what I must know out of you. How
1:19:14 was your drive up here?
1:19:16 >> Uh well,
1:19:18 you actually personally would know that
1:19:21 it was getting a little rowdy and we see
1:19:23 the way the rest of the way about the
1:19:24 last half.
1:19:25 >> Yeah, you're an EP boy as those who
1:19:27 follow us on Instagram found out. Very
1:19:30 EP boy. Tyner sleeps in cars, ladies and
1:19:32 gentlemen, if you needed to know that.
1:19:33 >> He does.
1:19:34 >> With his knees up against the seat.
1:19:36 >> I was I was EP. I was EP.
1:19:38 >> He was EP. You know what? Ben Dunn just
1:19:40 got strike out. Hey, Tyner Hughes, that
1:19:42 was quick.
1:19:42 >> That was a quick one. We needed that.
1:19:44 >> You are the man. Thank you for doing
1:19:46 this, Tyner. Love you.
1:19:47 >> Love you.
1:19:48 >> Maldonado one time as we go to Bananas
1:19:50 Foster. Good.
1:19:53 >> In the United States, there are over
1:19:55 400,000 children and teens in foster
1:19:58 care without a permanent home.
1:20:01 To raise awareness and support this
1:20:03 community, we created Bananas Foster,
1:20:06 the official nonprofit of Banana Ball.
1:20:09 Our organization is dedicated to
1:20:11 celebrating the foster care community
1:20:14 while educating and inspiring others to
1:20:16 get involved.
1:20:18 >> [music]
1:20:18 >> And tonight, we are celebrating the
1:20:20 Layman family.
1:20:23 Jen is a pediatric nurse who 10 years
1:20:26 ago became a single licensed foster mom
1:20:29 with the goal of providing medically
1:20:31 fragile kiddos in care a stable home.
1:20:35 Through foster and respite care, she has
1:20:38 welcomed nine long-term children into
1:20:40 her home, countless short-term, and has
1:20:43 adopted three into her family.
1:20:48 Fans, please help us celebrate this
1:20:51 family for their impact in our
1:20:53 community.
1:21:24 >> [music]
1:21:26 >> What a beautiful family the Laymans are.
1:21:29 Jen is a PT, a pediatric nurse, became a
1:21:32 single foster parent 10 years ago.
1:21:34 >> [cheering]
1:21:35 >> Trying to help so many.
1:21:38 And she has done just that. Nine
1:21:40 long-term children welcomed [music] into
1:21:42 her home. What a beautiful moment this
1:21:44 always is.
1:21:46 Blake Morgan out there
1:21:48 mingling with those children. Joe
1:21:50 Mickolic out there as well. You want to
1:21:51 help out the great
1:21:52 >> [music]
1:21:52 >> people in the foster care community like
1:21:55 Jen, just text bunch to 50155.
1:21:57 These are absolute rock stars here all
1:22:01 across the country, and this is the best
1:22:03 part of our night, getting to honor them
1:22:06 in front of 10,000 strong here in
1:22:08 Charlotte, North Carolina. Salute to
1:22:10 Bananas Foster and our great foster
1:22:12 family. Who is that up there in the
1:22:13 penthouse?
1:22:14 >> That would be my good friend Stank
1:22:17 Stank, as well as Jose Gutierrez, Grub,
1:22:20 of course, and Brett Allen. They are
1:22:22 having a wedding up there tonight.
1:22:24 And they bought some Tailgater stuff and
1:22:27 just went up there to crash the wedding
1:22:29 and obviously we're approaching the
1:22:30 fourth inning. So,
1:22:32 as we tell the baby O lie, we'd love to
1:22:35 see another shot of those guys up there.
1:22:37 Grub and tops of buildings, man. I'll
1:22:39 tell you what, make for a good combo.
1:22:41 >> I want you to picture this. Zachary
1:22:43 Bridges goes first pitch swinging.
1:22:45 You are marrying the love of your life.
1:22:46 You have planned this for months,
1:22:48 potentially years, invested dollar after
1:22:51 dollar. And the first thing you see
1:22:53 coming into the reception after a
1:22:54 glorious wed
1:22:56 >> It's Grub. [laughter] It's Grub.
1:22:59 >> You see I lob them up and YOU FINISH
1:23:01 THEM OFF, BRETT LOFTIS. You see Grub.
1:23:03 >> You're thinking that your uncle in
1:23:04 there, but really it's just a big green
1:23:06 alligator who's rather large.
1:23:08 >> Along with somebody wearing jean shorts
1:23:10 bending over at the ankle saying, "Thank
1:23:12 you. Thank you."
1:23:13 >> INTO THE DIRT. ZB WANTS TO STEAL FIRST.
1:23:16 TAJ HAS A LITTLE TROUBLE PICKING IT UP,
1:23:18 BUT IN TIME.
1:23:19 >> HOW ABOUT THAT? A trick pitch that goes
1:23:22 to the backstop and then TP with
1:23:25 >> covers and a caught stealing at first.
1:23:27 The first time this year that the Texas
1:23:29 Tailgaters have caught somebody trying
1:23:31 to steal there. A great ricochet off the
1:23:33 backstop that really played into the
1:23:34 Tailgaters' favor.
1:23:35 >> And it wasn't like ZB hesitated at all.
1:23:37 He was off for first.
1:23:40 >> Just is what it is.
1:23:42 I mean again, it's that ricochet off the
1:23:44 backstop. That's how they were able to
1:23:45 get him at first right there.
1:23:46 >> And Taj had trouble picking it up with
1:23:47 the bare hand, but it was like as you
1:23:49 said, great bounce back.
1:23:52 ZB trying to get something started here
1:23:55 in his home state.
1:23:57 It's a good idea. Just better luck there
1:23:59 for the Texas Tailgaters. As I was
1:24:00 saying by the way, imagine you're
1:24:02 walking down the aisle and you have
1:24:03 Stank Stick saying, "Thank you. Thank
1:24:04 you. Thank you."
1:24:06 >> I want him to officiate my wedding one
1:24:08 of these days whenever that time comes
1:24:09 around.
1:24:10 >> Is he doing that, Sully, as a as the
1:24:13 things going on?
1:24:13 >> When I say I do and I kiss my lovely
1:24:15 bride, I would say, "Now how poetic."
1:24:20 That moment I would love it. Armando
1:24:22 Becerra earns himself a ball four
1:24:23 sprints and he will stay first. For a
1:24:27 moment he thought about going for
1:24:28 second.
1:24:30 He is waiting there. Look at Taylor
1:24:32 Justice running over to first.
1:24:34 >> I'll tell you what, the way that dude's
1:24:35 mind works, he is going to make a heck
1:24:37 of a coach someday.
1:24:38 >> I love talking hitting with Armando
1:24:39 Becerra and his approach.
1:24:41 Uh it just when you dive into his mind,
1:24:44 you get to talk to him, how he views the
1:24:46 game, how he tries to help out his
1:24:47 teammates, he is going to make an
1:24:48 incredible coach someday and
1:24:50 >> Now represents point number one
1:24:51 potentially for the Fire Fighters over
1:24:53 there at first.
1:24:54 >> Caden Green blooped himself a little old
1:24:56 single in the right field in his first
1:24:58 plate appearance.
1:25:00 He would take that luck again or he
1:25:01 would take something a little bit more
1:25:04 decisive.
1:25:07 >> I wonder if we all look like ants to the
1:25:09 people up at the top of that penthouse
1:25:10 right now.
1:25:12 Have to be, right? They got to have like
1:25:14 20/20 vision to even see us right now,
1:25:16 really.
1:25:16 >> Correct. I have 20/20 and I can barely
1:25:19 see them up there.
1:25:19 >> What is that What is that Como City say,
1:25:21 laser eye surgery? What is that?
1:25:23 >> LASIK eye surgery.
1:25:25 LASIK.
1:25:27 Caden taking off on the ball [music]
1:25:28 four sprint. Armando easily over to
1:25:31 third. Runners on the corners. Not a
1:25:33 just one solo way, excuse me.
1:25:35 And here comes Logan Lacey.
1:25:38 Earned the ball four sprint his first
1:25:40 trip up.
1:25:41 He does that again,
1:25:43 he'll win an inning. He gets one
1:25:45 through, he'll win an inning.
1:25:47 The Fire Fighters cannot have right now
1:25:49 is double play.
1:25:51 That
1:25:52 at times has been
1:25:54 a little bit of trouble.
1:25:57 That one just touching the outside part
1:25:59 of the black.
1:26:01 >> [music]
1:26:01 >> Fire Fighters this year have grounded
1:26:03 into 26 double plays. That is the most
1:26:06 in the Banana Ball Championship League.
1:26:07 24 by the way for the Texas Tailgaters.
1:26:13 Lacey just keeps that one alive, foul.
1:26:16 >> We know Christian Davis, he's a ground
1:26:18 ball guy. I mean, he not only leads the
1:26:20 Banana Ball Championship League in trick
1:26:21 plays and deuce, now with over 100 of
1:26:23 them this year, but he also leads Banana
1:26:25 Ball Championship League in inducing
1:26:27 ground balls, trick play or otherwise.
1:26:32 >> [cheering]
1:26:33 >> LACY, DEEP LEFT FIELD, SHOWTIME, SENDS
1:26:37 US TO THE THIRD WITH A WALK-OFF
1:26:39 THREE-RUN JACK.
1:26:45 THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY TATTOOED TO LEFT
1:26:49 FIELD.
1:26:51 That's the third homer of the year for
1:26:53 Double L and a big-time [music] response
1:26:55 for the Firefighters.
1:26:57 HIT ME WITH IT. OH, YEAH, BABY.
1:27:01 Logan Lacy
1:27:03 shows the athleticism and the power in
1:27:06 one swing and trot.
1:27:08 >> Man, he just got the bat head out there.
1:27:10 If you're watching this at home, this is
1:27:12 exactly how you want to hit a banana
1:27:14 ball or a baseball or whatever you're
1:27:15 trying to hit. I don't care if they're
1:27:16 throwing pine cones at you. That is an
1:27:18 impressive way to swing the sticks.
1:27:21 Stayed on that back foot, got the bat
1:27:22 head out there, and when Logan Lacy
1:27:24 connects like that, it's usually going a
1:27:26 really, really, really long ways.
1:27:28 Bret
1:27:29 >> Bo is setting up for something.
1:27:31 Oh, goodness. Grubbs in a
1:27:34 >> Grubbs in a penthouse about 4 million
1:27:36 feet in the air and Bo is setting up for
1:27:38 something where they got a little
1:27:40 padding set down for him.
1:27:41 >> They've got padding
1:27:43 but there's a fire launcher next to him.
1:27:45 Kaz Egan
1:27:47 is about to explain to us what's about
1:27:49 to happen.
1:27:51 >> Everybody knows that Beavers can swim,
1:27:54 but today you are going to see a Beaver
1:27:57 Flyer, ever daring mascot, Bo the Beaver
1:28:00 is going to attempt to set a new world
1:28:04 record for the furthest dive roll off a
1:28:06 trampoline.
1:28:08 And now, this record has been nearly
1:28:11 unbroken for 7 years.
1:28:16 Bo is going to up the ante and attempt
1:28:19 to break this record through fire. The
1:28:23 record is 14
1:28:25 ft. Will he be able to do it? Charlotte,
1:28:28 get ready to cheer him on. Bo, Bo, Bo.
1:28:33 >> goodness.
1:28:34 Oh my goodness.
1:28:36 Bo the beaver setting up for it.
1:28:38 WORLD RECORD DAREDEVIL.
1:28:42 AH!
1:28:44 AND HIS HAIR'S NOT ON FIRE THIS TIME.
1:28:46 >> THANK GOODNESS.
1:28:48 BO THE BEAVER DIVING THROUGH FIRE.
1:28:52 OH, AND HE DID IT, ZACK.
1:28:55 Bo the beaver
1:28:57 will be IN THE RECORD BOOKS OF HISTORY
1:29:00 AND TIME FOREVERMORE.
1:29:03 LOOK AT THIS. BO, STRIDE. OH, YEAH.
1:29:07 >> BO KNOWS FIRE. Bo knows banana ball. Bo
1:29:10 knows world records. I must say that is
1:29:12 the most glorious looking jump I have
1:29:14 ever seen.
1:29:16 Arms spread wide
1:29:18 diving. [music]
1:29:20 And goodness gracious, man. That was
1:29:22 incredible. I don't know how Ben Dunn
1:29:25 registers that.
1:29:27 We are still measuring just to make
1:29:28 absolutely certain. The calendar crew is
1:29:30 out there. Ben Dunn [music] who worked
1:29:32 rather quickly, 2 minutes 55 second
1:29:35 third inning with a couple of strikeout
1:29:37 in there.
1:29:40 ZACK WATSON,
1:29:42 SEE YOU LATER.
1:29:47 WHAT IS HOTTER THAN HOT?
1:29:49 IT IS GOOD AT BANANA BALL, TOO.
1:29:52 His third home run of the year.
1:30:06 Man,
1:30:08 I don't know what I love more.
1:30:11 Home runs, fire, or the Texas
1:30:14 Tailgaters.
1:30:15 But, goodness gracious alive, Zach
1:30:17 Watson somehow can do all three and
1:30:19 represent all three.
1:30:22 >> Two things. Number one, NASCAR is what
1:30:24 you love more than anything.
1:30:25 >> Home now.
1:30:26 >> Two, Zach Watson today has a single.
1:30:29 >> Nope.
1:30:30 >> Yep, 100% 100% 100%
1:30:32 >> Yep.
1:30:32 >> And now a home run.
1:30:34 I'm just saying. I'm just saying. I
1:30:37 don't want to jinx nobody.
1:30:39 I'm just saying.
1:30:41 Jake Smol,
1:30:42 K.J.,
1:30:43 Jackie Bradley Jr.,
1:30:45 >> and Eli Peyton.
1:30:46 >> They all might have some company.
1:30:48 Real soon here if ZB or Z Z what?
1:30:51 >> I don't know what's going on.
1:30:52 >> Wattie.
1:30:53 >> ZW, if you will.
1:30:54 >> Yes, I was trying to say that.
1:30:56 >> Z Dub, perhaps.
1:30:58 >> Wattie Watson.
1:31:01 >> Wow. Man, the ball has flown here in
1:31:03 Charlotte.
1:31:03 >> And we heard that to be the case there
1:31:05 this weekend, but it is absolutely
1:31:07 flown. First home run for either side
1:31:08 tonight. Tell you what,
1:31:10 Ben Dumb, going to have to look to
1:31:12 stretch him out a little bit here, Zach.
1:31:14 Loppy back over to the left side. Peanut
1:31:16 between the legs, over to first. Oh,
1:31:18 yeah.
1:31:19 Another trick play for the Firefighters
1:31:21 that
1:31:22 goes down as their fourth tonight.
1:31:25 Nope, their fifth tonight.
1:31:27 And it's a one point one trick play
1:31:29 difference battling for that equalizer
1:31:31 points.
1:31:31 >> Ben Dumb was prepping in spring training
1:31:34 back on that note to [cheering] enter
1:31:36 this year in the starting rotation
1:31:38 for the Firefighters. It's Kmart in the
1:31:40 sky left side. Lacy giving it some chase
1:31:43 into the crowd. Not called. I talked to
1:31:46 Ben in spring training. He worked all
1:31:47 off season preparing D to be in that
1:31:49 closer role that he was last year or to
1:31:51 be a starter. He's turned into the setup
1:31:53 man, but tonight he's coming in here and
1:31:55 stretching out in that starter role that
1:31:56 he expected to be in to begin the year.
1:31:59 It just took a while halfway through the
1:32:01 year to get there.
1:32:02 Former VCU ram turned minor league farm
1:32:06 hand
1:32:07 for the Atlanta Braves and the twins
1:32:10 just struck out K Marts. That is a big
1:32:13 time swing and miss and a great response
1:32:16 after the home run.
1:32:18 We get a trick play and a strike out.
1:32:20 Now Jordan Barth
1:32:22 swinging at the first pitch. [music]
1:32:24 LACY, OH, TWISTING AND TURNING OVER TO
1:32:27 EJ IN TIME.
1:32:29 Showtime in back-to-back frames has a
1:32:32 walk-off homer and a behind-the-back
1:32:35 fielding trick play. You want to know
1:32:38 why I say time? Just watch the end of
1:32:40 the third and the top of the fourth.
1:32:42 >> Speaking of of showtime, it it's it's
1:32:45 time to do that thing. It's time to do
1:32:47 that thing, guys.
1:32:48 >> For a little hey baby.
1:32:57 >> You better be clapping those hands.
1:33:03 Wave those arms.
1:33:21 Uh, you know what I think about that?
1:33:23 >> [music]
1:33:24 >> Mhm, ah.
1:33:31 Start clapping those hands.
1:33:37 Mhm.
1:33:38 >> [music]
1:33:40 >> Mhm.
1:33:44 Huh?
1:33:46 Wave those arms.
1:33:51 >> [music]
1:33:52 >> Mhm,
1:33:53 ah.
1:33:59 Wave those arms.
1:34:00 >> You ever seen an O and an A in the same
1:34:02 room together?
1:34:07 Ooh, ah.
1:34:10 Now you have.
1:34:15 I unknowingly plus that up by the way.
1:34:17 He went Ooh, I went [music] Ah, then he
1:34:19 went Ooh,
1:34:20 Ooh.
1:34:21 Real well done.
1:34:23 Whole lot of plussing going on with all
1:34:25 of those guys up there in the sky. Do we
1:34:27 still have that shot by chance? Can we
1:34:29 just Those guys went up like 18 million
1:34:32 floors over here in this apartment
1:34:34 complex to go crash a wedding that they
1:34:37 were kind of invited to.
1:34:38 >> Okay, who is
1:34:38 >> Chris Clark is up there, John Reed is up
1:34:40 there, Brett Allen is up there, DJ
1:34:41 Smills, the great plaza DJ for the
1:34:44 firefighters is up there, Grub of
1:34:46 course, Brett Sanchez
1:34:47 >> Saw my friend Big Rig up there,
1:34:49 Charlotte native.
1:34:49 >> Jimmy Lewis is also up there. We don't
1:34:51 have a bullpen right now. So, Christian
1:34:53 Davis, who's beginning his fourth inning
1:34:55 of work, you're at least going to have
1:34:57 to get in through here, [laughter] my
1:34:58 friend.
1:34:58 >> I just realized that. Like every arm is
1:35:01 up there. It's DC 3001. Oh, he hit the
1:35:03 symbol on the Firebirds drum line.
1:35:08 >> Talk about a rim shot. Nick Lopez just
1:35:10 looked up here at [music] me and
1:35:12 gave me a little bit of love. He didn't
1:35:13 go up there, of course, in large part
1:35:15 due to because he has to hit.
1:35:17 >> Correct.
1:35:17 >> Oh, wow. That's incredible.
1:35:21 DC 3 high.
1:35:23 Jordan Barth
1:35:25 >> Setting up for it. Oh!
1:35:27 >> Princess JB [ __ ]
1:35:32 BEND THAT THING ON THE KEISTER AND CALL
1:35:34 IT A TRICK PLAY.
1:35:36 WOW.
1:35:38 Seventh trick play for the Tailgaters
1:35:40 tonight.
1:35:41 It's already 13 trick plays and we have
1:35:43 just played three and a third.
1:35:46 LaMar Sparks
1:35:49 in left field tonight
1:35:51 skied up
1:35:53 into foul territory and Taylor Justice
1:35:54 trip play in his first AB.
1:35:58 >> Great comment in the YouTube chat.
1:36:01 Chris says, "Just finished off some
1:36:02 Texas barbecue for dinner.
1:36:05 A Texas Tailgaters win would be a good
1:36:07 dessert."
1:36:08 Mhm.
1:36:09 >> I disagree.
1:36:11 For
1:36:12 >> obvious reasons, of course.
1:36:13 >> Correct.
1:36:15 >> Maybe a Firefighters win's too spicy for
1:36:17 Chris.
1:36:19 Cuz you know they're hot.
1:36:20 >> Can't stand the heat, get away from the
1:36:21 grill.
1:36:22 >> That's good.
1:36:23 >> I like that. 3-1.
1:36:25 LAMAR! LASER IN THE LEFT FIELD
1:36:28 [screaming] AND GOODBYE!
1:36:31 HE IS RUNNING LIKE IT DIDN'T LEAVE THE
1:36:33 PARK, BUT GUESS WHAT? SOMEONE GIVE HIM
1:36:35 THE SPARKS NOTES. HE JUST CRUSHED IT FOR
1:36:38 HIS SEVENTH HOMER ON THE YEAR.
1:36:42 Firefighters back-to-back innings with
1:36:44 big flies.
1:36:48 Dance on, Lamar.
1:36:51 Yes, sir.
1:36:54 Rex Skid Steale, WHY DON'T YOU GET in
1:36:55 there and dance with him?
1:36:59 >> Lamar, that one left the quick fast and
1:37:01 hurt. You were trotting to second like
1:37:02 it was a but hey, YOU GOT TO MAKE SOME
1:37:04 BASES out of that. How cool was that?
1:37:05 >> That was awesome, man. I didn't even
1:37:06 know it got out. That's awesome.
1:37:08 >> Hey, there's a whole lot of reason to
1:37:09 celebrate, my friend. Congratulations.
1:37:11 >> Thank you, man.
1:37:45 >> My good friend Eric Jones Jr.
1:37:48 just got a heck of a lift to home plate
1:37:50 in his hometown.
1:37:51 >> Well, that's what happens when you're
1:37:52 the king of the Queen City.
1:37:55 Eric Jones Jr.
1:37:56 >> Let me give you some dap on that one.
1:37:57 >> That's sick, man.
1:37:58 >> Let me give you some dap on that one. By
1:38:00 the way, King of Queens, great show.
1:38:01 King of the Queen City, even better.
1:38:04 >> What a plus.
1:38:06 And he's got a chance to walk this
1:38:07 [music] thing off.
1:38:08 >> Real quickly. Lamar, that's seventh home
1:38:10 run of the year, by the way, which tied
1:38:12 the inning. Now ties him for second in
1:38:14 the Banana Ball Championship League.
1:38:17 Oh, Taylor Justice has got a beat on
1:38:19 this one in foul territory. Makes it the
1:38:21 old-fashioned way for out number two.
1:38:23 >> That is a really tough catch. You can
1:38:24 see the wind kind of swirling it back.
1:38:27 That's a heck of a play from T.J. at
1:38:29 first, and it sends Tyner up. You just
1:38:31 mentioned it, too.
1:38:32 In all of my excitement, I forgot to
1:38:34 mention Tyner Sparks tied the inning.
1:38:36 >> Mhm.
1:38:39 >> Tyner,
1:38:40 he gets on, we could see an elongation
1:38:42 of the inning.
1:38:43 >> You know, Tyner hasn't hit a home run
1:38:45 >> since FSU. He's had a couple foul that
1:38:47 have
1:38:48 been home run in length. Let's just say
1:38:50 that.
1:38:52 That's not one of them.
1:38:54 That one
1:38:55 sent to Bank of America Stadium,
1:38:57 where my good friend Derrick Brown is
1:39:00 rushing the opposing quarterbacks.
1:39:05 That one a little low.
1:39:06 >> I can't wait for September. I can't wait
1:39:09 for October for obvious reasons, see
1:39:10 these tailgaters in playoffs, but I
1:39:12 can't wait for football [music] season,
1:39:13 either.
1:39:15 >> Tyner
1:39:16 unloads
1:39:17 to Kmart.
1:39:19 The hat is off. The tip drill is up, and
1:39:22 it's into the glove. Bucket! Kyle Martin
1:39:25 secures trick play number eight in this
1:39:27 ball game for the boys in blue and
1:39:28 orange.
1:39:30 And most importantly,
1:39:32 is able to keep the inning at bay. One
1:39:34 run a piece there in the inning,
1:39:36 but the tailgaters still lead it two
1:39:38 points to one, as it's my good friend,
1:39:41 the junkyard Dog. Race to steal with
1:39:44 another Junkyard Dog.
1:39:46 >> Brett said it perfectly. The Junkyard
1:39:48 Dog himself.
1:39:49 >> Loafy, you had a little bit of a slow
1:39:50 start. Now you're seeing Texas sized
1:39:52 beach balls at the plate. What's it like
1:39:54 to be in this kind of groove?
1:39:55 >> Uh I mean, it just starts with the guys.
1:39:57 We just have a lineup full of care dogs
1:39:59 like you said, and it makes it easy to
1:40:01 do my job in base.
1:40:03 Just
1:40:04 get away and get the job done like Kyle
1:40:06 Martin, Joey Bartos, drive everybody in.
1:40:08 >> There's a part in the season where teams
1:40:09 find their identity. You guys are
1:40:11 latching into this Junkyard Dog
1:40:13 mentality. Has that reinvigorated you
1:40:15 guys?
1:40:15 >> Yeah, I think so. I mean,
1:40:17 Corpus Christi where we didn't get into
1:40:19 the hotel at 6:00 a.m.
1:40:22 Care dog mentality. Get it Get it done
1:40:24 whatever it takes. And we we embody
1:40:26 that.
1:40:27 >> Mr. Loafy has been so cool about this,
1:40:28 but sometimes familiarity breeds
1:40:30 hostility. He's been nothing but hostile
1:40:32 at the plate. Guys, back to you.
1:40:34 >> Junkyard Dog. No dye in that mustache.
1:40:39 He's not even brushing his hair anymore.
1:40:41 OH MY GOSH, IT'S HUGO. Hugo's on the
1:40:45 field. The official mascot of the
1:40:47 Charlotte Hornets. I'm so worried about
1:40:49 my good friend Nick Lopez, and Hugo's on
1:40:51 the field.
1:40:52 >> Grub has left the penthouse, I think,
1:40:54 because he saw Hugo and had to jettison
1:40:56 right on down.
1:40:56 >> Okay, I love Hugo. There's only one
1:40:58 mascot I love more than Hugo in this
1:41:00 entire world, and it's Grub. Uh Hugo the
1:41:02 Hornet, he and I go way back. Way, way
1:41:04 back. Since the Charlotte Hornets were
1:41:06 rebranded back to the Charlotte Hornets
1:41:08 2013-2014 NBA season, I came to a
1:41:11 Hornets game, and he gave me a high
1:41:12 five. So, Hugo and I go way, way, way
1:41:15 back. How could you not love teal and
1:41:17 purple?
1:41:19 I mean, those colors just go together so
1:41:21 well.
1:41:22 >> They really do, man. It's just such a
1:41:24 perfect perfect brand. Hugo the Hornet,
1:41:26 of course. Yes, the alliteration played
1:41:28 in there.
1:41:29 >> Yep.
1:41:29 >> Grub the Gator, Bo the Beaver.
1:41:31 >> Yep.
1:41:32 Yep, 100%.
1:41:33 >> Forty the Forty Animal. HTH, GTG, BTB.
1:41:36 >> Forty Animal. Excuse
1:41:37 >> me, not party the party animal.
1:41:39 >> [laughter]
1:41:39 >> That's funny though.
1:41:41 Split the Savannah banana.
1:41:44 Coco the coconut.
1:41:45 >> There, yep.
1:41:46 >> And then Peter Collado.
1:41:48 >> [laughter]
1:41:49 >> YOU RUINED EVERYTHING.
1:41:51 >> TAYLOR JUSTICE.
1:41:52 >> And then peanuts. How about that?
1:41:54 Peanuts the elephant. But peanuts the
1:41:55 pitching elephant, if you will.
1:41:57 >> Good.
1:41:58 PTPE.
1:41:59 >> Taylor Justice on a rope. South Trimble
1:42:03 can't get to it.
1:42:05 Off the wall. Throw in. TYNER TO SECOND.
1:42:08 NOT IN TIME.
1:42:10 >> Hustle double man to lead off the fifth.
1:42:13 Tailgaters got to continue this
1:42:14 offensive momentum. You're only up by
1:42:17 two in the trick play category. You're
1:42:18 only up by one in the points category.
1:42:20 And who do you want to give the stick
1:42:22 to? Taylor Justice. You'd have him take
1:42:24 every AB if possible right now, as hot
1:42:26 as he's been. His second double of the
1:42:27 ball game.
1:42:30 >> Brother.
1:42:31 Had a ball for Sprint in his first plate
1:42:33 appearance, and then was pinch hit for
1:42:34 by Jason Art.
1:42:39 >> Ben earns the first strike right there.
1:42:46 Checks back and we'll reset.
1:42:51 >> Reigning pitcher of the year came in in
1:42:53 the third inning. His earliest bit of
1:42:55 work this year.
1:42:57 And easily got out of the third inning.
1:42:59 Then ran into some trouble in the top of
1:43:00 the fourth, and that might be trouble
1:43:02 right there. No, it won't. Foul.
1:43:06 >> If we could, I would love to see a
1:43:07 replay of it. Just just for my own sake.
1:43:09 I'm not saying if it was fair or foul.
1:43:11 To be quite honest, I could not tell
1:43:13 from up here.
1:43:15 Can we slow this down if we could?
1:43:16 >> Oh, it looks like our umpire is blocking
1:43:18 our view here.
1:43:19 Just a little bit.
1:43:20 >> Anyway, Joe's the best that we got.
1:43:21 >> Joe Mickulik not going to challenge this
1:43:23 one. Jose goes right back to that same
1:43:25 spot. Well, maybe not the exact same
1:43:27 spot.
1:43:28 Same general area.
1:43:29 >> Ooh, we got another look.
1:43:31 Can we see chalk?
1:43:33 Yeah, hello Chuck. That's how. I think
1:43:35 it's a good one. And hey, while we were
1:43:37 away, Ben Dum just earned another
1:43:38 strikeout.
1:43:40 So, Jose brother Gonzales has earned a
1:43:42 ball four sprint and then been struck
1:43:43 out.
1:43:46 Such is life in the Banana Ball
1:43:48 Championship League when you're going up
1:43:49 against a reigning pitcher of the year.
1:43:53 And now, Matt Danford had a two RBI ball
1:43:56 four sprint in his first plate
1:43:57 appearance.
1:43:59 Then flew out to Young Nut in a second
1:44:01 one.
1:44:03 What that mean?
1:44:06 May you only find out one day.
1:44:09 Right through the gap by Young Nut into
1:44:11 left field.
1:44:12 Mick will halt Taylor Justice at third
1:44:16 and runners on the corners.
1:44:19 Mac telling you, dude's settling back in
1:44:22 who he is. Ball four sprint and a single
1:44:23 already tonight. We're only in the fifth
1:44:25 inning as now it's time for the biggest
1:44:27 the largest
1:44:31 regardless.
1:44:34 The biggest
1:44:35 >> Hold up.
1:44:38 >> The biggest, the largest
1:44:41 I
1:44:44 the biggest, [music] the largest
1:44:45 regardless. That's a bar.
1:44:46 >> Yeah.
1:44:47 >> It's a bar and a half.
1:44:48 >> Big X the plug. That's Houston, Texas
1:44:50 for you.
1:44:52 What do you know about Houston, Texas?
1:44:53 >> I don't know. I've never been there.
1:44:54 >> You had a layover there for hours on
1:44:56 end.
1:44:57 >> Spent time there last year, played the
1:44:58 Savannah Bananas being Sugarland in
1:45:00 Texas, not too far from there later this
1:45:01 year.
1:45:02 >> Taj down the left field line, potential
1:45:05 chance [music] to the fans.
1:45:07 They won't catch it.
1:45:08 >> Tell you what, you're hard-pressed to
1:45:09 find an empty seat in this place right
1:45:11 now and the berm's halfway filled up out
1:45:13 there. Not a whole lot of berm space
1:45:14 here. Every single seat here is filled
1:45:16 up right now. The concourse is coming
1:45:18 in. I mean, this Saturday night crowd
1:45:19 arguably the best crowd of all three
1:45:21 sellout crowds we've had here in
1:45:22 Charlotte.
1:45:23 >> Charlotte absolutely loves its sports
1:45:25 and you can see it here with Banana
1:45:27 Ball's return last year filled up Bank
1:45:30 of America Stadium two days in a row and
1:45:32 we filled up Truist Field three days in
1:45:33 a row. Taj foul.
1:45:35 >> Yeah, you're right Zach. These people
1:45:37 you seen Hugo the Hornet out and here
1:45:38 the people here locally got really
1:45:40 behind the Hornets during their playoff
1:45:41 push this year. They love the Carolina
1:45:42 Panthers, love the sport of NASCAR and
1:45:44 they fight really hard for these
1:45:45 Charlotte Knights here the AAA affiliate
1:45:47 of the White Sox and they fell in love
1:45:49 with Banana Ball all over again this
1:45:50 weekend.
1:45:52 >> Zach Phillips reaches his non-dominant
1:45:54 hand out there to try to stop that one.
1:45:55 I would
1:45:57 appreciate Zach. Look love love what you
1:45:59 just did there. Don't do it with your
1:46:01 left hand, please. Need it
1:46:03 badly.
1:46:05 The 2-2
1:46:07 runners on the corners. Runner going.
1:46:09 Taj swings and misses
1:46:12 for strike three. Mac Danford struck
1:46:14 out.
1:46:15 Mac Danford stole second base.
1:46:17 Everything just happened on one pitch.
1:46:21 >> So, you see strike out
1:46:22 and then ZB's trying to throw it down to
1:46:24 second.
1:46:25 Bean catches it.
1:46:27 Hey, how about we put another one in the
1:46:28 Banana Ball blooper reel this evening.
1:46:30 We have two if you're counting at home
1:46:32 two.
1:46:34 >> It's awfully impressive that he caught a
1:46:36 lightning bolt like that that quickly,
1:46:38 but I mean
1:46:39 >> ZB's got a cannon. Yeah.
1:46:42 >> You see the tree trunks [music] he has
1:46:45 for quads down there. You know he's got
1:46:46 power from his base.
1:46:48 >> He's the quad son if you will. We have
1:46:49 the quad [laughter] father, the quad son
1:46:51 for the firefighters, the quad brother.
1:46:53 >> Quad Bridges brother, something like
1:46:54 that.
1:46:55 Either way, Taj just struck out for the
1:46:56 second time tonight.
1:46:58 Ben Dum has been really good coming into
1:47:00 this game outside of one home run from
1:47:01 Zach Watson. He has been about as good
1:47:04 as you could be in [music] terms of just
1:47:05 trying to shut the door on these Texas
1:47:07 Tailgaters and he'll make it a deuces
1:47:09 wild. Two balls, two strikes, two outs,
1:47:11 two on.
1:47:14 The deuces have never been as wild as
1:47:16 they are in this moment.
1:47:22 Did Did plunk him?
1:47:23 Yes, it did.
1:47:26 How about that emphatic call to go down
1:47:28 the first there by our home plate
1:47:29 umpire, Brett Boller?
1:47:30 He's the one who made that. Let's see
1:47:32 that again.
1:47:33 So, he hits Indy on the wrist. Watch
1:47:35 this. Watch this.
1:47:37 Our home plate umpire able to get in
1:47:38 there.
1:47:39 Steps out in front of Indy. Look at
1:47:41 this.
1:47:44 IT ALMOST SURPRISED INDY HOW EMPHATIC he
1:47:46 was, and he got hit.
1:47:48 Jacob Peppersick is now over at first.
1:47:50 We talked about earlier how much of a
1:47:52 threat he is to steal.
1:47:53 Unless the ball gets by, there is no
1:47:55 threat to steal here cuz the bases are
1:47:56 absolutely loaded.
1:47:58 And Jordan Hussein
1:48:00 Fans
1:48:03 Oh, did we catch it?
1:48:05 No, they don't. There There are people
1:48:07 over on the other box that said, "Yes,
1:48:09 she did."
1:48:10 Look, I She almost kept off the ground,
1:48:13 but it inevitably hit the ground.
1:48:15 >> the bias more than anybody else. She did
1:48:17 not catch it.
1:48:19 >> Ti- excuse me, Jordan.
1:48:22 TYNER QUICK OVER TO FIRST IN TIME.
1:48:25 OH, YEAH. [screaming]
1:48:27 AND THE BASES ARE stranded loaded. Wow.
1:48:33 About as well as you could try to hit
1:48:35 that infield for Jordan Hussein, but
1:48:38 Tyner Hughes collects. I mean, he had to
1:48:40 go lightning fast
1:48:43 in time for the [music] out.
1:48:45 And the firefighters will leave them
1:48:47 loaded. And we will leave you for the
1:48:50 fire line.
1:48:56 >> [screaming]
1:48:59 >> All ready.
1:49:02 All ready.
1:49:05 ALL READY.
1:49:08 ALL READY.
1:49:12 THIS IS MY FAVORITE.
1:49:15 THIS IS MY
1:49:18 THIS IS MY
1:50:19 >> THE DRUMS have never been banged harder
1:50:22 than they were just now.
1:50:24 Fire Line.
1:50:25 Tremendous human beings.
1:50:27 We go to the bottom of the fifth inning.
1:50:29 A major major response from the
1:50:32 Firefighter defense there leaving the
1:50:34 Tailgater bases loaded.
1:50:37 The bottom of the order, Mason Maxwell,
1:50:38 Dakota McFadden, and Zachary Bridges do
1:50:41 up in CD sending that sweet music again.
1:50:44 >> Put in the YouTube chat here what a game
1:50:47 we've got brewing.
1:50:48 Here Chad, here for a second.
1:50:52 The Party Animals and the Coconuts
1:50:54 playing in the home of the Brewers
1:50:55 tonight.
1:50:56 >> Ooh, that never crossed my mind.
1:50:59 Good job by you. Right back up the
1:51:00 middle.
1:51:01 Jordan Hussein through the legs, Taylor
1:51:03 Justice. Buckets!
1:51:06 J5, the Texas kid, Jordan Hussein with
1:51:10 another trick play. Make it nine to six.
1:51:13 The Tailgaters leading that and have
1:51:15 themselves in the driver's seat to win
1:51:17 the Equalizer point on back-to-back
1:51:19 nights.
1:51:22 >> D-Mat.
1:51:24 >> Looks at it outside, but it's on the
1:51:27 outside part of the black.
1:51:29 >> LASER JORDAN BARTH.
1:51:31 >> Just playing catch with the barrel, man.
1:51:33 Princess JB slings it back in. We could
1:51:36 have a very, very, very quick inning.
1:51:39 ZB working with some pace back up to the
1:51:41 dish here.
1:51:43 Look at that smile.
1:51:44 >> I mean, what else do they have to do?
1:51:47 ZACHARY BRIDGES HIGH, HIGH INTO THE SKY.
1:51:50 SUNSHINE
1:51:52 TIP DRILL BEHIND THE BACK.
1:51:55 >> BOOK IT. BOOK IT. 55 SECOND INNING FROM
1:51:59 CHRISTIAN DAVIS.
1:52:01 TIED FOR THE QUICKEST EVER IN THE
1:52:04 HISTORY of the Texas Tailgaters.
1:52:21 >> Holly is currently assigned to engine
1:52:23 and fireboat 38, and she is also a
1:52:25 member of the special operations team
1:52:28 and North Carolina Task Force 3, where
1:52:31 she is a rescue swimmer and diver.
1:52:34 She is a six-time gold medalist and
1:52:37 holds two world records from the 2025
1:52:41 World Police and Fire Games in swimming.
1:52:44 In 2024, she was named Firefighter of
1:52:48 the Year.
1:52:50 But more importantly, she is the proud
1:52:52 mother of three boys, the oldest of whom
1:52:56 is an active duty firefighter himself.
1:53:00 All in all, she has served your
1:53:01 community at the Charlotte Fire
1:53:03 Department for 10 years.
1:53:07 Fans, please join us in celebrating our
1:53:10 Firefighter of the Night, Holly Johnson.
1:53:15 >> [cheering]
1:53:18 >> That's so cool, man. Eric Jones Jr.
1:53:20 walking out
1:53:22 with Holly Johnson. During Banana Ball
1:53:25 backstage, she rushed right to him. She
1:53:27 knew that he's from Charlotte. Her son
1:53:30 actually goes to South Mecklenburg High
1:53:31 School, so she got him to be introduced
1:53:34 to Eric Jones Jr. That's an awesome
1:53:36 moment right there. A salute to Holly
1:53:38 Johnson and the great firefighters here
1:53:40 in Charlotte, North Carolina. And a
1:53:42 shout-out to Christian Davis. 55-second
1:53:45 inning
1:53:46 for the Texas Tailgaters.
1:53:49 Pace, pace, pace. And it might be even
1:53:52 more history on a weekend where the
1:53:54 Tailgaters have already set so much as
1:53:56 we see the Fire Marshal, Marshall Shill,
1:53:59 coming in for relief of Ben Dom, who I
1:54:01 got to say did yeoman's work in three
1:54:03 innings of relief there from the third
1:54:05 to the fifth inning. Outside of the one
1:54:06 home run from Zach Watson, induced
1:54:09 ground ground balls, induced late
1:54:11 contact, and got a couple of strikeouts
1:54:13 as well. Big time from Ben Dom. Marshall
1:54:15 Shill looking a little more like he did
1:54:16 in 2024.
1:54:18 Those seven Ks, big time. Only
1:54:20 surrendered three ball four sprints, and
1:54:22 that is critical on a weekend where the
1:54:23 firefighters coming into the night
1:54:25 surrendered 15 ball four sprints.
1:54:30 >> And even 11-6 in the trick play
1:54:32 category, but more importantly as Bo
1:54:34 checks his Snapchat, it's Zach Watson
1:54:36 stepping into the right-handed batter's
1:54:38 box. Watty has a single, a double, and a
1:54:41 home run here tonight.
1:54:43 Trying to become the first Texas
1:54:44 Tailgater
1:54:46 to ever hit
1:54:48 for the cycle.
1:54:49 >> Okay.
1:54:52 >> Hey, man.
1:54:54 I'm just saying.
1:54:54 >> I'm just reporting the news.
1:54:56 >> You are reporting
1:54:57 >> hate the person reporting the news. Our
1:55:00 official score, Blake O'Hara has already
1:55:01 >> [laughter]
1:55:01 >> texted it to us.
1:55:03 So, I mean, jeez, somebody's got to say
1:55:06 it on air. Can the fans deny him the
1:55:07 opportunity right here?
1:55:10 >> No.
1:55:13 >> I would also like to pull the curtain
1:55:14 back, secret between me and God, Jess
1:55:16 Watson also probably texting [music]
1:55:18 Bow, has already texted me Bow's wife,
1:55:21 and is also aware that it's a cycle by
1:55:24 her own accord, mind you.
1:55:25 >> Good.
1:55:27 Bow was doing a push-up trend.
1:55:29 >> He's probably sending a Snapchat to
1:55:31 Fardy.
1:55:32 >> Correct.
1:55:32 >> That's what I would assume.
1:55:35 >> Maybe he's on X right now.
1:55:38 I don't think he's much of an X guy.
1:55:40 Instagram for sure, TikTok probably.
1:55:42 >> Facebook.
1:55:43 >> Snapchat, I think you were right though.
1:55:44 >> Mhm.
1:55:45 >> Wadi works at full.
1:55:47 >> I wonder what his Snap score is.
1:55:49 >> You know, I don't know.
1:55:53 He's reached via a single, a home run,
1:55:55 and an RBI double.
1:56:00 And now a reach via ball four sprints.
1:56:04 So, I might have actually worked the
1:56:06 jinx there because I'd said Marshall was
1:56:07 really good with ball four sprints, and
1:56:09 sure enough, first thing up, ball four
1:56:11 sprints. So, you
1:56:13 >> can wait on the announcer jinx on that
1:56:15 cycle for a minute.
1:56:17 He's still on the sixth, isn't he?
1:56:19 >> I know. I said you could wait. I said
1:56:21 you could wait.
1:56:21 >> I think Bow's doing P90X actually.
1:56:24 That's what I'm convinced of at this
1:56:25 point.
1:56:25 >> Bow's plussed. What can you say?
1:56:28 He broke a world record, now he's just
1:56:30 vibing to anything and everything.
1:56:34 >> Nick Lopez, couple singles on his night.
1:56:40 >> Marshall has checked at least 10 times
1:56:43 on Wadi.
1:56:45 Lopi to a skyscraper.
1:56:47 Armando racing in. Does he have it? Yes,
1:56:50 he does. And I think that's the smart
1:56:51 play right there, just get the out.
1:56:53 That's a tough run to try to make for a
1:56:55 tip drill. He just gets the out the
1:56:56 old-fashioned way and one is retired.
1:56:58 >> Yeah, I mean approaching now it's out
1:56:59 number one here in the top of the sixth.
1:57:01 >> [music]
1:57:01 >> You're down by five in the trick play
1:57:03 category. You have to be aggressive yet
1:57:05 still smart when it comes to those Kyle
1:57:07 Martin now three RBI already for him
1:57:10 tonight.
1:57:13 >> Again sitting on the doorstep
1:57:16 of another potential record tire here
1:57:18 for K-Mart. 14 home runs on the year.
1:57:20 The single season record is 15
1:57:23 set by Jake Skole of the Party Animals.
1:57:26 Bret gave you the context on how many
1:57:28 games it took to get there.
1:57:29 >> 65 last year for Jake Skole in game
1:57:32 number 29 this year for Kyle Martin with
1:57:34 an opportunity to tie.
1:57:37 >> So far has had nothing to hit from
1:57:38 Marshall Shill.
1:57:39 >> Well, if he gave him a meatball here.
1:57:42 >> Joe Filomeno?
1:57:43 >> No, I meant a meatball fastball.
1:57:45 >> Good.
1:57:48 >> K-MART!
1:57:53 I'LL LAND OVER THERE WITH MY other King
1:57:55 Pookie Bear, JC Horn, who is working on
1:57:58 pass coverage at Bank of America
1:58:00 Stadium.
1:58:01 >> Oh, we wait for history at least one
1:58:04 more pitch. And we will wait another AB
1:58:06 as that's another ball four sprint for
1:58:07 K-Mart, his second of the night.
1:58:10 Waddy will make it easily over to third.
1:58:12 Kyle Martin stops at [music] first.
1:58:18 >> You guys can
1:58:19 just all tell how excited I am and
1:58:22 patiently patiently albeit awaiting that
1:58:24 15th home run for Kyle Martin.
1:58:27 >> Bret Loftis got up to stretch. That was
1:58:29 all.
1:58:30 >> Yeah, of course.
1:58:30 >> Stood up to stretch. You can't see that
1:58:32 [music] at home, but he stood right up
1:58:33 to stretch.
1:58:34 >> It's not good for the body to sit for
1:58:36 two hours.
1:58:36 >> Correct.
1:58:37 >> Scientifically proven.
1:58:39 Princess JB been doing a lot of standing
1:58:42 up tonight. Made a good play down at
1:58:43 third. Oh for three tonight though.
1:58:49 >> Inside. Marshall's got to find the zone
1:58:51 here quick. By the way, Brett Loftis
1:58:53 just said that he loves a sport where
1:58:55 they have to sit down for 4 hours to
1:58:56 race.
1:58:57 Good.
1:58:58 >> They are doing a lot of activities
1:59:00 though in NASCAR.
1:59:01 >> They are losing a lot of weight in that
1:59:02 stock car. It's very hot. Probably lose
1:59:05 8 to 10 lb from dehydration. You don't
1:59:07 think NASCAR auto racing drivers in
1:59:10 general are athletes? THINK AGAIN.
1:59:11 BARTH!
1:59:13 OPPOSITE FIELD! THAT'LL land in the
1:59:15 corner. Southover ram it.
1:59:17 That'll score Watty from third. Throw in
1:59:20 the second Barth. That was actually
1:59:23 quite closer than I think JV thought it
1:59:25 would be, but it's another run on the
1:59:27 board for the Texas Tailgaters.
1:59:29 >> Wow.
1:59:30 Jordan Barth
1:59:31 pull side guy man, but when he's going
1:59:33 good, he's going oppo. Right there, just
1:59:36 missed an opposite field home run by
1:59:37 about 5 ft. That tag much closer than
1:59:40 that, Peanut. It's written all over his
1:59:41 face. But an RBI double, another run
1:59:43 tonight. First here in the top of the
1:59:45 sixth. Taylor Justice
1:59:48 smokes one over to the third base
1:59:50 dugout.
1:59:51 >> [laughter]
1:59:52 >> And Sunshine goes over and checks on the
1:59:54 folks we have stored down there.
1:59:56 >> He went to block it, too. He might have
1:59:57 been just a hair late there, Sunshine.
1:59:59 DJ swings big there for strike two.
2:00:02 >> Right side of the infield and left side
2:00:04 of the infield back here with second and
2:00:05 third one out for the Firefighters.
2:00:09 >> AND A BIG STRIKEOUT for Marshall Shell
2:00:12 on a guy who was very tough to strike
2:00:14 out.
2:00:17 >> The chat would like to inform you that
2:00:18 there are water bottles in the cars so
2:00:20 they're not getting dehydrated in the
2:00:21 sport of NASCAR, Zach.
2:00:23 >> It's I I took what Brad Keselowski said.
2:00:26 He said he loses about 8 to 10 lb from
2:00:28 dehydration.
2:00:29 >> That's correct. The most pounds ever
2:00:31 recorded lost during a race was Ricky
2:00:32 Rudd in 1999. His air condition went out
2:00:35 in his car. He lost 15 [music] lb due to
2:00:37 dehydration.
2:00:39 >> That guy, by the way, would do anything
2:00:41 to drive.
2:00:43 Got a head injury and taped his eyes
2:00:45 open the next race.
2:00:46 >> That's
2:00:47 >> Not a smart thing to do, but it is a
2:00:49 legendary story nonetheless. Mondo can't
2:00:51 [music] catch up to it. Joe Mickelic
2:00:53 giving the wave around for Jordan Barth.
2:00:55 No throw to be made. It's a two RBI
2:00:56 single for Jose brother Gonzales.
2:01:00 Brother man staying hot.
2:01:02 First hit of the night, second time he's
2:01:04 reached.
2:01:06 That'll make it runs two and three
2:01:08 scored in top of the sixth.
2:01:09 I'm wondering why
2:01:12 Peanut didn't throw that ball home, but
2:01:13 we must wait a little bit longer.
2:01:16 Kmart.
2:01:21 Yes, Kmart. [music]
2:01:23 Do the thing, Kmart.
2:01:26 Did you see him next to AI Shrek?
2:01:36 Oh, I've seen him do that 17 times over
2:01:40 the last two days and it has not gotten
2:01:42 old yet. He did it yesterday with a
2:01:44 football helmet on. And now today he
2:01:46 does it.
2:01:49 A football for sprints.
2:01:51 >> [laughter]
2:01:51 >> That's incredible.
2:01:52 >> By the way,
2:01:54 the man was not struck in the dugout and
2:01:56 able to miss it. Sunshine when Chuck
2:01:58 Domino is okay for everyone wondering.
2:01:59 >> Correct.
2:02:01 There would be much more things going on
2:02:02 if he were struck.
2:02:04 Sunshine did a nice job over there.
2:02:06 >> Who do you think could hit a ball
2:02:07 farther? AI Shrek or Kyle Martin?
2:02:11 >> I easily Kyle Martin, okay? Easily.
2:02:13 >> Think you're sleeping on AI Shrek
2:02:15 >> here.
2:02:15 He's not real.
2:02:16 >> And Kay- Kmart's my friend, my really
2:02:19 good friend.
2:02:19 >> Kyle Martin can easily
2:02:21 It Yeah.
2:02:21 >> It It's Kyle Martin.
2:02:22 >> Okay. I love that.
2:02:25 >> Again, AI Shrek is a figment of our
2:02:27 imagination. Mag Danford chasing Armando
2:02:30 back,
2:02:32 but stays in the ballpark. Double tip
2:02:34 drill
2:02:35 AND INTO THE HATCH.
2:02:38 Colin Moth in for a double trick play.
2:02:41 And it's a three spot for the Texas
2:02:44 Tailgaters, but the Firefighters pull
2:02:45 within three in the trick play battle.
2:02:48 And Armando Macedo has really learned
2:02:51 with these double tip drills to get his
2:02:52 outfielders into it.
2:02:58 >> You know what I've really started to
2:02:59 learn about Zack Staten?
2:03:00 >> I think I know.
2:03:01 >> Merch!
2:03:03 Got a little summer drop coming at you
2:03:05 here. As again, we got some great
2:03:07 merchandise. If you're able to go and
2:03:09 shop for Banana Ball merch, our chat
2:03:11 mods, if you're wondering, are going to
2:03:12 put those in the YouTube chat as well.
2:03:14 Got some really good stuff here. Seeing
2:03:16 the Tailgaters Firefighters stuff right
2:03:18 now.
2:03:19 >> And I always say it, it's a bad day to
2:03:20 be a glizzy.
2:03:21 >> It's always a horrible day, a horrendous
2:03:23 day, but a bad day to be a glizzy as
2:03:26 Qwit.
2:03:27 >> No, but Banana Ball FD indeed.
2:03:29 >> I am wearing this hat literally as we
2:03:32 speak. It is one of my favorite hats in
2:03:34 the history of God and man alike.
2:03:36 >> And it is truly a bad day to be a
2:03:38 glizzy.
2:03:39 >> [cheering]
2:03:39 >> It's never a bad day to have a glizzy,
2:03:41 >> but it is a bad day to be one at the
2:03:43 tailgate. Again, our chat mods do a
2:03:45 great job getting those links into the
2:03:46 chat.
2:03:47 >> I I must be honest.
2:03:49 >> The young man had on the Firefighters
2:03:50 hat with the Texas Tailgaters Texas
2:03:53 jersey. It matches really well.
2:03:55 >> It really does, man.
2:03:57 That red
2:03:58 so good.
2:04:01 >> Jonathan Hughes, my good friend from
2:04:03 Flowery Branch, Georgia, a week and
2:04:05 after he made his second career Banana
2:04:07 Ball start, is now going to come in
2:04:10 relief here of Christian Davis who did
2:04:12 it again. Induced 11 trick plays
2:04:14 tonight, earned two points against the
2:04:16 Firefighters. Did allow five runs, but
2:04:18 another great night from CD who did it
2:04:22 all yet again while not striking out
2:04:23 anybody. As Jonathan Hughes will come in
2:04:25 and try to earn point number three
2:04:27 against the top of this Firefighters
2:04:29 order
2:04:30 with a three-run cushion here in the
2:04:32 bottom of the sixth.
2:04:33 >> I think Jonathan Hughes deserved a lot
2:04:35 of credit as Armando fouls that one off.
2:04:37 Started at Whataburger Field in game
2:04:40 three, went four innings and absolutely
2:04:42 was tremendous. Allowed just one hit as
2:04:45 that one goes in, a beautiful mover.
2:04:48 Just one hit and one run, a couple of
2:04:50 strikeouts. He was stupendous in
2:04:52 inducing trick plays and ground balls.
2:04:54 >> That hit, by the way, was an infield
2:04:56 single. Did not leave up a ball that
2:04:59 landed in the outfield.
2:05:01 >> And that was his first start in a
2:05:03 regular season Banana Ball game as that
2:05:05 one punctured right back up the middle
2:05:07 by the diving Jordan Hussein. Second
2:05:09 start of the regular season.
2:05:11 Also started one in the Banana Ball Open
2:05:13 as well as Mondo gains his first hit
2:05:17 of THE GAME. IT'S CHEETH.
2:05:19 WHAT UP, BIG DOG?
2:05:21 WHAT THE DOG DOING?
2:05:24 HE'S GRABBING A BAT. Of course, he is.
2:05:26 There's his wonderful mentor, trainer,
2:05:29 and dog dad, JT. Shakes out the nerves
2:05:32 and gives it [music] up for Peanuts.
2:05:36 Young Nuts got himself a single in a
2:05:37 ball four sprint. Dude has reached six
2:05:40 straight plate appearances
2:05:42 here over the last couple of nights.
2:05:43 He'll stare at strike one there.
2:05:48 All after getting hit in the head.
2:05:51 Actually, it should be seven straight
2:05:52 plate appearances cuz he got hit by a
2:05:53 pitch.
2:05:54 >> Right.
2:05:56 >> Behind one two with a runner on.
2:06:00 Almost the exact same spot, little bit
2:06:01 high.
2:06:03 Firefighters got to get a three run
2:06:05 rally here to equalize this [music]
2:06:06 inning.
2:06:08 Peanuts
2:06:10 matrixing out of that one.
2:06:11 >> Maybe a little PTSD from last night as
2:06:13 well.
2:06:16 Chris Clark and Brett Sanchez are
2:06:17 dancing with our left field umpire,
2:06:19 Jason Klinger.
2:06:20 >> I didn't even see him come back from the
2:06:21 penthouse. Taj chasing back. Fans
2:06:24 getting opportunity?
2:06:26 Nope. That one bounced almost back up to
2:06:28 us.
2:06:29 That took a hard bounce off the concrete
2:06:31 steps.
2:06:34 Oh, look at that. Oh, that's good fan
2:06:37 ship right there.
2:06:38 >> stuff. That's really good stuff.
2:06:39 >> Love that. Love to see it. Hey, good.
2:06:44 We're all fans here. Ball four sprint.
2:06:46 They check over it first. There was no
2:06:48 swing.
2:06:49 So, Peanut will go back to first.
2:06:52 Armando is over to third and there are
2:06:53 runners on the corners with nobody away.
2:06:55 And hey everybody, the guy up at the
2:06:57 plate is showtime Logan Lacey. He ended
2:06:59 the third inning with what? What might
2:07:01 you ask? A three-run home run.
2:07:03 >> He could repeat that right here. We'd
2:07:05 just be tied in the inning. Be much
2:07:07 better than losing the point if you're
2:07:08 the Firefighters.
2:07:09 >> Correct. Especially with the trick play
2:07:11 battle as tight as it is.
2:07:15 Logan Lacey last night two for three.
2:07:17 Tonight already ball four sprint and a
2:07:19 home run. He's well on his way to
2:07:21 repeating what he did last night. As I
2:07:23 say that, he fouls that one back over
2:07:25 almost near the fans in that Texas
2:07:26 Tailgater dugout who are beginning to
2:07:28 get a lesson in ducking.
2:07:30 >> Rex Castillo went and checked on him.
2:07:32 Don't worry.
2:07:33 >> Thumbs up from Rex. That one by Jordan
2:07:35 Hussey. It'll score a run. A great night
2:07:38 for Logan Lacey continues
2:07:39 >> [music]
2:07:39 >> with an RBI single.
2:07:44 Showtime, man. He just continues to put
2:07:46 on a show here.
2:07:48 And the guy coming up now has a walk-off
2:07:51 homer
2:07:52 on his weekend as showtime
2:07:54 comes back through. Dalton Cornett
2:07:56 >> [cheering]
2:07:58 >> really has a chance to end this thing
2:08:00 here.
2:08:00 >> Nine walk-offs on the year tied second
2:08:03 best in the Banana Ball Championship
2:08:05 League for Mr. Cornett.
2:08:06 >> They call him Captain Clutch. Runners
2:08:09 will steal on the pass ball.
2:08:12 So, we have runners on third, second,
2:08:15 and not a soul has been recorded out.
2:08:20 >> Bose on the roof.
2:08:23 >> In other news,
2:08:24 Waters what?
2:08:27 This is where he lives.
2:08:29 Dalton, yeah, you're swinging for the
2:08:30 fences there. DJ, good execution on the
2:08:34 trick play.
2:08:35 >> Bucket!
2:08:36 >> Trick play number 12, that's a big one
2:08:38 right there.
2:08:40 Still trying to give you a little bit of
2:08:41 cushion in the trick play category.
2:08:43 But also a big out number one is you got
2:08:45 two in scoring position and another guy
2:08:47 who's already left the yard tonight at
2:08:48 the dish.
2:08:49 >> And smart of him. Make sure you look
2:08:51 Peanut back at third, then get yourself
2:08:53 the trick play. Really good stuff there
2:08:54 from Taylor Justice. Now it's Lamar
2:08:56 Sparks' turn. He's got
2:08:58 >> There's Bo.
2:08:59 >> a foul out. Hello, Bo. And a home run. A
2:09:01 home run that he did not realize he hit
2:09:03 until he was halfway to second.
2:09:06 >> Did not like [music] that call from the
2:09:07 home plate umpire.
2:09:09 I mean, it's been been a been the same
2:09:11 strike all night.
2:09:13 >> Yep. That one. Mashed into the ground.
2:09:15 Barth, over to first and he's safe!
2:09:20 >> Joe Mickolic quickly out of the dugout.
2:09:23 Jason Art
2:09:26 who has the football helmet on make
2:09:28 thinking about challenging it
2:09:30 and I think they're thinking better of
2:09:31 it.
2:09:32 >> Let's see it here.
2:09:36 >> Tie and
2:09:37 in the sport of banana ball or baseball,
2:09:39 the tie goes to the runner.
2:09:42 >> So it's an RBI single, EJ, in the left
2:09:45 field that will tie the inning up.
2:09:48 Quickly we go. RBI infield single for
2:09:51 Lamar Sparks
2:09:53 and then an RBI single for the Charlotte
2:09:56 native, Eric Jones Jr.'s first hit on
2:09:58 the night. Still just one away.
2:10:00 Firefighters have tied the inning up.
2:10:03 Tyner Hughes has a chance to make it a
2:10:05 point for the Firefighters right here.
2:10:08 >> [cheering]
2:10:08 >> That is lightly hit. Barth between the
2:10:10 legs, OVER TO FIRST IN TIME FOR THE
2:10:13 DOUBLE play and the Firefighters will
2:10:15 have to settle for a pushed inning.
2:10:17 >> Bucket!
2:10:19 >> 5-4-3.
2:10:20 Jay Bean is Sonny, the quickest hands in
2:10:23 America, over to Taylor Justice who's
2:10:26 doing a dance of some sort as we push
2:10:28 the inning there. Yet again, the second
2:10:30 time tonight, runs from both sides have
2:10:32 been scored, but they've been tied. One
2:10:34 to one in the in the fourth, three to
2:10:36 three here in the sixth, and I would
2:10:37 like to go over to
2:10:38 >> me, I found a couple of tree huggers.
2:10:42 We're going to do musical chairs, but
2:10:45 they have to hug a tree. All right,
2:10:47 gentlemen, on your mark, get set, start
2:10:50 spinning.
2:10:52 We're going to get them real dizzy. The
2:10:54 trees are going to pick a spot. On your
2:10:56 marks, get set, hug a tree.
2:10:59 Uh-oh, they're picking a spot. They're
2:11:00 each going for the same tree.
2:11:03 And just like that, Colin has been
2:11:06 eliminated. So sorry, Colin. All right,
2:11:08 gentlemen, reset.
2:11:14 All right, we want you to spin again. On
2:11:16 your marks, get set, start spinning.
2:11:20 Trees are moving. The trees are on the
2:11:22 move. Ready, set, hug a tree.
2:11:28 >> [cheering]
2:11:29 >> And Harrison was too dizzy.
2:11:33 It's down to the final two. You Okay,
2:11:35 get off the tree. Get off the trees.
2:11:38 He's enjoying it too much. We are down
2:11:41 to two contestants. One a tree, start
2:11:44 spinning.
2:11:46 Now, for this one, I'm going to make
2:11:47 them spin a little extra longer.
2:11:51 Charlotte, are you having a good time
2:11:52 tonight?
2:11:55 That's what I love to hear. On your
2:11:56 marks, get set, hug a tree.
2:12:00 Jacob sees it. He sees the tree. He's at
2:12:03 it. AND TIMBER!
2:12:05 LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, JACOB IS our tree
2:12:08 hugging champion.
2:12:11 >> Mhm.
2:12:12 >> You know, that's what they called me in
2:12:13 high school.
2:12:14 >> Tree hugger?
2:12:16 >> Interesting. Hey, look at this tackle.
2:12:17 This is [music] textbook.
2:12:19 >> [screaming]
2:12:19 >> I know
2:12:20 >> No, it's actually not.
2:12:21 >> I'm going to disagree with you.
2:12:22 >> right. You're right. You don't lead with
2:12:24 that.
2:12:24 >> open up both of your legs and then
2:12:26 proceed to tackle.
2:12:27 >> You do keep the head up. You know what
2:12:28 we also keep our heads up for? Looking
2:12:31 out for this man right here, Javon Ray.
2:12:33 Last weekend in Corpus Christi, game
2:12:35 three, comes in for three innings of
2:12:37 work, absolutely lights out. Showdown
2:12:40 shutdown opportunity. He's already a
2:12:42 superstar in the minds of Fire Fighter
2:12:45 fans, but last week he earned himself
2:12:46 player of the week and turned himself
2:12:48 into a superstar in the sport of banana
2:12:50 ball as Taj Porter swings for strike
2:12:52 one.
2:12:53 >> Taj does have a home run off of him this
2:12:55 year. It came back in El Paso.
2:13:00 It's the last time Javon gave up an
2:13:02 earned run.
2:13:04 >> Taj didn't like that one on the outside.
2:13:06 Won't matter.
2:13:11 >> [cheering]
2:13:12 >> Same spot, different Nope. Same result.
2:13:15 3-1 count.
2:13:19 >> No, it's a It's a two
2:13:20 >> I Yeah.
2:13:21 >> two count. Yeah, two balls, two strikes.
2:13:22 >> I I had it as 2-2 as well, but our
2:13:26 umpires would agree.
2:13:28 Taj, did he go? No, he didn't. ZB saves
2:13:31 it and it works back full.
2:13:33 3-2 count.
2:13:42 A game that has been back and forth all
2:13:44 night long will start with a ball four
2:13:45 sprint for Javon Ray.
2:13:48 >> First time Taj has reached tonight.
2:13:52 He and Jordan Hussein entering this
2:13:53 inning with the lone two Tailgaters
2:13:55 tonight have reached thus far.
2:13:58 As now Indiana Stanley who's reached via
2:14:00 trick play missed and hit by a pitch
2:14:02 comes up to the dish. And my good friend
2:14:04 Jacob Pipersik designated runner for the
2:14:07 Tailgaters is over at first now.
2:14:09 >> Just the fourth ball four sprint issued
2:14:11 by the Fire Fighters tonight on a
2:14:13 weekend where they have unfortunately
2:14:15 for them issued a ton of them. 15 coming
2:14:17 into [music] the night.
2:14:18 >> Mhm.
2:14:18 >> Good. [cheering]
2:14:19 >> 146 on the season coming into the night.
2:14:22 That is well above where you want to be.
2:14:24 In fact, it is the most issued in the
2:14:27 Banana Ball Championship League. The
2:14:28 free passes have to be limited and
2:14:30 that's a nice way to start it.
2:14:32 >> Mhm.
2:14:34 >> Indiana Stanley rode in on a NASCAR
2:14:37 stock car
2:14:40 to the song Fast Cars.
2:14:43 Then proceeded to get on via a trick
2:14:45 play missed, grounded out, and was hit
2:14:47 by a pitch.
2:14:48 >> Full fire suit, helmet and all for Indy.
2:14:51 >> Really disappointed that we didn't see
2:14:52 that the rest of the game. Again,
2:14:54 dexterity of a fire suit not really
2:14:56 suited for a banana ball.
2:14:58 >> That's a cheat word out of you today,
2:15:00 huh?
2:15:00 >> You bet you. I'm very meticulous about
2:15:02 those kinds of things.
2:15:02 >> Mhm. A C T word, if you will.
2:15:06 >> 3-1. Cannot issue two straight ball four
2:15:08 sprints, but they will.
2:15:13 So, Indy
2:15:14 will move quickly, but stay right at
2:15:16 first.
2:15:17 Jacob Peppersick is on to run for Tash
2:15:19 Porter. He gets all the way to third.
2:15:21 We've seen him run for Indy a bunch this
2:15:23 weekend, but Indy will stay on here.
2:15:25 Javon's got to find it here.
2:15:28 Perhaps nobody the Firefighters trust
2:15:29 more in a situation like this to get his
2:15:31 stuff
2:15:32 figured out than Javon Ray and for good
2:15:34 reason.
2:15:35 >> Yeah, at this point of the year, it's
2:15:37 the guy you want on the mound in this
2:15:38 situation.
2:15:39 >> If you're the Firefighters, as Indy
2:15:40 takes off. Hit and run OFF OF JAVON'S
2:15:43 GLOVE.
2:15:44 >> [music]
2:15:45 >> AND IT PLATES A RUN ANYWAY, ZACH. That's
2:15:48 big right there from Javon, though.
2:15:50 Scoring the run are the Tailgaters here.
2:15:52 Another one on the board, the first of
2:15:54 the seven. If Javon doesn't make contact
2:15:56 with that banana ball, that's going into
2:15:58 right field. Tyler was going to cover
2:16:00 second. Incredible play by Javon.
2:16:05 >> And the product of Georgia Southern had
2:16:06 some very weird luck when it comes to a
2:16:08 hits back up the middle. He's taken one
2:16:11 off his hip to the face, off the arm,
2:16:13 and now off the glove. Watson fell.
2:16:18 He is just one away here,
2:16:20 and one run is across for the Texas
2:16:22 Tailgaters.
2:16:27 And Zach Watson, who's looking for that
2:16:30 three-bagger.
2:16:36 Zach, who's three for three tonight with
2:16:37 a ball four sprint.
2:16:39 Single, a double, and a home run.
2:16:42 Mhm. That likely will not help him with
2:16:44 the cycle.
2:16:46 Tyner, tip drill. Mason, diving out
2:16:49 double dive, but Mason comes away with
2:16:51 it. They have played with fire. That
2:16:54 time it did not burn him.
2:16:56 >> Can I pose you
2:16:58 a bucket and a banana ball blooper all
2:17:00 in one play?
2:17:02 >> I'd like [snorts] to see a replay cuz I
2:17:03 want to see how close Smoke and Mason
2:17:05 were.
2:17:07 Oh, oh, hello.
2:17:09 Good morning to you.
2:17:10 >> You want to talk about dexterity.
2:17:12 >> [laughter]
2:17:13 >> Ball gets by. ZB can't make the throw
2:17:15 over to third. It's probably the right
2:17:17 throw not to make.
2:17:20 And he was halfway to third by the time
2:17:22 Lacy was able to get over.
2:17:25 Boy, that's a big runner to move up,
2:17:28 especially with the leisure man here.
2:17:31 Couple of singles, flew out in his last
2:17:33 plate appearance. Hello Lacy.
2:17:35 >> He's two for four tonight.
2:17:37 >> [music]
2:17:38 >> Couple of singles on his line.
2:17:44 >> Way foul.
2:17:45 Up to the roof.
2:17:52 Getting a couple of singles to lead this
2:17:54 one off for Nick Lopez.
2:17:57 A ball four sprint would bring in
2:17:59 another run.
2:18:01 Javon, a man with five pitches in his
2:18:04 arsenal.
2:18:05 He can unload them quick, fast in a
2:18:06 hurry.
2:18:08 Need to have it there.
2:18:10 Oh, Javon wanted a check over to the
2:18:12 third base umpire. He won't get it. It's
2:18:14 a ball four sprints. It'll plate another
2:18:16 run.
2:18:17 >> Man, the Tailgaters haven't gotten a hit
2:18:19 here in this inning.
2:18:21 But, Javon has
2:18:23 conceded two runs. That's because it's
2:18:25 three ball four sprints.
2:18:27 And now, Kyle Martin
2:18:29 who has three RB I on his line tonight
2:18:31 and two ball four sprints already.
2:18:34 Looking for that record tying home run.
2:18:39 He hits it.
2:18:40 Put him 15 on the air. We're going to
2:18:42 continue to tell you about it until he
2:18:43 hits it, cuz that's a special thing to
2:18:45 do in game 29 potentially
2:18:48 of his rookie campaign.
2:18:50 >> Javon working well inside.
2:18:53 Remember,
2:18:54 take you back to the banana ball open.
2:18:56 Javon gave up one hit. Two.
2:18:59 Two hits. Both to this guy. And one of
2:19:02 them was hit 500 ft for a home run.
2:19:06 He tried to recreate it right there.
2:19:08 >> Let's [music] recall, 2-0 green light at
2:19:10 its finest right there.
2:19:12 Blue light specials at Kmart, but that
2:19:13 was green light.
2:19:14 >> If we were [music] to count the banana
2:19:16 ball open, by the way,
2:19:18 that one goes outside. Kyle Martin had
2:19:20 two home runs there.
2:19:22 So, in full dexterity.
2:19:24 You like that word, tonight?
2:19:25 >> 2026.
2:19:30 >> Big swing, foul back. And it's a full
2:19:33 count with two outs. Massive payoff
2:19:35 pitch coming here for Javon.
2:19:43 Runner on first, Loopy going. Fouled it
2:19:45 back.
2:19:47 You see Zachary Bridges pound his glove
2:19:49 there again. If you
2:19:52 catch the foul tip in your glove
2:19:55 with two strikes, it would count as the
2:19:57 out.
2:19:58 That would have been a tough one for him
2:19:59 to bring in, but you see the
2:20:00 frustration.
2:20:01 Runner going. Adds a ball for Spreck.
2:20:03 Got away from ZB. Lopi could almost
2:20:06 easily score here. They are going to
2:20:08 send him. No!
2:20:10 Now they will cuz the ball got away from
2:20:12 Armando Becerra. Kyle Martin is running
2:20:14 all the way to third.
2:20:17 And that will be the fourth REI of the
2:20:20 night for Kyle Martin.
2:20:23 Wow! And a free bag ball for Spreck.
2:20:26 Wow!
2:20:27 And a pitching change here, too.
2:20:30 Javon Ray coming out. Brian Strapanier
2:20:33 coming in. It's the former Texas
2:20:35 Tailgater sent in here
2:20:38 in the top of the seventh with two outs
2:20:40 and a runner on third.
2:20:44 BK, as we know him here in Banana Land,
2:20:47 has been awfully good as a mid-season
2:20:50 signing, pretty much a mid-season
2:20:51 signing.
2:20:53 Right after the Banana Land at Sea
2:20:54 Cruise, BK was called up after Ron
2:20:57 Franklin's [music] injury
2:20:59 to come on in and fill another roster
2:21:00 spot. Now he is charged with coming in
2:21:02 here
2:21:04 to try and help the Firefighters get to
2:21:05 the bottom of the seventh inning.
2:21:07 Three runs have played in, just a tough
2:21:09 inning for Javon.
2:21:11 Tell you what's big here, too, Zack.
2:21:13 Getting a trick play or two to get that
2:21:15 out number three. You don't want to be
2:21:17 too aggressive,
2:21:18 but you can kind of afford it right now
2:21:20 already conceding three runs here in the
2:21:21 top of the inning. Run number four there
2:21:23 at third is not going to hurt you that
2:21:24 bad. Not at all, but two trick plays
2:21:27 could really [music] help tighten that
2:21:28 gap and make it 13, as it stands right
2:21:31 now, 13 to 9 the Tailgaters leading.
2:21:35 Barth stands, FANS. OH MY GOODNESS! A
2:21:40 FAN LEAPED out of his seat, had it in
2:21:43 his hands, and dropped it.
2:21:47 So, we play on.
2:21:49 I didn't mean to scare you at home with
2:21:50 that. I just scared me. I know, I did.
2:21:52 You jumped. Look at this.
2:21:55 Went through his hands.
2:21:56 >> Oh my gosh.
2:21:57 >> Yeah. Now you know why I screamed.
2:22:01 Thought we had just lost a fan for a
2:22:02 moment.
2:22:04 We did lose a fan, called foul ball, and
2:22:06 it is a 3-2 count.
2:22:11 Tailgaters have back-to-back innings
2:22:14 with three runs.
2:22:16 Barth
2:22:18 well over the head of Lamar Sparks,
2:22:20 who's playing in on ball four sprint.
2:22:21 Defense rolls all the way to the track.
2:22:24 Another run comes in. It's an RBI
2:22:26 double, the second of the night, second
2:22:28 in a row for JB.
2:22:30 >> Deja vu all over again, man.
2:22:32 Tailgaters
2:22:34 have played at 16 runs again tonight.
2:22:39 A night after they played at 18 here at
2:22:42 Truist Field.
2:22:45 >> There's some interesting offensive
2:22:47 statistics that I'm going to have to
2:22:49 calculate on the Firefighters' side.
2:22:51 Because what the Texas Tailgaters are
2:22:52 doing
2:22:54 on offense this weekend is just it's
2:22:57 immaculate, is what it is.
2:22:59 >> I mean, when you allow these guys to be
2:23:01 the away team, they get more at-bats,
2:23:03 more opportunity to score runs.
2:23:06 >> Justice to the stands. Fans, you got
2:23:08 something.
2:23:09 >> Nope.
2:23:12 >> Remember what we talked about coming
2:23:13 into the night?
2:23:14 For the Firefighters, you have to limit
2:23:16 the ball four sprints. Where did this
2:23:17 inning get away from them?
2:23:19 Ball four sprints.
2:23:24 Firefighters have played at eight runs
2:23:26 here, and they have not gotten to the
2:23:27 bottom of the seventh inning. That is
2:23:29 fair!
2:23:31 Taylor Justice down the line. A fifth
2:23:33 run in the inning is going to score.
2:23:35 Justice on his way to second.
2:23:38 Make it three doubles tonight for Taylor
2:23:40 Justice.
2:23:42 Wow.
2:23:46 And he now has three RBI tonight.
2:23:50 >> Firefighters before this inning had just
2:23:53 four ball four sprints in the game. They
2:23:55 have now issued four just in this inning
2:23:57 alone.
2:23:58 And the last two swings of the stick
2:24:01 have been the only two hits of the
2:24:02 frame, but they have been massive as now
2:24:05 it's five runs in the top of the
2:24:07 seventh.
2:24:15 Brother bouncer Mason all it went over
2:24:18 his glove.
2:24:19 >> [music]
2:24:19 >> Smoke.
2:24:20 Throw it home. BK cut it off.
2:24:24 Make it six in the frame for the
2:24:25 Tailgaters.
2:24:30 And now
2:24:32 Sunny
2:24:34 with two outs in an inning where the
2:24:36 Tailgaters have already plated six runs
2:24:39 will hit on the unicycle.
2:24:41 That RBI single from Jose brother
2:24:43 Gonzalez.
2:24:44 He stands at first. Sunshine this year
2:24:47 is four for eight
2:24:49 on the unicycle.
2:24:51 Including reaching on an error.
2:24:54 308 when you put all that together, but
2:24:57 hitting 500 while hitting on his
2:24:59 unicycle.
2:25:01 The inning has gotten away FROM THE
2:25:03 FIREFIGHTERS. SUNSHINE
2:25:06 DEEP LEFT FIELD LAMAR IS there to bring
2:25:10 it in. That is the farthest I've ever
2:25:12 seen Sunshine hit a ball on his
2:25:13 unicycle. I'm going to be honest with
2:25:15 you. We're playing on a football
2:25:17 stadium, that's leaving the yard.
2:25:19 My goodness.
2:25:21 Rex Castillo
2:25:23 Zack and I hear you have D-Max's best
2:25:25 friend.
2:25:26 >> We found D-Max's best friend Sharon King
2:25:28 a bunch of his family [music] and
2:25:30 friends are This is what it's all about
2:25:31 playing in front of family and friends
2:25:33 in your hometown. Sharon, has he talked
2:25:35 about being a pro ball player forever?
2:25:37 >> Always, his whole life Dakota has talked
2:25:40 about being a baseball player. Also
2:25:42 former baseball player at that. [music]
2:25:44 >> And then what about this? Is this you're
2:25:45 seeing him play in front of a sold-out
2:25:46 stadium here in Charlotte? How amazing
2:25:48 this to see?
2:25:49 >> It's very amazing. It's very
2:25:51 um I'm just love watching him what he do
2:25:54 best.
2:25:55 >> And real quick, we have time. Do you
2:25:56 have a real quick embarrassing story
2:25:57 about D-Mac that we can share?
2:26:00 >> Ask him to salsa dance.
2:26:02 >> So that's week. We have questions to
2:26:03 talk about, but hey, let's say let's
2:26:05 give a big wave, big energy. This is
2:26:06 what it's all about, guys. D-Mac,
2:26:07 [cheering] we found your best friend.
2:26:08 Back to you guys.
2:26:10 >> D-Mac does have friends. I'm one of
2:26:12 them. He's coming up to the plate here
2:26:14 in a little bit. Mason Maxwell is down
2:26:17 in the batter's box.
2:26:19 Jonathan Hughes back on the mound.
2:26:20 Tapper, Taylor Justice through the legs,
2:26:23 underhanded toss for the trick play.
2:26:25 Book it.
2:26:27 How about it? 14-9.
2:26:30 If the Tailgaters can get one more trick
2:26:32 play here in the inning, they can go
2:26:33 ahead and secure the equalizer point
2:26:35 right now. D-Mac, right after his
2:26:38 friends talk about him, goes into center
2:26:39 field for his first hit on the night.
2:27:24 Oh, it went off
2:27:32 How about THAT BRIDGES TO BRIDGES
2:27:34 CONNECTION?
2:27:36 C.P. JUST legged it all the way third
2:27:38 and it is a trick play missed, but boy
2:27:41 that was cool.
2:27:44 He just scored his younger brother back
2:27:47 in their home state.
2:27:49 Love banana ball and I love the Breakers
2:27:51 brothers.
2:27:55 Getting a lot of run cushion in this
2:27:57 inning for the Texas Tailgaters to play
2:27:58 with, but you don't want to do it
2:29:35 >> There's my body.
2:29:37 There's my body.
2:30:05 You are my boy.
2:30:13 This country
2:30:16 I was
2:30:17 so happy
2:30:33 I was so happy
2:30:35 I was so happy
2:30:39 I was so happy
2:30:42 I was so
2:30:45 I was so
2:30:49 I was so
2:30:51 I was
2:30:54 I was
2:33:24 >> Mhm.
2:39:09 >> Mhm.
2:41:04 >> Mhm.
2:44:54 >> Mhm.
2:46:49 >> Mhm.
2:50:39 >> Mhm.
2:55:53 >> [music]
2:56:01 [music]
2:56:18 [music]
2:56:24 >> Mhm.
2:56:37 >> [music]
2:56:42 [music]
2:57:13 [music]
2:57:22 [music]
2:57:28 [music]