The Bananas won their seventh straight at home in a rain-shortened Salute the Troops night at Grayson Stadium. Savannah beat the Martinsville Mustangs 4-2 in front of their 14th straight sold out crowd.
The 3rd Infantry Division Band out of Fort Stewart performed the National Anthem and Hunter Army Airfield’s Garrison Commander, LTC Kenneth Dwyer, threw the first pitch.
The Mustangs led-off the first inning with a hit and put the Bananas in an early deficit by getting one run across. Bananas starting pitcher Bryan Cruse (RHP Memphis) settled in shutting down the Mustangs until the top of the seventh.
The Bananas rallied past the Mustangs in the bottom of the third inning. LJ Talley (IF Georgia) started the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a Mustangs error that saw Utah Jones (SS UNC) also reach safely. Both runners scored on Matt Pita’s (OF VMI) double to deep left field.
Following a routine inning for the Bananas’ defense, the offense found more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Anthony Brocato (OF St. John’s University) reached on a walk with the Bananas down to their last out. Talley singled allowing Brocato to advance to third. Jacob Southern pushed both runners across with a line drive single to centerfield that capped the two-out rally.
The four runs proved to be enough to hold off the Mustangs. The opposing team managed to plate one more in the top of the seventh to cut into the lead, but an isolated thunderstorm ended any chance of a comeback by washing out the game during the bottom of the seventh.
This marks the Banana’s seventh straight win at home going into the three game All Star break. The Bananas are 3-1 in the second half of the season setting up for a playoff push.
The Bananas’ first game back will be a seven-inning game against the Lexington County Blowfish. Less than 200 tickets remain.