Despite quite some investments on players, the Sydney Blue Sox remain the only team in the ABL that hasn’t played for the Claxton Shield yet. In the third and decisive game, two disastrous innings were the omen of the upcoming defeat by the Perth Heat (11-6). The Brisbane Bandits didn’t have an easy game vs the Canberra Cavalry as they had to go deep to win 9-5.
In the first two innings, it was shell shooting for the Perth Heat with Craig Anderson on the mound for Sydney. In 1.1 innings Anderson gave up eight runs on six hits and two walks. Not that he gave up many extra base hits but he somewhat struggled with his control as he walked two, hit a batter with a pitch and threw a wild pitch. Add Perth’s 6 for 11 with RISP and the 10-2 lead after two innings is explained.
Sydney fought their way back into the game as they totaled for six runs, but the eleven runs Perth scored were too much to overcome.
From the Dutch perspective, Dwayne Kemp did what he could as he went 2 for 3. Sam Kennelly played at first base but went 0 for 3
The Brisbane Bandits trailed for the biggest part of the game but eventually, Canberra blew a 5-3 lead in the seventh inning which appeared too much to overcome.
A four-run seventh inning by the Bandits gave the team from Brisbane a decisive lead. An inning later the team scored two insurance runs which proved not to be necessary as the Cavalry failed to score any more runs.
Loek van Mil made an appearance for Brisbane as he pitched 2.2 innings in which he surrendered one run on a solo home run by David Candilas. Van Mil struck out three and gave up an intentional walk. For Van Mil, it will be his second ABL Championship Series. He played with Adelaide for the Claxton Shield in 2016 vs the Brisbane Bandits. For Brisbane, it will be its fourth in a row as they will aim for a fourth straight championship.
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