Australian Baseball League - 2023/2024

[Ro Mueller]

RHP Sam Gardner (#21 in yellow) chalked up another 5 Ks today, earning the win in Brisbane’s come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Melbourne.

 

[Ro Mueller]

Brisbane and Melbourne split their doubleheader for the second straight day, with Brisbane taking the opener 3-2 (highlights above) and Melbourne winning the latter game 11-6.

• 1B Tayden Hall has his average up to .280: 2-for-6 day with a walk and run scored
• RHP Sam Gardner kept his ERA at 0.00 in earning the win: 2.1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 5 Ks
• RHP Brian Fitzpatrick was roughed up in his start (ERA now 4.01): 3.2 IP, 5 R, 3 H, 2 BB, 5 Ks

It's a log-jam atop the standings, with Brisbane among four teams at 14-9, 14-10 or 13-10. 

[Ro Mueller]

1B Tayden Hall has really turned things around after a slow start, while RHP Sam Gardner remains unhittable. On Friday, Brisbane defeated Sydney 9-7. Box score.

- Hall - 2-for-3, double, 2 walks, RBI (.294 AVG)
- Gardner - 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 Ks (0.00 ERA)

Catch Hall’s (jersey #48) double and one of Gardner’s (jersey #21) Ks in the video highlights. 

 

[Ro Mueller]

Brisbane split yet another doubleheader this morning, dropping the opener to Sydney 2-1 and winning the second game behind LHP Brian Fitzpatrick’s bounce back performance 6-2.

- Fitzpatrick (Win) - 5 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 3 Ks
- 1B Tayden Hall - combined 4-for-7 (all singles, though benefitting from some poor defense), walk, 2 RBIs

Here are some video highlights from the victory - easy to spot the 6'7" southpaw Fitzpatrick within the clips: 

 

[Jim Goulart]

The Brewers have to be thrilled with the performances of their three entries in the Australian League:

Up-to-date Brisbane stats page:

Links below for MiLB Player Pages -

1B Tayden Hall, still 20 years old for a couple more weeks - .315/.396/.435 (92 AB's)

LH Starter Brian Fitzpatrick, 3.34 ERA through seven starts, 29.2 IP, 8 BB, 36 K

RH reliever Sam Gardner, 0.00 ERA through eight appearances, 15.2 IP, 4 H, 5 BB, 36 K

[Ro Mueller]

On New Year's Eve, Brisbane won their series finale over Sydney 3-1 in extra innings. Box score. Gardner was a key contributor once again:

• RHP Sam Gardner - 1.2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 1 K (0.00 ERA)
• 1B Tayden Hall - 1-for-4, run scored (.313 AVG)

With a record of 17-11, Brisbane sits one game behind first place Adelaide and a half game ahead of third place Perth, with about 12 games remaining on the season.

[Jim Goulart]

Box Score

1B Tayden Hall 1-for-3 (single), .313 AVG, .813 OPS, 99 AB's.

RHP Sam Gardner a scoreless 8th inning for the hold, striking out three (of course), and maintaining his 0.00 ERA. He K'd old friend Alex Hall to begin the inning, then allowed a walk and single (now 1st and 2nd), before two more K's.

Team Stats

Gardner is now 4-0 in ten relief appearances, 0.00 ERA (as noted), 1 SV, 18.1 IP, 6 H, 6 BB, 40 K.

 

[Jim Goulart]

See two strike 3's from Sam Gardner at the 01:37 minute mark here - 

 

[Jim Goulart]

One more note on Sam Gardner - this latest effort was on his 27th birthday!

Indy ball signee catching up on his MLB timeline...love that he's getting his opportunity and rewarding Brewers scouts for it.

[Jim Goulart]

First baseman Tayden Hall 0-for-3 with a walk, but in what is considered good news, no Brewers pitched!

 

[Jim Goulart]

On Saturday in Australia, Brisbane only mustered three hits in a 4-0 loss (Box Score)

1B Tayden Hall 0-for-3 (one K), .295 AVG, .375 OBP, .400 SLG, 105 AB's (.775 OPS)

LHP Brian Fitzpatrick had a fine start - 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 6 K, you'll see his numbers through eight starts at the link below.

Team Stats

Brian Fitzpatrick got the call to start for Brisbane and, as he has been all season, was terrific through five innings of work, punching out six Heat batters while only giving up three hits along the way. The only blemish on his night came in the top of the 5th after Heat first baseman Jake Bowey threaded a line drive through the middle of the field into center. Fitzpatrick hit the next batter, Raudelis Martinez, but got Nehomar Ochoa Jr. to ground into a double play and it looked like he would get out of the jam. But Carlos Sanchez slashed a 2-1 fastball down the left field line for a triple, scoring Bowey and giving the Heat a 1-0 lead.

Over 30 seconds of Fitzpatrick mound highlights begin at the 15-second mark here:

 

[Joseph Zarr]

You have to love the work we're seeing from all three of these young men. Let's hope this is a springboard for breakout seasons across the board! Thanks for the continued updates, gents. Always wonderful to have the leg work done so we can get the click and update at our fingertips.

[Jim Goulart]

The Brisbane Bandits qualified for the postseason with a 14-6 win.

1B Tayden Hall was 1-for-4 and this blast came late and capped the scoring:

 

[Jim Goulart]

Gardner:

 

[Jim Goulart]

Brisbane broke a 3-3 tie with three runs in the top of the 8th and would post a 7-4 victory (box score).

More goodness for the Brew Crew, as 1B Tayden Hall, 2-for-4, 2 RBI, reached base three times (double, single, walk).

RHP Sam Gardner did Sam Gardner things with a perfect 9th for his second save (two K's).

Team Stats

Through 113 AB's, Hall's line is .301/.385/.434 (.819 OPS).

Gardner, well you know the story line, 12 relief appearances with a 0.00 ERA (has not given up an unearned run, either), 4-0, 21 IP, 6 H, 6 BB, 45 K.

Look for Hall at the 26-second mark (single) in the glorious bright yellow top, and at 45 seconds (double). One minute, 52 seconds for a nasty Gardner curve ball to end the game.

 

[Jim Goulart]

1B Tayden Hall 0-for-3 with a walk in Brisbane’s 4-3 loss Friday (box).

[Jim Goulart]

1 hour ago, Mass Haas said:

1B Tayden Hall 0-for-3 with a walk in Brisbane’s 4-3 loss Friday (box).

By the way, Happy 21st Birthday to Tayden Hall today!

[Jim Goulart]

Brisbane swept a twinbill Sunday at Canberra by 5-2 and 4-2 scores. Box scores not available quite yet:

The full-blown doubleheader write-up is here, with excerpts below.

Game One:

"On the bump, manager Shayne Watson turned to starter Brian Fitzpatrick, about as much a sure thing as the Bandits have. As the big lefty has done all season, Fitzpatrick delivered. After a 1-2-3 first inning, Fitzpatrick did run into a bit of trouble in the 2nd, issuing a lead off walk to Junpei Azuma, one of three free passes issued by the starter. Robbie Perkins, who has been terrific for the Cavalry all season, followed up the walk with a deep drive to left for a two-run homerun. But that would be all the offense Canberra would muster as Fitzpatrick settled in for another 2 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball before turning things over to Carter Hope, who worked another 2 1/3 scoreless to keep things in reach for the offense.

They finally did in the top of the 6th. Tayden Hall led off with a single, followed by a double from Andrew Campbell to put runners in scoring position. A wild pitch with Hyungchan Um at the plate allowed Hall to scamper home, before Um dumped a single into center, which brought in Campbell, and the Bandits were back in the lead. They added another run in the inning on a series of Canberra miscues. Um made his way to second on a wild pitch, then managed to score on a bad throw on a routine ground ball to third baseman Harry Fullerton and the Bandits had a 4-2 advantage.

While the pitching staff held the Canberra offense to goose eggs, Hall added a little insurance in the top of the 7th with an opposite field solo blast, his third home run of the season, and the Bandits would find themselves back in second place going into the afternoon game."

Look for Fitzpatrick 21 seconds in here:

Game Two:

"And it would stay that way (2-2) through seven innings, after Canberra closer Kosei Naito got Brisbane 1-2-3 and Bandits reliever Sam Gardner punched out three Cavalry to close out regulation."

Well, of course Gardner K'd the side! He would subsequently get the win.

"The Bandits will fly home knowing that their fate in the playoffs is entirely in their hands and they have a chance to close out the season in front of the Brisbane faithful."

The Gardner show begins at the 01:24 minute mark here:

Gardner on the season, 5-0, 0.00 ERA, 22 IP, 6 H, 6 BB, 48 K (!)

[Joseph Zarr]

My baseball gods Gardner is just FEASTING in Australia. This is exactly what you dream of seeing for a guy his age: dominating and passing Levels of Competition. It's just hard to put into words what we're seeing since he settled down in High-A Wisconsin. He scuffled very early in his tenure as he adjusted to an affiliated environment, but as he got his feet wet he eventually worked his way into the set-up and close-it-out stables with RHP Tanner Shears and RHP Shane Smith. He became even more crucial in that role after Smith's late season call up to Biloxi.

I think it is fair to say he is making it near impossible for the organization to not promote him to the Shuckers bullpen before the affiliated season starts. Just incredible stuff.

[Jim Goulart]

Read about the home field playoff implications and such in the game wrap here.

[Jim Goulart]

Whoa, tough series thus far vs. the Adelaide Giants. Doubleheader, Game One: 17-2 loss (box, no Brewers pitched)

Tayden Hall, 0-for-3 

***

Game Two (6-3 loss, box)

Hall 1-for-3 with a K, and the hit was of the long variety:

LHP Brian Fitzpatrick's start: 4 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR

RH reliever Sam Gardner finally has a non-zero ERA (0.40), he faced three batters - struck out the 1st man, struck out the 3rd, but surrendered a home run in between. Shocking, we know - love that he immediately fanned the next batter.

[Jim Goulart]

Tayden Hall got some recognition in Fangraphs' weekly column today - I took the liberty of updating the batting line with the latest:

"Tayden Hall is slashing .296/.378/.474 with five home runs in 156 plate appearances for the ABL’s Brisbane Bandits. The recently-turned-21-year-old first baseman/catcher in the Milwaukee Brewers system had a 121 wRC+ this past season between the Arizona Complex League and Low-A Carolina."

[Jim Goulart]

In the ABL, there are six teams and the top four make the playoffs in the quest of the best-named championship trophy in sports, the Claxton Shield.

The 40-game regular season concluded last night, and Brisbane lost their 4th straight, 11-5, to a dominant Adelaide squad. The Bandits slipped out of second place on Friday and will be on the road visiting old friend Alex Hall and Perth in the league best-of-three semifinal.

Regular-season champ Adelaide, 29-11, finished with a run differential of +132, wow. Brisbane finished 22-18 (standings).

Tayden Hall started all 40 games at first base for Brisbane. You'll find final stats for he, LHP Brian Fitzpatrick, and RHP Sam Gardner here.

Playoffs start later this coming week, we'll provide details.

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jim Goulart]