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Team Australia claims walk-off win in All-Star Game

Baseball Victoria
23 December 2016

For the second year in a row, Team Australia has recorded an epic come from behind walk off win to claim honours in the ABL All-Star Game, presented by Boral.

When Melbourne's Ronald Acuna slapped the first pitch of the ballgame into the right-centre alley for a double, it looked like we were in for a night of offense but it was pitching that again dominated the Australian Baseball League's showcase game.

Despite two hits in the first innings, including Acuna's lead-off double, The World All-Stars had to wait until the fourth before they'd open the scoring. 

Back-to-back walks to Mike Reeves and Stone Garrett brought Brisbane's Kevin Padlo to the plate with one away and when Padlo turned on a ball to deep left field scoring Reeves from third, we had our first run of the ballgame.

Team Australia's first hit came from the bat of Mitch Nilsson in the third but when Keisuke Honda threw multiple walks in the sixth, Team Australia was threatening for the first time of the night.

With the bases loaded, Honda's night was done and the ball was handed to his Melbourne Aces teammate Shogo Noda. 

Ahead in the count, Noda, known for his mix of pitches, threw a breaking ball to Team Australia's Mitch Dening. The ball got away from replacement catcher Hitoto Komazuki allowing Kyle Perkins to score and level things up at 1-1.

That's how the game would remain until Trent D'Antonio (quickly becoming Team Australia's ASG walk-off specialist) singled with two-out in the bottom of the ninth, just Australia's second hit of the night.

A pitch in the dirt allowed the Blue Sox infielder to advance to second and when Stefan Welch singled to right field, D'Antonio was able to score, sealing another walk-off win for Team Australia.

In 2015 it was D'Antonio with the winning hit, this year he was the winning run.

No surprises as to the game's MVP with Adelaide's Stefan Welch given the award after his last inning heroics.

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