EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Banana Ball officially made its debut in El Paso on Friday night as the Texas Tailgaters faced off against The Firefighters at Southwest University Park.
There was a familiar face back in El Paso.
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Kyle Martin, who played for the El Paso Chihuahuas during the 2022 season, returned to the Sun City as a member of the Texas Tailgaters.
Martin gave fans a memorable moment early in the game. Wearing a Chihuahuas jersey, he launched a two-run home run to right field in the bottom of the first inning.
In Banana Ball, innings are scored differently than traditional baseball. Each inning is worth one point, and the team that scores more runs in that inning earns the point.
Martin’s blast helped the Tailgaters win the opening inning and take a 1-0 lead over The Firefighters.
The showman of the game was Texas Tailgaters pitcher Chris Clarke.
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Clarke delivered a standout performance on the mound, pitching five innings while recording five strikeouts. One of the biggest moments came in the fifth inning when he struck out a batter using a trick pitch, energizing the crowd at Southwest University Park.
The Tailgaters went on to defeat The Firefighters 2-1 in the first Banana Ball game ever played in El Paso.
The two teams will meet again Saturday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Southwest University Park.
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