EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) \u2014 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.<\/p>\n
There was a familiar face back in El Paso.<\/p>\n
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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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Martin\u2019s blast helped the Tailgaters win the opening inning and take a 1-0 lead over The Firefighters.<\/p>\n
The showman of the game was Texas Tailgaters pitcher Chris Clarke.<\/p>\n
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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.<\/p>\n
The Tailgaters went on to defeat The Firefighters 2-1 in the first Banana Ball game ever played in El Paso.<\/p>\n
The two teams will meet again Saturday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Southwest University Park.<\/p>\n
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