Game #4: Stuttgart Reds 5 vs. East Europe All-Stars 3

180428 Reds EEA 0425Two errors that led to runs two runs and 12 runners left on base by East Europe proved to be the difference in the Stuttgart Reds’ 5-3 victory in Saturday’s second game.

The Reds got on the board first in the top of the first, when East Europe’s Vilius Paikovas walked in a run with the bases loaded and Yannick Witt scored on a wild pitch during the next at-bat, as the Reds took an early 2-0 lead. East Europe manufactured a run in the bottom of the first, when Norvydas Zukauskas led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, advanced to third on a fly out and Aliaksandr Lukashevich brought him home on a single through the right side.


In the top of the second inning, Fabi Beck doubled with two outs and advanced to third on a wild pitch. A botched pick off play at third base that resulted in an error allowed Beck to score easily and added another Reds run (3-1). East Europe countered in the bottom of the third, when Martynas Sadzevicius cashed in two on a double to left field.

But back-to-back singles with two outs in the top of the fourth put Frido Fink and Yannick Witt   on first and second, when Benedikt Schaffer came through with a single to right field, scoring Fink. During the next at-bat, Schaffer stole second and because of an error on the throw, Witt was able to score easily from third, giving Stuttgart a 5-3 lead that proved to be the game’s final score.

East Europe squandered opportunities with the bases loaded in both the bottom of the fifth and six innings. In the seventh, the All-Stars had runners on the corners with one out, but a fly out and a ground out ended the game.

Despite five walks and two hits allowed, Tomoya Kakita did not give up a run in his three innings of relief for Stuttgart, and he also recorded two strikeouts.

Beck had a team-high two hits for Stuttgart, while Mindaugas Strimaitis and Eimantas Dudulis' two hits paced East Europe. Sadzevicius led all batters in the game with two RBI.

Watch the gallery from our photographer Iris Drobny here