The Canberra Cavalry had no answer for Perth Heat pitcher Mike McClendon as they crashed to a whopping 11-0 loss in their Australian Baseball League game at the Narrabundah Ballpark on Thursday night.
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McClendon was simply outstanding for the Heat, giving up just four hits and recording seven strikeouts while throwing a complete game to improve his record to 4-1 for the season.
The loss drops the Cavalry (19-20) back below .500 for the season and leaves them fourth on the table as they chase a place in the top three to take part in the post-season.
Cavalry starting pitcher Brian Grening had a solid outing, conceding two earned runs and six hits and four strikeouts in six innings of work, but didn't get any help from his offence.
Relieving pitcher Ian Holland gave up two runs, while Sean Toler had a tough outing, giving up five runs in the ninth.
Errors by Cavalry second baseman Jason Sloan and catcher Robbie Perkins led to the Heat getting on the board in the fourth innings.
The Heat tacked on another run in the fifth on a ground out before former Major Leaguer Luke Hughes belted a double to score Joey Wong to increase the lead to 3-0.
The Cavalry stayed within touching distance of the Heat through the sixth and seventh innings as Grening and Holland kept the side in the game. But a three-run shot from Allan de San Miguel in the top of the eighth off Holland put the Heat in the box seat heading into the ninth.
The Heat tacked on five more runs as an insurance policy, San Miguel scoring two runs with a single and Jordan McDonald and Matt Kennelly also getting in on the act.
The Cavalry will be hoping to rediscover their red-hot hitting when they take on the Heat in game two on Friday at 7pm.
