This past weekend, with their MLB team out of town, Denver baseball fans were treated to an entirely new form of entertainment. For the first time, the Savannah Bananas came to Coors Field to do battle with the Firefighters and show Colorado sports enthusiasts their unique brand of ball.
Even as I first rolled up to the ballpark on Saturday, I could tell the day was going to be special. I arrived hours early to hit a pre-game bar crawl with my friends, and the line to enter the pre-event festivities was already wrapped around the block – a couple of times over. Once things kicked off proper, the stands were filled to the brim and buzzing with energy. It’s clear that the Bananas’ ideology of fan interaction and constant sights isn’t just talk, as nary a moment went by without a dance, song, stunt, or some such performance taking place.
The game itself was a lot. The concept of scoring points, as opposed to runs, was neat, if a little hard to conceptualize at first. The play on the field is really more of a backdrop to the spectacle of the event itself – there’s no doubt that the players on both teams have genuine baseball talent, but it seemed like the fans in attendance were just waiting for the next trick play, rather than having investment in the score of the game. That may not be true for everyone, of course, but it’s the vibe I got from the folks sitting around me.
And to be sure, the trick plays were great. Backflips in the outfield, pitching from the stretch in stilts, between-the-legs hops on throws to first – each were spectacular. It really makes you wonder how much practice goes into nailing these wacky plays down. They were (mostly) performed to perfection and were a fun sight every time.
Brockton, Mass., August 16, 2023: Bananas Brandon Stilts Sherman gets a hit as the Savannah Bananas take on the Party Animals at Campanelli Stadium on August 16, 2023 in , Brockton, MA. (Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images) MediaNews Group via Getty Images
The actual game-watching experience was…a lot. I certainly enjoyed the pageantry of the event, but found it to be a bit overstimulating at times. I’m not kidding when I say that there was never a moment without music, players dancing, or some sort of event happening – usually, a combination of all three. This was a little much for me at times and I wasn’t totally sure where my attention was meant to be drawn. I’m sure that’s a me thing more than it is anything the Bananas were doing, but I felt it was relevant to share.
It’s for that reason that I was grateful for the timer. From the moment of first pitch, a timer of two hours starts counting down and stops for nothing, so the game will either end when nine innings have passed or when the timer expires. I think that two-hour timeframe is perfect; I was pretty cashed out after that and wasn’t sure how up for more I’d be.
It was fantastic seeing some familiar faces, such as legendary Rockies Vinny Castilla and Ubaldo Jiménez, to former Rockies Minor League talent (did you know Correlle Prime is a former Yard Goat?). These cameos were a total blast and elicited a huge ovation from the crowd. They were without question my favorite part of the event and worth the price of admission alone, in my opinion.
Overall, the event was a blast. There was so much energy, excitement, and positivity from everyone within the confines of Coors for the entirety of the day, and I’m glad I got to experience it. While I’m not sure I’d be able to handle a full 162-game schedule of Banana Ball, I’m really happy to have seen the TikTok videos come to life in my favorite ballpark and be one of the 50,000+ fans that were there on Saturday.
Speaking of those fans, I have one final observation. Multiple times throughout the night, folks around me would make a similar statement – one that I found really potent:
“If only the Rockies were like this.”
Now, I think we need to temper our expectations a bit. It makes sense that a special attraction such as the Bananas would draw well during their quick two-day stay, especially when it’s their first time coming to the Mile High City. Still, it was fascinating to feel the stadium so full of life. Usually that kind of electricity is reserved for Opening Day or the odd firework game – or maybe when the Cubs are in town.
Look, I love the Rockies. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have been writing here for five years, after all. But it’s a fact that their attendance figures continue to trend down, and they’re likely to finish 2025 out of the top ten most-attended teams for the first time since 2007. Should the success of the Savannah Bananas game send Dick Monfort into hysterics? Probably not, but if nothing else, it’s indicative of a city that still loves baseball and wants to cheer for a team.
The Rockies don’t need to start doing backflips in the outfield (though I’m sure Brenton Doyle possesses the athletic ability to do so). They’re a completely different kind of organization from the Bananas, and I recognize the difference in both playstyle and talent. Still, it was nice to spend time at Coors Field with fans that were genuinely invested in the team’s success.
That’s a feeling I’ve missed.
Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes 12, Oklahoma City Comets 4
It was a hit barrage in OKC as the Isotopes amassed 16 knocks en route to a big win. Sterlin Thompson and Michael Toglia each recorded three hits, while Braiden Ward and Drew Romo led the run-scoring attack with three RBI apiece. Every ‘Topes hitter got at least one base hit. On the mound, Gabriel Hughes threw 4 1/3 innings of one-run ball, while Carson Palmquist allowed three runs in 1 1/3 frames.
Double-A: Harrisburg Senators 4, Hartford Yard Goats 2
The Yard Goats could muster just four hits in opposition to the Senators as they took the loss on Wednesday. Benny Montgomery’s two hits and Zach Kokoska’s homer were the sole offensive highlight for Hartford, who got strong pitching performances from McCade Brown and Mason Green before Bryce McGowan’s three runs in two innings eventually allowed Harrisburg to claim the victory.
High-A: Vancouver Canadians 6, Spokane Indians 5
Blake Wright’s four-hit game wasn’t quite enough as Spokane managed to get the tying run on base, but couldn’t quite get the last big hit they needed as they fell short against Vancouver. The Indians managed to fight in the bottom of the ninth, scoring three runs and nearly overcoming a 6-2 deficit, but a base running error by Max Belyeu helped snuff out what may have been a winning rally.
Low-A: Fresno Grizzlies 14, Stockton Ports 7
There was plenty of offense to go around in Wednesday’s late game, which saw the Grizzlies tally 15 hits. Wilder Dalis had a great day at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three runs scored and four RBI. Roynier Hernandez and Derek Bernard each collected three hits as well. Justin Loer got the win after tossing three frames of one-run ball in relief of starter Manuel Olivares, who allowed two runs in four innings.
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