Negros snatch first win

The Negros Roosters defeated the Makati Mariners, 10-4, to get their first victory in the Baseball Philippines Pilot Series at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

After losing to Cebu last week, 9-4, Negros now shares a tie with the Manila-Harbour Centre Sharks with identical 1-1 record, while the Mariners drop to 1-2 but still in fourth place, ahead of Laguna, for the final slot in the semifinals.

Negros will play Laguna this Sunday at 9AM while the Mariners go up against Laguna on June 24, in a possible crucial matchup for both squads, which would depend on the Tigers’ performance against the Roosters.

Cebu enters semis

The Cebu Dolphins became the first team to enter the semifinals of the Baseball Philippines Pilot Series with a 9-5 win over the Laguna Tigers at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

The Dolphins got on the board as early as the second inning, scoring five runs for a 5-0 advantage, and overcame a three-run sixth showing by the Tigers to reach the semis with a clean record of 3-0.

The loss dropped Laguna to 0-2, the fifth and last team in the current standings.

Jordan Orobia helped Cebu get its first run, on a double to left that scored Korean Jeung Sun, who got a hit in a previous at-bat and reached second on a passed ball.

S Rosales added two runs on a double to center that score Orobia and Roldan Bacarisas, while Darwin dela Calsada drove in Rosales, who scored from second, for the Dolphins’ fourth run. Miggy Corcuera then ended the damage on a double to left field that put home Jonas Ponce.

Starter Joseph Orillana (2-0, 0.00 ERA) had another strong outing on the mound, allowing only four hits and recorded two strikeouts before he was pulled down in the fifth inning.

Laguna made a comeback trail in the sixth, at the time when Orillana was moved to left field in place of Jeung. The Tigers scored its first run after Christopher Jimenez reached home plate on an Alejandro Velasquez single to right.

The highlight of that inning came from Denver Largo, as he made a triple from right center as Velasquez scored from second, while Sofronio de Juras came all the way from first after a hit-by-pitch to cut the margin to 5-3.

However, Cebu scored two runs each in the eighth and ninth innings to put the lead to 9-3. Laguna, on the other hand, made a minor comeback with two runs before the Dolphins closed the game.

The Dolphins will look to end the elimination round unbeaten when it tackles with Manila on Sunday at 1PM, while Laguna hopes to win their first game with a 9AM match with the Negros Roosters also on the same day.

UST wins PABA Youth championship

University of Sto. Tomas put an end to a possible third game in the afternoon by thumping Rizal Technological University, 6-4, to win the PABA Youth baseball title at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

The Tigers scored three runs in the third and fourth innings even as they got another strong relief effort by Jonjon Robles to end RTU’s charge in the fifth and sixth innings to seal a sweep of the best-of-three championship series.

Robles, who started the game as the designated hitter, came in relief for starter Julius Gerona with no outs and a runner on second base in the sixth inning, picking up the save along with 10 strikeouts and allowed only one hit.

Ace Baquiran drove-in leftfielder Loreto Manalo from third base to score UST’s first run in the top half of the third frame.

Manalo walked, then reached second on a sacrifice bunt by rightfielder Loudemer Varilla, and went to third on a throwing error by RTU hurler Joey Sta. Maria, before Baquiran’s key hit.

Two runs were scored in the following inning, as Haruta Estanislao drilled a triple to rightfield to score catcher Jake Cumlat. A wild pitch by Sta Maria against Manalo scored Estanislao for a 3-0 lead.

But RTU scored two runs in the fifth inning to cut the margin to 3-2, on a triple by shortstop Jerome Bacarisas to score Joaquin Jover from first, followed by a Christian de Leon single that sent home Bacarisas.

UST though answered in the next inning with three runs for a 6-2 lead. Jake Cumlat hit a single to score Alden Lozada from third. A sacrifice fly by Israel Ona scored Robles for the second run of the inning before right-handed hitting first baseman Song Wang Chun nailed an opposite hit double off the right field fence to drove-in Cumlat.

But the Technocrats slashed the margin back to two runs as Mark Remigio and Jamel Peralta scored on an error by Song after making a bad throw to Baquiran in hopes of putting out Peralta at second.

At that time, Robles already was pitching in relief but Remigio’s run is credited to Gerona while Peralta’s run is unearned.

The reigning UAAP MVP and multi-time Best Pitcher awardee then settled down after giving up a hit by retiring the final 10 batters that includes a streak of six consecutive strikeouts at one point before forcing Bacarisas to fly out to centerfielder Jerby Diego to seal the championship.

UST capped off its second title win in over three months, following their conquest of the UAAP baseball plum last March.

PINOY BASEBALL BLOG Player of the Week

PABA Youth Baseball – Jonjon Robles (University of Sto. Tomas)

In UST’s late charge to beat RTU in Game 1 of the PABA Youth baseball, the Golden Sox won on late hitting. But, credit must go to the team’s pitching, and Robles had a lot to do with it.

In the first two innings, UST started Korean hurler Song Chun Wang but cost to team to surrender four runs in the first to trail early. After a short trip to the mound by Miko Saito, it became a stage for Robles to put on a show.

He struck out 16 batters, retiring 11 of the last 13 and at point had six consecutive K’s. The crucial thing here was that it helped the Golden Sox get back in the contest while keeping the Technocrats silent on offense.

By the ninth inning, Robles retired the final three hitters he faced in 5 1/3 innings to take the win, and a game away from capturing the PABA title.

Baseball Philippines – Jonjon Robles (Makati Mariners)

How about an encore for the reigning UAAP MVP?

A day after his PABA Youth performance, he donned the neon green colors of the Makati Mariners in the Baseball Philippines Pilot Series, and once again led a team to a win via a relief appearance, this time against the Manila Sharks.

After the Sharks tied the contest at 4-4 with two outs, and with Nino Tator on second, in the sixth inning, Makati coach Jeffrey Santiago pulled starter Roel Batuto in place of Robles.

What happened next? Robles struck out Rommel Roja to end the side.

That crucial putout gave the Mariners the momentum in the seventh inning, scoring three runs to retake the lead, 7-4.

Robles then went back to finish the job, retiring eight of final 11 batters to finish with seven strikeouts (the official statistics had six) to be recorded as the winning pitcher.

It was a good recovery for the 21-year old a week after he was named as the losing pitcher in their loss to Cebu in the tournament opener.

Cebu thrashes Negros to post 2-0 start

The Cebu Dolphins opened the game with a three-run first inning, and never looked back to record their second consecutive win, defeating the debuting Negros Roosters, 9-4, in the Baseball Philippines Pilot Series at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium

Manuel Bacarisas opened the scoring with a double to score leadoff hitter Fulgencio Rances, who singled and reached second on a passed ball prior to the run.

Centerfielder Jonas Ponce followed it up with a single to score Bacarisas which then led to first baseman Miggy Corcuera duplicate the previous scenario by putting Ponce home from second, following a stolen base, for a 3-0 lead.

Cebu added three runs in the third as Corcuera singled to right field scoring Bacarisas from second. Right fielder Joseph Orillana added another run on a double to centerfield, scoring Ponce from third.

It was followed by third baseman Anthony Olaybar’s single to score Corcuera from third, who hustling all the way from first in the previous at-bat, for a commanding 6-1 lead.

The Dolphins would then add two runs in the fourth and one more in the eighth.

Starter Darwin Dela Calzada (1-0, 1.80 ERA) allowed only one run through four innings, but surrended three earned runs in the fifth. However, he was still named as the winning pitcher after being pulled out in the fifth inning.

The Roosters struggled but made some interesting showing in the fifth with a three-run barrage.

Negros scored its second run on a Gary Ejercito’s run-scoring single to right field. Junifer Binarao gave the Roosters’ its third run on a one-bagger, droving-in Ejercito from third. A fielder’s choice on Virgilio Roxas scored Jerry Estanislao to cut the lead 8-4.

Joey Guerrero (0-1) was pulled after all three Cebu batters, earning three runs.

Bacarisas and Rances each had four hits and scored two and three runs, respectively. Ponce had two hits in five at-bats with three RBI’s.

Negros’ Rommel Maniago had three hits in four at-bats while Guerrero had two hits.

Makati edges Manila for first win

The Makati Mariners blew an early 4-1 lead but scored three go-ahead runs in the seventh inning to preserve a 7-4 win over the Manila Sharks in the Baseball Philippines Pilot Series at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

The Sharks tied the contest at 4-4 in the bottom of the sixth inning after Rex Bangayan scored from second following a wild pitch to Nino Tator. But, the Mariners reclaim the lead in the seventh, beginning with a single by Ace Baquiran that scored Israel Ona for a 7-6 lead.

Ona reached first on a fielder’s choice and went to third on a double by Hidalgo.

Following Ona’s run, centerfielder Aldren Lozada launched a single to left field, scoring Wilfredo Hidalgo from second. Third baseman Edelmer Servo, then singled to right that drove Baquiran home from third, upping the lead to three runs.

Makati also got helped from relief pitcher Jonjon Robles, after he came in with two outs in the sixth inning.

With Tator at second base, following the game-tying run, Robles struck out Rommel Roja to end the inning.

Robles (1-1, 1.10 ERA) then retired eight of the final 11 batters he faced to record seven strikeouts for the win. He earned the win after starter Ruel Batuto was grilled with four walks and six hits allowed in 5 1/3 innings of work.

The win gave Makati its first victory, tying Manila for second in the standings with identical 1-1 records.

The Mariners draw first blood in the first, scoring two runs in the process. Lozada hit a triple scoring Jake Cumlat from second and Hidalgo all the way from first base for a 2-0 lead.

They add two more runs in the second as second baseman Marc Castillo made a two-runs scoring double that put home first baseman Jerby Diego and Cumlat home for a 4-1 advantage.

Manila scored one run in the first on a Tator single to left to score Galledo. In the third, Tator added another run for the Sharks as he drove home second baseman Jake Ilao from second.

In the fourth, Ilao reached base on an error by Makati shortstop Christian Canlas, scoring designated hitter Richard Leonor from third, cutting the margin to 4-3.

Losing pitcher Romeo Jasmin (0-1, 3.60 ERA) allowed three runs for Manila in a five-inning outing, including two earned in the deciding seventh. He replaced starter Joseph Alvindo (0-0, 9.00 ERA) in the third after giving up four earned runs in the first two frames.

Makati takes on Negros at 1:00 PM next Sunday while Manila battles Cebu on June 17 in the afternoon.

UST comes from behind to steal Game 1

University of Sto. Tomas scored four runs in the eighth inning, to snitch a victory away from Rizal Technological University, 9-6, in Game 1 of the PABA Youth baseball tournament finals at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

The Tigers gave away four runs as early as the first inning and were on the verge of suffering an upset loss in the series opener. But, UST clawed their way back by scoring seven runs in the final three innings, which include the crucial four-run rally in the eighth.

With the win, UST can wrap up the series with a victory next Saturday at 9AM. But, if RTU wins Game 2, a third-and-deciding game will be played at 1PM on the same day to settle the championship.

Trailing 6-5 entering the eighth frame, UST tied the game on one of the rare occurrences in the tournament as pinch-hitter Haruta Estanislao hit a solo home-run off the left field fence and into the bleachers, leveling the match, 6-6.

Following the homer, Jerby Diego walked, and was followed by an Israel Ona single, putting runners on first and second. Jonjon Robles then flied-out to shortstop Jesse Bacarisas for the first out.

But, Ace Baquiran drilled a base-hit to second base, sending a hobbling Diego home for the lead, 7-6.

Michael Zapanta then grounded to Bacarisas, but his attempted throw to catcher Manuel Anguluan at home plate came late as pinch-runner Argel Casulhay scored for an 8-6 lead.

Later, Jake Cumlat tagged-in Baquiran for the final score on a sacrifice fly to center.

That put UST into a comfortable situation entering the ninth inning as Robles, who relieved Mike Saito in the third inning, struck out all three batters he faced in the said inning to finish the game.

It was Robles who put stability on the mound for UST, after a poor two inning performance by starter Song Chun Wang, and a short outing for Saito. The reigning UAAP Most Valuable Player recorded 16 strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings of work in relief, allowing only a run.

From the first five innings, it was RTU was had the upper hand as they rattled Song as early as the first two at-bats, when Bacarisas went for a triple, scoring leftfielder Joaquin Jover, who hit a single, all the way from first.

First baseman Jerry Balba then sent Bacarisas home on a single, setting up a double by second baseman Javyee Raymond Jarme, scoring Balba. A passed ball by Song led to Jarme hustling all the way from second for a four-run first.

Their last run came in the fifth when Jarme sent Balba, who reached second on a two-base hit, to home plate on a single for a 6-2 lead.

Since then, RTU went silent at the plate as Robles retired 11 of the final 13 batters, and at point, fanned six consecutive Technocrats.

UST reduced the lead to 6-4 in the sixth on a bases-loaded, two-RBI single by Diego scoring Song and Aldren Lozada. In the seventh, Song grounded out but scored Cumlat from third to cut the margin to one.