Manila clouters bag
top slot in playoffs

MANILA clinched the top seeding in the playoffs of Baseball Philippines’ Series 3 yesterday, repulsing Forward Taguig with key hits and solid pitching for a 6-4 victory at the Rizal Baseball Stadium.

Nino Tator batted in three runs, including a two-run double in the seventh inning, as the Sharks turned a 2-3 deficit into a 5-3 lead en route to their ninth win in 10 games for the No. 1 spot in the next round.

Charlie Labrador, who sat out Manila’s scary 9-8 triumph over Makati last Saturday, yielded 10 hits in nine complete innings but made crucial strike outs and putouts in the late innings to help preserve the lead–and the win–for the Series 2 runners-up.

"It was a combination of scoring timely runs and pitching solidly in the late innings," said Jhoel Palanog, team manager of the Harbour Centre-backed Manila squad.

"We rested Labrador yesterday (Saturday) for this game and he delivered," added Palanog.

The Sharks’ win snapped the Patriots’ six-game win run in the Community Sports Inc.-organized league.

Taguig dropped to 6-4, enabling Cebu to regain second place with a 6-3 slate.

In the second game, Batangas blanked fellow expansion team Antipolo City 19-0 to join Forward Taguig at No. 3.

The Bulls, who whipped the Dumaguete Unibikers 14-0 last Saturday, peppered Pilgrims pitchers Saxon Omandac, Anthony Remegio and Hashim Omandac with 21 hits that resulted in 19 runs, including 12 in the first three innings that set the tone for the rout.