Dolphins beat Sharks, surge
ahead
SERIES II champion Cebu leaned a four-run
splurge in the bottom of the third inning as it repulsed
Manila 5-3 yesterday to seize the solo lead in Baseball
Philippines’ Series IV at the Rizal Baseball Stadium.
Migs Corcuera blasted a two-run double to centerfield to cap a
four-run blitz in the third then Joseph Orillana and Jerome
Bacarisas, who came in for Jeff Ardio, held their ground at
the mound as the Dolphins nailed their league-best fourth
victory in five games.
Cebu thus swept Manila in their two-game
elimination round series following a rain-delayed 7-3 victory
Saturday.
"We scored some crucial runs in the third
inning, after that it was our pitching and defense that took
over," said Cebu team manager Isaac Bacarisas in Filipino.
The loss was the Sharks’ fifth against a lone win in the
league organized by Community Sports Inc. and sponsored by
Mizuno, Gatorade, Purefoods TJ Hotdogs, Welcoat Paints,
Industrial Enterprises, Inc., Harbour Centre, The Heritage
Park and Agility Logistics.
Forward Taguig unleashed four runs in the bottom ninth,
highlighted by catcher Melvin de Castro’s two-run double, as
the Patriots squeezed out a come-from-behind 8-7 win over the
Series III titlists Batangas Bulls for a 3-1 mark.
The Patriots came within a strike and an
out away from a loss but De Castro slammed Randy de Leon’s
curve ball to the left field to score the pair of game-tying
and game-winning runs that triggered a wild celebration on the
rain-drenched field.
Hanging on to a 7-6 lead, the Bulls needed just two outs to
wrap things up but the reigning champions failed to hang on
and dropped to 1-3 (win-loss) in the tournament backed by
Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee,
PABA, Sports Radio and Makisig Sports.
The Muntinlupa (3-1)-Dumaguete (2-3) encounter was called off
due to rains.