Batangas, Manila clouters on top

MANILA, Philippines - Batangas and Manila beat separate rivals yesterday to seize the early lead in the Baseball Philippines Series 5 at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

The Bulls came from behind to beat the Alabang Tigers, 5-3, while the Sharks trounced the Taguig Patriots, 9-2, to post their second victories in the series organized by Community Sports Inc.

Batangas relievers Randy De Leon and Vladimyr Eguia did not allow any Alabang batter on base after starter Romeo Jasmin gave up three runs and six hits on 71 pitches in the first five innings for the Bulls, the Series III champions.

The Bulls broke away from a 3-all count as Jesse Natanauan scored on an error in the sixth and catcher Junifer Pinero hit an RBI single to push pinch runner Miguel Zuluaga from second.

“This is only the start. Most of the teams are balanced so you can never tell what’s going to happen,” Batangas coach Randy Dizer said.

Alabang’s Matt Laurel, a former Batangas Bull, gave the Tigers a 3-1 lead at the top of the fifth after a solo home run to right field off Jasmin.

But the Bulls countered behind Vio Roxas, who blasted an RBI double while Jojo Apura had an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the game.

Earlier, Manila pitcher Mick Natividad yielded two runs and six hits in a complete game while Raffy Dimaculangan blasted three RBIs including a two-run single in the sixth to spark a five-run binge en route to the victory.

The tournament is sponsored by Gatorade, Industrial Enterprises Inc., Philippine Transmarine Carriers Inc., Harbour Centre Inc., and the Heritage Park with partners Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Amateur Baseball Association, Philippine Umpires Association and DZSR Sports Radio.

In the third game, Series IV champion Cebu Dolphins opened the new series with a 17-7 rout of last year’s runner-up Dumaguete.