Batangas knifes Manila in Baseball-5

MANILA, Philippines - Batangas continued to dish out fine form as it smothered Manila, 17-1, in a shortened seven-inning duel to stretch its win run to seven in Baseball Phils.’ Series 5 at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium yesterday.

The Bulls drew another solid pitching job from Vladimir Eguia and Randy de Leon, who yielded just four hits, while Vio Roxas, Romar Landicho and Miguel de Rossi provided the offensive spark to dominate the Sharks.

Roxas hit a solo homer while Landicho and de Rossi came through with three RBIs (runs-batted-in) to help power the Bulls to the abbreviated victory.

The Sharks dropped to 4-2.

Fongs Rances, Manuel Bacarisas and Miggy Corcuera belted three homers against losing pitcher Roy Baclay as Cebu overwhelmed Alabang, 9-3, on its turf at the Alabang Country Club.

The win was the Dolphins’ fourth against a loss as they moved past the Sharks to gain second place in the league organized by Community Sports, Inc.

Rances started the attack with a solo homer in the game’s first at-bat before Bacarisas smashed a one-run, four-bagger in the third inning for a 3-0 lead for Cebu.

Corcuera capped the blitz with a three-run blast that made it an 8-1 advantage in the sixth. It was one of four hits made by the burly first baseman in five times he batted.

Alabang, which fell to 1-6, had a one-run home run by Leslie Suntay in the fourth frame off Cebu starter Joseph Orillana and a two-run shot by Erwin Manuel in the seventh.

Back at Rizal stadium, Dumaguete picked up its third win against the same number of defeats as it carved out a 13-10 victory over Forward Taguig, which fell to its seventh straight loss.