MANILA, Philippines - The Batangas Bulls rallied from a three-run deficit to repulse the Manila Sharks, 7-5, for the second straight day to clinch the first outright semifinals berth in Baseball Philippines Series 5 at the Sto Niño Field in Marikina yesterday.
Junifer Pinero hit a game-tying, two-run single before fellow national team member Chris Canlas belted a go-ahead three-run home run to highlight a fiery six-run seventh inning blitz that lifted the Bulls to their eighth straight victory.
Manila, which dropped a harrowing 1-17 loss to Batangas the other day, suffered its second straight defeat and fell to 4-3.
With one out and the bases loaded, Pinero hit a fly to left field wall to score Carlo Banzon and Vio Roxas and tie the game at 4.
Then, Canlas smashed a first pitch by Charlie Labrador, who had no-relief job, to right field, and the Bulls surged ahead at 7-4.
“We knew Manila would burn Labrador so I told the players to be patient,” said Batangas team manager Randy Dizer. “It paid off, the hits came when they mattered most.”
Labrador, the team’s top hurler, threw 99 pitches but gave up 10 hits, six of them in the last two innings, as the Sharks’ ploy to keep him in the game despite a 75-pitch count rule backfired.
Vladimir Eguia, who pitched in relief for starter Romeo Jasmin, allowed a single run in the ninth inning but settled down to strike out Edward Landicho with runners on first and second to cap the comeback.
Over at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium, the Alabang Tigers also battled back from four runs down to upset the Cebu Dolphins, 8-7, behind a three-run binge in the ninth frame.
Veteran Jot Angeles tied the game at 7 on a two-run single before Gian Llaguno scored on a fielding error by third baseman Miggy Corcuera for the go-ahead run.
The Tigers’ second win in eight games kept them in fifth place while the Dolphins dropped to 4-2 but remained at solo second.
In the other game, the Forward Taguig Patriots finally entered the win column after losing their first seven games, defeating the Dumaguete Uni-Bikers, 9-6.