Bulls outclass rivals, enter BP Series semis

MANILA, Philippines –  Batangas made the most of its tough two-game assignment yesterday, beating Quezon City and Cebu in contrasting fashions to clinch a semifinal berth in the Dunkin’ Donuts Baseball Philippines Series VII at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

The Bulls relied on solid pitching to blank the QC Angels, 7-0, then returned to hold off the Cebu Dolphins, 7-5, in 16 innings at resumption of their game that was called off due to darkness last week.

Those twin wins stretched the Bulls win streak to three as they took the first spot in the semis of the six-team tournament presented by Dunkin’ Donuts and organized by Community Sports, Inc.

Over in Taguig, Manila joined Batangas in the semis with an 8-0 thrashing of Taguig at the Felino Marcelino Baseball Stadium. It was the Sharks’ third straight win.

Cebu, meanwhile, defeated Alabang, 9-2, to close out its elims campaign with a 2-3 (win-loss) mark.

Starter Romeo Jasmin twirled a no-hit job in four innings as Batangas yielded only two hits to remain unbeaten. Reliever Tsuyoshi Horibata gave up the Angels’ only hits on singles by Jake Ilao and Ernesto Binarao in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively, before Randy De Leon took over to finish the game.

Nico Dizer had two RBIs including a single, to score Jose Miguel San Juan in the second frame before the Bulls came up with a four-run binge in the next inning to pull away.

Ranged against the Dolphins, the Bulls turned to San Juan to break the 4-all count at the top of the 16th inning with a two-run single, scoring Charles Catangui and Miggy Zuluaga.

Catangui singled and Zuluaga doubled off Joseph Orillana to set up San Juan before he scored on an RBI triple by national player Vio Roxas.

Batangas, meanwhile, faces Manila at 1 p.m. today at the Felino Marcelino Baseball Stadium in what could be a preview of the finals of the league sponsored by Gatorade, Rawling’s, Industrial Enterprises Inc., Philippine Transmarine Carriers, Harbour Centre and The Heritage Park with the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Amateur Baseball Association, Philippine Umpires Association and Sports Radio 918 AM as partners.