Dolphins whip Tigers, wrest solo baseball lead

MANILA, Philippines - Jonash Ponce smacked a home run in the third inning while Miggy Corcuera had three RBIs as Cebu’s bats kept swinging in blasting Alabang, 13-9, yesterday in the Baseball Philippines Series 8 at the Rizal Baseball Stadium.

The victory was the Dolphins’ third straight, moving them past erstwhile joint leader the Manila Sharks and into the solo lead with a 5-1 mark in the league organized by Community Sports Inc. and sponsored by Gatorade and Rawlings.

Ponce blasted Series 8’s sixth round-tripper, sending Gerald Mitra’s pitch across the left field fence for a 4-2 lead in the third frame. The Dolphins, however, needed the burly Corcuera’s hit for the go-ahead after the Tigers tied the game at the top of the fourth.

Corcuera followed up his homer in Saturday’s 11-2 romp over the Tigers with a two-run bases-loaded single at the bottom of the third to score Ramil Magno and Fongs Rances. Ponce drove in Joseph Orillana for Cebu’s third run in the game for a 7-4 Cebu lead.

The Dolphins never looked back after scoring three more runs in the fifth and seventh innings.

Cebu played without coach Isaac Bacarisas and key player Edmer Del Socorro, who are both in the National Softball Open in La Trinidad, Benguet but the Dolphins remained in top form.

“We are satisfied with where we are right now because this is our goal before the start of the tournament,” said Cebu assistant coach Jon de Ubago.

Meanwhile, the league takes a two-week break to give way to the Philippine National Games slated in Bacolod City.

The league is backed by Harbour Centre, The Heritage Park, Philippine Transmarine Carriers, Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Amateur Baseball Association, Philippine Umpires Association and DZSR Sports Radio 918. For details, log on to www.baseballphilippines.com.