Tigers beat Dolphins, earn another shot at finals

Alabang got a lift from Tino Ubungen as the Tigers defeated top-seed Cebu, 9-6, Sunday to arrange another game for a finals berth in Baseball Philippines Series 9.

Ubungen had a three-RBI day including a home run—the first of a back-to-back—at the expense of his brother Lorenzo in the first inning to help the Tigers stave off elimination.

The Tigers and the Dolphins meet again on July 1 with the winner advancing to the finals against either Manila or Dumaguete, whose series also extended to a deciding game last Sunday.

Carlos Laurel singled before Tino Ubungen sent Lorenzo Ubungen’s pitch to the left field stands. Matt Laurel also homered in the next at bat to right field giving the Tigers a 3-0 lead.

Joennard Pareja double, reached third on a Johndel Tolosa single and scored on an error while Tolosa also advanced to home plate on a double play to slice the gap to one run, 3-2, in the bottom of the first for Cebu.

But Alabang answered in the fifth with Ubungen hitting a single to score Adrian Bernardo, who started the inning with a single and stepped on second base after a Carlos Laurel single. Bernard Siatong singled home Carlos Laurel to make it 5-2.

After another run for Cebu in the bottom of the fifth, the Dolphins’ sloppy play earned the Tigers two runs in the seventh as Carlos Munoz scored on a passed ball and Jay Laurel advancing home on a steal.

An RBI double by Bernardo padded Alabang’s lead to 9-4 even as Cebu scored two runs in its final at bat to no avail.