Dolphins escape to force Game 3
Jonash Ponce Hits A Triple. (Photo - courtesy of owner)TAGUIG - The Manila Sharks sought to end their first-ever crown on Saturday.
But thanks to a sloppy fielding by the Sharks, the Cebu Dolphins capitalized and now the Dunkin' Donuts Baseball Philippines Series 6 finals is tied at 1-game apiece.
Cebu also leaned on its timely bats in the eighth inning to hack out a come-from-behind 10-9 victory over Manila at the Felino Marcelino Baseball Stadium to force the series into a winner-take-all match.
In a see-saw affair, the Dolphins got a big offensive boost in the eighth inning from centerfielder Jonash Ponce.
Ponce, a member of the RP national team, drove home the go-ahead run with a double off starter Charlie Labrador to score Fongs Rances from second as the squad of coach Saki Bacarisas grabbed an 8-7 lead with just one out.
The scoring didn't stop from there as the Dolphins continued to pounce on the Sharks as centerfielder Saxon Omandac failed to properly field a hit by Jonard Pareja that enabled Joseph Orillana and Ponce to reach home and make it a 10-7 advantage.
Although ahead, Cebu had to survive a last ditch effort by Manila in the top of the ninth inning.
Jarus Inobio, who came over as a pinch runner for first baseman Jonjon Robles, scored on a sacrifice fly by Romy Bumagat then Christian Galedo, who earlier doubled, touch home on a groundout.
Later on, Francis Candela singled then went to second on a one-bagger by Omandac with two outs but Orillana, who started as pitcher and replaced Christian Maghanoy in the sixth, fanned Nino Tator on four pitches to end the game.
Game 3 is set on July 31 with both teams looking to make history.
Cebu tries to win a league-record third title while Manila seeks to become just the fourth team to wrest the crown.
The Dolphins actually fell behind 3-0 in the second frame but with the Sharks began to have some fielding problems that eventually led to seven errors at the end of the contest.
Miggy Corquera Hits A Clutch 2 Bagger. (Photo - courtesy of owner) Ponce, who would eventually go 4-of-5 with four RBIs, drilled a triple that scored Rances for the team's first run then touched home on a run-scoring double by the burly Miggy Corcuera.
And then, a poorly fielded groundball of Cebu's Ram Alipio by Robles at first allowed Corcuera and Edmer del Socorro to put the Dolphins on top 4-3.
Manila tied the game in the top half of the next inning but Ponce starred once more blasting a two-run single in the same frame scoring Maghanoy and Rances for a 6-4 lead. Cebu later made it 7-4 and appeared headed for a rousing Game 2 victory.
However, the feisty Sharks cut the lead to a single run in the seventh on an RBI single by Tata Empacis and an RBI triple by Galedo and Candela reached home after Maghanoy made a poor fielding effort in right field off Empacis' hit to tie the game before failing to complete the rally.
Orillana survived a nightmarish outing on the mound to pick the win while counterpart Charlie Labrador struggled anew giving up 11 hits in a complete game outing and thus assured of missing Game 3 after hurling past the maximum requirement of 50-pitches to be eligible for the next game.
Labrador started in lieu of the ineligibility of Robles to toss. The former Czech Republic league veteran pitched most of Game 1 as the Sharks came away with a 5-3 win.
Galedo delivered the first run of the game on a double that scored designated hitter Edward Landicho. He later put the Sharks up 2-0 on Jenald Pareja's single before the diminutive Pareja himself touched home plate on Candela's run-scoring hit for a 3-0 lead.
Earlier, newly-elected Philippine vice president Jejomar Binay tossed the ceremonial pitch, a first in league history that a highly-elected official of his stature would grace the three-year old baseball circuit.