GAMEDAY RECAP

Forward 'Robles the Dice' in Opening Fall To Mariners

Mariners 10, Forward 0

MANILA - Ronald Bocalan is a fledgling pitcher on Philippine baseball's biggest stage this generation. The high-school right-hander was literally thrown to the wolves when he took the mound on Series 2 Opening Day against the Series 1 champion Makati Mariners.

After all, team captain Dennis Daep — who was filling in for manager Joselito Cruz — figured he might as well have the phenom hurler gain some experience that would help Taguig in the long run. Bocalan, who had never pitched beyond secondary level competition, ironically would take the hill in favor of left-hander Ernesto Binarao — the Series 1 MVP and this off-season's most prized acquisition.

The strategy immediately backfired when the Mariners quickly went to work on Bocalan for five first inning runs en route to a 10-0 hammering of the Forward Taguig at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

Left-hander Jon-Jon Robles meanwhile was dealing all mid-day long in completing the two-hit shutout that was abbreviated due to the seven-inning 10-run mercy rule in effect.

By the time Binarao took over for Bocalan for the seventh batter of the first inning onwards, the Forward were already in a hole too deep with the way Robles put on a pitching clinic.

"Kailangan kong protektahin ang lamang, kaya 'focus' pa rin ako [sa pagpupuhol]. Sa huling inning ko lang naranasan ang pagiging kampante (I needed to protect the lead, so I still had to remain focused [on pitching]. It was only during the last inning when I really felt at ease)," said Robles as his team reached the game-ending 10-run cushion in the seventh frame.

"[Kontrolado ko] ang slider (I had command of the slider)," he added. Indeed he was getting his pitch to break in on righties and away from lefties enough to baffle the Forward hitters, considering the southpaw's tendency for erratic wildness. And he blew away hitters with his fastball too, striking out nine in the process.

Alden Lozada led the Mariners offense that was last summer's achilles heel with four runs batted in, including a big three-run homer in the fifth inning that essentially put the game out of reach. Korean Chun Wang Song also doubled and tripled (after just missing a homerun in the first frame) while Francis Candella added three hits. Along with Robles, the trio each scored twice as well.

"Nag-iba yung pananaw sa laro nang naka-lima kaagad sila (The approach to the game changed with the quick five-spot they put up)", said Binarao. He was placed in an unaccustomed situation of having to pitch from behind and play catch up all game long. Not surprisingly as there was not much leeway for the hurler in terms of pitching around the opposition.

Ferdinand Recto and Rizel Santos managed the only two hits off Robles, but neither could get the Taguig offense on track as no other Forward came within scoring position.

 

 

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