GAMEDAY RECAP

Orillana K's 15 as Dolphins Swim Past Forward

Dolphins 6, Forward 2

MANILA - Left-hander Joseph Orillana was feeling good on Sunday even before his Cebu Dolphins beat Forward Taguig, 6-2. It was in contrast to a week ago when he had to pitch out of the bullpen with a somewhat sore arm.

The southpaw was dealing throughout mid-day at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in a classic performance reminiscent of his complete-game two-hit shutout on Series 1 Opening Day last summer that catapulted Baseball Philippines into the national sports limelight.

The home plate umpire had a field day ringing up one Forward hitter after the other as Orillana turned in a stellar effort, allowing just four hits while striking out a circuit-high 15 batters in eight innings that left the Cebu Dolphins standing as the only undefeated team at the end of week three.

Orillana, who also improved to 3-0, was in command from the game's first pitch as he struck out the first two batters and retired 10 of the first 11 Forward hitters. He struck out the side in the third and fifth innings. Among his victims were Alejandro Velasquez and Ernesto Binarao, both of whom whiffed three times each.

"I pitched well today. My arm felt great and I was [locating] my pitches," said Orillana who pitched a complete game three-hitter on Series 2 Opening Day and another 5 2/3 innings of two-hit relief a week ago.

Miggy 'Big Daddy' Corcuera provided all the offense the Dolphins would need with a 400-foot three-run blast in the first inning off Binarao that bounced off the center field bleachers and out of the stadium.

The only blemish against Orillana came in the fourth inning with the Dolphins clinging to a 3-0 lead. Hashim Omandac stroked a one-out double. Left fielder Jon De Ubago then misplayed Rizel Santos' fly ball to drive in Taguig's first run. But Orillana shook off the lapse as he struck out Ferdinand Recto and induced Edwin Mercado to groundout, effectively ending the Forward rally.

The Dolphins responded with a pair of runs in their half of the fourth to seize control of the game. Orillana led off with a double and scored on Fulgencio Rances' triple. Emerson Atilano's double one out later made it 5-1. They would add another in the eighth when Jonash Ponce, who went 4-for-4 at the dish, roped a one-out double and scored on Orillana's two-out infield hit.

Seung Jun Ha of Korea pitched the ninth inning for Cebu when Taguig pushed across an unearned run behind two errors.

Omandac and Mercado essentially accounted for all the Taguig offense with two hits and a walk each.

Binarao went the distance, gave up six runs — five earned — on 12 hits and suffered the loss. He struck out eight and did not walk a batter.

 

 

GAMEDAY

BP COVERAGE - WEEK 3

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