Northern exposure: North All-Stars batter southern neighbors

Joseph Apura (left) of the North All-Stars is safe at second base as shortstop Edmer Del Socorro of the South All-Stars cannot apply the tag in the second inning of the 2008 BP All-Star Game. (Photo - Joseph Ventura)

North 13, South 5

MANILA - The first All-Star Game in the young history of Baseball Philippines may not have been that pretty, but it delivered some prime entertainment on a hot Easter Sunday afternoon to open the 2008 Baseball Philippines season at the historic Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

The North Division All-Stars exploited the shaky defense of the South Division All-Stars early on then blew the game open in the eighth inning for a 13-5 victory that secured home field advantage for the North in the Baseball Philippines Championship Series come July.

The North touched South starting pitcher Joseph Orillana of the Cebu Dolphins — last season's Most Valuable Player — for six runs on five hits and knocked out the left-hander just eleven batters into the game in the second inning in building an early 6-1 lead.

It was an uncharacteristic outing for Orillana, who also committed an error in the disastrous second frame. The southpaw compiled a circuit-leading 9-2 record with a 1.66 earned run average last year and led the Dolphins to the Series 2 title.

Former Manila Sharks 1B Virgilio Roxas (Batangas Bulls) and current Shark Rommel Roja — the Series 2 batting champion — collected three hits apiece to pace the North Division's 15-hit barrage. The Sharks' Nino Tator, Batangas Bulls' Junifer Pinero, and Roja each drove in a pair of runs for the North in the victory.

Manila's Charlie Labrador (3-1, 2.04 ERA in Series 2), the nation's top right-handed hurler, started for the North and allowed just one run on four hits in three effective innings, but had to escape a two on, one out jam in the opening frame before settling down.

The South All-Stars mounted a four-run rally in the fifth inning when they strung together six base hits in a row to chase reliever Vladimir Eguia (Batangas) and pull within 6-5.

Jonjon Robles — the collegiate circuit's top pitcher — relieved Eguia and was greeted by Jerome Bacarisas' (Cebu) two-run single that cut the deficit to one run, but gave up just one more hit in shutting down the South over the last 4 2/3 innings. Only three balls managed to make it past the infield in a dominating appearance for Robles, who was credited with the win.

Cebu's Miggy Corcuera, who managed the only other hit off Robles, paced the South attack with three hits, while Edmer Del Socorro (Dumaguete) and Hashim Omandac (Antipolo) had two hits each.

Forward Taguig Patriots ace Ernesto Binarao followed Orillana with 3 2/3 innings and was tagged with two runs on five hits, while fellow left-hander Darwin Dela Calzada of the Dumaguete Uni-bikers finished up for the South and gave up five runs on five hits in three innings.

BOXSCORE

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