Uni-bikers survive to live another day

Nino Tator of the Manila Sharks scores on Marvin Malig's run-scoring single as Edmer Del Socorro of the Dumaguete Uni-bikers awaits the relay in the first inning. (Photo - Joseph Ventura)

Uni-bikers 14, Sharks 10

MANILA - The Dumaguete Uni-Bikers may have been regarded as a long shot contender for the Baseball Philippines Series 3 crown but they are making the semifinals a competitive one after stunning the Manila Sharks, 14-10, in a rainy Sunday afternoon action at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

In a game that saw a lot of offense by both teams, the Uni-Bikers pulled away in the fifth inning on a two-run blast by Marlon Caspillo that erased a 7-7 deadlock. They later scored five runs in the seventh inning and shook off the twice-to-beat incentive held by the Sharks to force a one-game match for a spot in the BPCS next weekend.

Awaiting them are the Batangas Bulls, who ousted the Series 2 champion Cebu Dolphins in the other semifinal series.

Francisco Ramos and Bambol Servo also made contributions for the Uni-Bikers while pitcher Darwin dela Calzada went steady for seven innings despite being a victim of the Sharks offense.

Ramos had three RBI’s in the game along with a 2-for-3 day while Servo and Christopher de Leon tallied two RBI’s apiece.

Caspillo, who homered yesterday in their first-round clincher against the Forward Taguig Patriots, had his four-bagger as his only hit in four at-bats but came at a time when both teams were making the game a shootout.

Dumaguete drew first blood with a two-run first inning as Ramos completed the surge on a base hit to right field that scored Edmer del Socorro. The Sharks retaliated by tying the game as Romy Bumagat and Marvin Malig each had a run-scoring hit in the bottom half of the first.

The Sharks then took a 5-2 lead in the second inning with Nino Tator belting a two-run single to left field that pushed Candela and Christian Galedo home. But the Uni-bikers struck back as Servo's sacrifice fly scored Andro Cuyugan and De Leon got a two-out blooper to drive in two more runners for a 5-5 tie in the third frame.

Ramos then connected for a two-run knock to left field in the fourth to give the Uni-bikers a 7-5 advantage only for Bumagat to crush a one-out, 1-0 pitch for a home run with Tator on first to even the score once more in their half of the fourth.

But De Leon started the top of the fifth by reaching first safely before Caspillo drilled a one-out, two-ball, two-strike pitch from losing pitcher Romeo Jasmin (2-1) for the go-ahead runs and never looked back.

A five-run seventh for the Uni-bikers made it a 14-7 game with Kelly Culubong leading the charge with a two-run triple and sliding home awkwardly on a passed ball.

Mick Natividad, Jasmin, and Charlie Labrador combined to allow the Uni-Bikers 15 hits in the game while throwing a lot more balls than strikes during the lengthy four-hour match that was also delayed for ten minutes because of heavy rains.

On the other hand, Dela Calzada (6-4) yielded seven runs and gave up eight hits including Bumagat's homer to earn the win. He walked two and did not strike out a batter.

Tator was one of the few bright spots for Manila, going 3-for-5 with three RBI’s while Bumagat recorded three hits and four RBI’s.

BOXSCORE

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