Mariners rally to win in 10 by Jonas Terrado
(Photo - Jayzee Teofisto)Mariners 14, Uni-Bikers 13
The Muntinlupa Mariners gave the Dumaguete Uni-Bikers a dose of their own medicine Saturday morning as they came back from six runs down to win a thrilling 14-13 contest in 10 innings at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
Veteran catcher Wilfredo Hidalgo slide home from third base, beating out a throw by shortstop Denver Largo after a Jun Veloso groundball in the extra frame to cap off an improbable comeback by the Mariners from a 13-7 deficit during the eighth inning.
With the win, Muntinlupa shares a tie for first place with the Cebu Dolphins at first place with a 3-1 record after losing the opener to the Manila Sharks last October 19.
After Sherwin Canlas was tagged out on a rundown at first base, Hidalgo followed it up with a single before a poor pickoff throw by losing pitcher and Dumaguete playing coach Lito Pulgo to first baseman Kiko Ramos allowed the RP national team member to go all the way to third base.
The dubious mistake of the Uni-Bikers set up Veloso's game-winning groundball as Largo's desperate throw to home plate was very wide for catcher Edmer del Socorro to catch the ball, ending the contest in the process.
Alejandro Velasquez had a big day for the Mariners, hitting four in six times he batted, together with a game-high five RBIs.
Velasquez jumpstarted the comeback with a two-run single in a four-run eighth inning before Jerby Diego scored from third on a double by Gilbert Alvarez in the ninth that cut the margin to a run.
But it was ageless Larry Icban who stepped up for Muntinlupa with an out remaining in the game as he drilled a bouncer that sailed past Largo to score Mariano from second that tied the contest at 13-13.
Despite yielding nine hits that resulted in nine runs during the first inning, Romeo Jasmin was still adjudged as the winning pitcher after holding the Uni-Bikers down in the extra frame.
The loss was the third for the Uni-Bikers in five games and this time became the victim of blowing a commanding lead after making a comeback trail twice from huge deficits against Batangas and Cebu.
Dumaguete surged ahead with a four-run first inning as del Socorro drilled a two-run single that pulled home Andro Cuyugan and Largo. But Muntinlupa slowly inched its way back in the contest as Icban tied the contest at 5-5 in a four-run fourth on an two-out, RBI single to right field.
The Uni-Bikers would eventually retake the lead at 8-5 in the fifth frame as del Socorro hit an RBI double while Saxon Omandac and Bai dela Cerna each had an RBI.
Muntinlupa mounted a mini-run in the sixth on a two-RBI single by Velasquez but Dumaguete put the game away - as many thought - with a four-run explosion in the top half of the eighth that was led by Darwin dela Calzada's two-run double.
Dela Calzada pitched six strong innings in relief of Omandac but allowed 12 runs from nine hits made by the Mariners.