Batangas climbs to 6-0
by Jonas Terrado
Bulls 7, Patriots 1
A day after facing a hefty challenge from the winless Forward Taguig Patriots, the Batangas Bulls showed why they are currently the league's top team.
Behind the pitching of Romeo Jasmin and Vladimir Eguia, along with the hitting of Vio Roxas, the Bulls continued their perfect mark in Baseball Philippines Series 5 after a 7-1 beating of the Patriots.
Jasmin and Eguia, two of the top young pitchers in the local baseball scene, combined to limit Taguig to just four hits even as Roxas showed why he is the league's top home run hitter.
In completing a weekend sweep of the Patriots, the Bulls improved to an immaculate 6-0 record and moved two victories of clinching one of the two outright semifinal berths.
On the other hand, Taguig lost its sixth in as many games to remain in last place.
The game was a stark contrast to their thrilling 5-4 victory by the Bulls in a marathon 12-inning contest a day.
Showing why he was a key offseason acquisition, Jasmin totaled six strikeouts in six innings of work before Eguia took finished the job by fanning three Taguig batters in the last three frames.
Both hurlers had an easy time on the mound after the Batangas offense opened with a quick 5-0 lead through the first three innings.
And highlighting that binge was Roxas, who scored the team's fourth run in the third when he smashed a solo homer to left field off losing pitcher Ronald Bocalan.
The blast made it the 11th career four-bagger for the national team member, the most by any player in the league's two-year run.
Also contributing was Randy de Leon, who sent home Junifer Pinero and Jasmin on a single that pushed Batangas' lead to 3-0 in the second frame.
Taguig salvaged some pride in the fourth when a sacrifice fly by Jeffrey Hardillo allowed veteran Ferdinand Recto to score from third.
But it was another afternoon of misery for these Patriots as the struggle to get a hit against Jasmin and Eguia.
By sweeping three of the bottom teams in the league, the Bulls now shift their attention in a crucial weekend series against the second-place Manila Sharks that starts on Saturday while the Patriots meet their rival Dumaguete Uni-Bikers, also on Saturday.