Tigers shock Dolphins, ends skid
by Jonas Terrado
Tigers 8, Dolphins 7
A day after getting pummeled at their home turf, the Alabang Tigers exact revenge on the Cebu Dolphins behind a late-inning rally.
Trailing for most of the contest, the Tigers surprised the fancied Dolphins by scoring three runs in the last inning to secure an 8-7 win at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
Veteran Jot Angeles tied the contest with a two-run single before Gian Llaguno scored the go-ahead run on an error by Miggy Corcuera to complete the unlikely comeback.
It was a surprising win for Alabang, which ended a three-game slide including a 9-3 loss the other day to Cebu in Muntinlupa City. The Tigers now holds a record of 2-6 with two games left to play.
The Dolphins, meanwhile, kept their hold of second place despite the loss thanks to the Batangas Bulls' come-from-behind 7-5 trouncing of the Manila Sharks in Marikina City.
They were actually down by four runs twice as Jordan Orobia and Manuel Bacarisas had two RBIs apiece in the first two innings for a 4-0 lead before Fongs Rances brought home Joseph Orillana and Orobia on a two-run single for a 6-2 advantage in the sixth.
But Matt Laurel, who missed the game at the Alabang Country Club a day earlier, made things interesting in the eighth frame when he hit a solo home run to cut the lead to 7-5.
It was Laurel's second home run of the tournament to tie the Batangas tandem of Vio Roxas and Junifer Pinero for the lead in the said category.
With one out in the ninth, Allan Balazuela reached base on an error by reliever Jerome Bacarisas, Laurel later reached base on a fielders' choice before Llaguno walked to load the bases.
That enabled Angeles, a long-time member of the RP team, to drill the game-tying hit and put Llaguno to third base before the latter scored after Corcuera's miscue off a one-out groundball by Leslie Suntay.
The sudden turn of events was enough for Roel Batuto to ease off a decent afternoon as he was able to retire Orobia with runners on first and second base to secure the victory.
Batuto earned the win after coming over to replace starter Jay Laurel in the second inning after a shaky performance on the mound.
Alabang wraps up its classification round campaign against the Forward Taguig Patriots this weekend with the first game set this Saturday at the Rizal ballpark followed by a game at home in Muntinlupa City the next day.
Cebu, meanwhile, meets league-leading Batangas this weekend which will be all played in Manila.