Phl clouters rebound, down Sri Lankans

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines rebounded from its opening-night loss in the XXVIII BFA Asian Baseball Championship with a close 8-5 thriller over Sri Lanka at Tien Mou Stadium in New Taipei City Tuesday night.

The Filipinos broke free from a 5-5 standoff with a three-run spree at the bottom of the eighth to improve to 1-1 in Group A after a 2-12 shellacking at the hands of host Chinese Taipei the previous night.

Phl IX next faces defending champion Korea, which also dropped to 1-1 after yielding a 2-3 setback to the unbeatean Taiwanese (2-0). The Sri Lankans remain winless after two matches.

Sri Lanka jumped the gun on the Pinoy U23 batters with a three-run binge in the second but failed to hold on to the lead long as Jonash Ponce blasted the equalizing three-run homer in the third then the Filipinos went ahead after a run each in the fourth and seventh.

The Sri Lankans managed to draw level with two runs in the top eighth before Phl took the lead for good by sending three runners home in the bottom frame and shut their rivals out in the top ninth.

Romeo Jasmin Jr. was given the win for a no-run, no-hit performance over 2/3 innings.