Patriots shock Dolphins; Bulls, Uni-bikers gain

CLARK FIELD, Philippines – Taguig tallied three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning as it held on to stun Cebu, 5-4, and annex its first victory at resumption of action in Baseball Philippines Series 9 at the Parade Grounds here yesterday.

Roque Sillabe drove in the tying run then scored the game-winner as the Patriots checked an impending skid after yielding three runs on the top of the ninth and snapped their back-to-back setbacks in the league organized by Community Sports Inc. and sponsored by Gatorade, Emperador Light, Clark Development Corp., Harbour Centre and Philippine Transmarine Corp.

“We knew we had a chance when the game was close. It was a good thing that my players didn’t give up and came through with crucial hits,” said Taguig coach Felino Francisco in Filipino.

Taguig’s stirring win overshadowed the victories posted Batangas and Dumaguete that netted them a share of the lead with Alabang.

The Bulls trounced the three-time defending champion Manila Sharks, 11-4, while the Uni-bikers ended the Alabang Tigers’ two-game run, 10-3, in the other morning matches for 2-1 slates.

Taguig blew a 2-1 lead in the ninth as Cebu’s Joennard Pareja slammed a three-run home run off hurler Justin Payongayong on the top half of the final inning to put the Dolphins in front, 4-2.

The Patriots cut the gap after a muffed forced play on second base allowed Francis Gahuman to score from first.

Sillabe, a 21-year-old Misamis Oriental native playing out of Rizal Technological U, then blasted a two-out 3-2 pitch off Cebu’s Ronel Peralta to right field, scoring Payongayong. Sillabe also stole second to put himself in scoring position.

A grounder by Christian De Leon to center field gave Sillabe, who came into the game as a pinch-hitter in the eighth, enough time to beat the relay throw to home plate, scoring the game-winning run.

Pareja had earlier singled home the first run of the game in the fifth for Cebu but Taguig bounced back with two runs in the sixth frame, taking the lead on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch on Nikko Reyes.