Baseball Phils IV: Muntinlupa rallies, edges Dumaguete in 10

MANILA, Philippines – The team used to rallying from behind got a taste of its own medicine. The Muntinlupa Mariners overcame a six-run deficit over two-and-a-half innings and drove the winning run in the 10th to escape with a 14-13 win over the Dumaguete Unibikers in the Basebal Philippines Series IV Saturday at the Rizal Baseball Stadium. Richard Hidalgo scored the marginal run, as Dumaguete shortstop Denver Largo's throw at home came in late. The win was Muntinlupa's third straight after losing the opener. Dumaguete (2-3), whose two wins were both via comebacks, has a chance to get back at the Mariners when they finish their weekend series at 2 p.m. Sunday. Hidalgo singled - his lone hit in five at-bats - with one out at the bottom of the 10th. But the Muntinlupa catcher reached third on a pick-off throw error by losing relief pitcher and Dumaguete playing manager Lito Pulgo to set up the winning run. First baseman Alejandro Velasquez, an RP team mainstay, exploded with six RBIs, including two in the eighth that jumpstarted the Mariners' comeback. Starting pitcher Romeo Jasmin got the victory after returning in the 10th. His first six innings on the mound was a disaster. He yielded eight runs on nine hits, forcing Mariners manager Robert Ituralde to reassign Jasmin to right field. The comeback began at the bottom of the eighth where Velasquez's single pushed Jasmin and shortsop Elcid Angeles home. Second-baseman Sherwin Canlas' base hit scored third baseman Larry Icban, before Hidalgo's sacrifice fly scored Velasquez and made it 13-11. In the ninth, right-fielder Jerby Diego crossed the home plate on a double by pinch-hitter Gilbert Alvarez to cut the deficit to a run. The game went to extra innings on an RBI single by Icban. Catcher Edmer del Soccorro led Dumaguete's early onslaught, hitting a two-run double that put the Unibikers up 4-0 in the first inning. Saxon Omandac was a decent starter for Dumaguete, giving up a run and four hits in three innings. But Darwin de la Calzada, who gave up 12 runs, nine hits and four walks, and Pulgo did the Unibikers in. - GMANews.TV Linescores: Team--------------------R--H--E DUM 401 030 140 0 13 13 5 MUN 001 402 042 1 14 15 5