Manila IX forces rubber vs Cebu
With Charlie Labrador, Niño Tator and Rommel Roja joining other SEA Games medallists at Malacañang, the Sharks called on Romeo Jasmin and Jarish Inobio and relied on their defense to avenge their 3-6 setback in the series opener and send their best-of-three playoff into a winner-take-all match.
The Dolphins also missed the services of Fulgencio Rances and Jonash Ponce, who were also with Nationals at the Palace.
Jasmin yielded 11 hits but made up for this with timely put outs in the last two innings while Inobio went three-for-five at bat as the Sharks pulled off the scrambling win.
“Jasmin held his own and Inobio also had some clutch hits,” said
“We had our chances in this game, but we couldn’t capitalize on it. We hope to play better tomorrow,” said
Saxon Omandac and closer Korean Ha Seung Jun tried to hold their ground at the mound but the duo proved worse than Jasmin as they gave up a combined 13 hits.
Omandac allowed seven of those hits in the first two and 2/3 innings, including six on top of the third, which the Sharks pounced in for a five-run binge and a 7-1 lead before Ha took over.
The Dolphins then scored four runs at the bottom of the third to cut their deficit to two, 5-7, and then came up with two more runs in the seventh on a two-run double by leadoff batter Emerson Atilano to move within, 8-9.
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