Bulls trounce Sharks, near title

MANILA, Philippines - Batangas came through with a big offensive blitz in the fifth inning to smother Manila, 13-4, yesterday in the opener of their best-of-three showdown for Baseball Philippines Series V crown at the Rizal Memorial baseball stadium.

The Bulls peppered Manila reliever Mick Natividad with a barrage of hits in the fifth, resulting in seven runs as they shattered a 3-all count to post the runaway victory and move within a win of wrapping up their second championship in the league organized by Community Sports Inc.

Ericson Eguia registered a game-high six runs-batted-in (RBIs), including a two-run double that sparked the fifth inning splurge.

“The plan was to beat Manila through pitching and hitting. They stayed focus and stuck to the plan,” said Batangas assistant team manager Emerson Barandoc, who took over from Randy Dizer, who is in Jakarta coaching the Philippine team in the AsPac Little League qualifier.

Eguia’s RBI single in the first frame gave the Bulls the early lead but the Sharks connected on three runs in the third behind a two-run single by first baseman J.B. Castro.

The Bulls drew level with two runs at the bottom of the third then broke free in the fifth with Romeo Jasmin’s RBI single that scored Carlo Banzon.

Eguia then struck with a down-the-line shot to left field to score Apura and Jasmin. They went on to score seven runs in that inning, all off Natividad, and the Bulls led, 13-3.

Natividad hit an RBI single in the eighth but it hardly propped up the Sharks, enabling the Bulls to coast to the victory.

The tournament is sponsored by Gatorade, Industrial Enterprises Inc., Philippine Transmarine Carriers Inc., Harbour Centre and the Heritage Park with partners Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Amateur Baseball Association, Philippine Umpires Association and DZSR Sports Radio.

Manila’s offense also hit a snag as veteran slugger Romy Bumagat was hit by a foul ball in the right eyebrow in the first inning and was immediately brought to the hospital.