North All-Stars topple South rivals

MANILA, Philippines - The North All-Stars used their experience to blast the South All-Stars, romping away with a 7-2 victory yesterday in the 2010 Filipino-American Friendship Day All-Star Game of the Dunkin’ Donuts Baseball Philippines Series VI at the Alabang Country Club in Muntinlupa City.

Joseph Orillana grounded out in the sixth inning but that sent his Cebu Dolphins teammate Fulgencio Rances to the plate for the go-ahead run then Batangas’ Vio Roxas hit a solo home run in the seventh to key a four-run binge by the North All-Stars, composed of national team members.

With the count tied at 2, Rances forced a walk off Romeo Jasmin before advancing to third base on a South All-Stars error in fielding Manila’s Chris Canlas bunt. Orillana’s grounder scored Rances, and the North All-Stars seized a 3-2 lead.

Roxas then blasted a homer off his Batangas teammate Vladymir Eguia before Rances doubled to push home Cebu’s Jonash Ponce and Manila’s Nino Tator in the seventh, the final inning of the exhibition game presented by Dunkin’ Donuts and organized by Community Sports Inc.

“They are veterans, they know what to do,” said North All-Stars team manager Randy Dizer, who was joined in the dugout by Cebu’s Isaac Bacarisas. “By the time we had a man on base, I told them that we just need to score one run.”

No less than US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. graced the event as guest of honor. Donning a New York Mets jersey, he threw the ceremonial pitch on the 64th anniversary of United States granting of independence to the Philippines after the second World War.

The young South All-Stars tied the game in the fourth after Eguia hit a two-run double off Manila’s Charlie Labrador,   scoring Cebu’s Miggy Corcuera and Batangas’ Jojo Apura. But the North All-Stars simply imposed their will to prevail in the later innings.

Canlas and Pampanga’s Andro Cuyugan each had RBIs in the second and fourth innings, respectively, to give the North All-Stars a 2-0 lead.

In the skills competition, Matt Laurel of Alabang was crowned the Home Run Derby champion after hitting three homers while teammate Bobby Siatong won the Golden Arm by throwing two balls to home plate from centerfield.