Kabur snaps skid in Budweiser league

Tuwi Ngiraidong pitched in no relief to help Bridge Capital-Kabur snap out of its miserable five-game losing skid in the 3rd Annual Budweiser-Saipan Major League at the Francisco M. Palacios Baseball Field.

Kabur, composed of Team Rubak, avenged its Masters Baseball League loss to the Tigers of Atty. Bob O’Connor with a 15-9 win on Wednesday night.

The win allowed Kabur to climb out of the cellar with a 1-5 slate, while the loss dropped the Tigers to a tie from seventh to eighth spots with similar 1-6 cards.

Ngiraidong scattered three earned runs on 10 hits with nine strikeouts, and a walk foiling the Tigers chances of a comeback in the eighth and ninth innings. He limited the Tigers to two runs—one earned—on three hits in the last two innings.

After giving up a single to Clinton Ngiraiked, Ngiraidong forced Dennis Cruz to an infield fly for the first out. Mabel Ngirngemelas had an RBI single off Ngiraidong then stole home for a quick two runs.

But that proved to be the Tigers’ last two runs as Ngiraidong retired Mike Muna and forced Frank Torres to fly-out to center fielder Jason Hayes to end the eighth.

In the ninth, Ngiraidong forced Manny Cabrera to ground out to shortstop Rasco Yamada, who then made the relay throw to first baseman Gloyd Martin for the first out.

Manny Tenorio singled off Ngiraidong then advanced on a fielder’s choice when Bob O’Connor grounded on a 5-3 putout play by third baseman Hector Efraim to Martin.

Ngiraidong secured the win when Jess Mesa grounded out on a 6-3 putout play to end the game.

Veteran slugger Poland Masaharu provided the run support for Ngiraidong going 2-for-3 including blasting a two-run inside-the-park home run in Kabur’s seven-run scoring rally.

Masaharu also scored three runs, scoring on a pass ball in the first, had a double in the third inning, walked in the fifth before striking out in the sixth. He had one stolen base and had two RBIs.

Martin went 4-for-5, one run, a double, one stolen base, and two RBIs while Yamada went 2-for-5 with two runs, a stolen base, and two RBIs.

Tony Rogolifoi went 2-for-3 for the Tigers with a two-RBI single in the first inning while Frank Torres also went 2-for-3 scoring three runs, had two doubles, and an RBI.

Ed Santos earned the loss after giving up five earned runs on 13 hits with fanning five and walking four.

Errors also did not help the Tigers’ cause as they committed 11 in the game that either scored a run or advanced a base runner.

On Monday, Rock Steady improved to a league-best 6-0 mark after a 22-3 demolition of the Korean Dreams, while last Friday defending champion Tanapag Falcons trounced Komoro, 7-3, despite record-breaking pitcher Jae Young Kim’s 12 strikeouts.