Falcons hold off Blue Jays

A Falcons batter waits for the pitch during their opening game against the GSM Brewers in the 2016 Saipan Baseball League at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Falcons halted the Blue Jays rally to pull off a 14-13 win in the 2016 Saipan Baseball League last Wednesday night at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.

A.J. Evangelista made the game-tying hit with his RBI single at the bottom of the ninth inning. He then stole second, advanced to third off a passed ball, and reached home off a fielder’s choice to save the Falcons from another meltdown.

It was déjà vu for the Falcons, who squandered a 6-1 lead against the GSM Brewers in the league opener for a 6-7 loss, as they blew a 12-4 advantage after eight complete innings following the Blue Jays’ nine-run top of the ninth.

Quinson Blas led the Blue Jays’ rally, as he blasted a three-RBI double at the bottom of the ninth. All but one of the Blue Jays top of the order reached home plate to force a standoff, 12-all. Then a sacrifice out from Justin Santos who brought in Keola Camacho put the Blue Jays in front, 13-12, with two outs and runners on first and second base.

Closer Frankie Lieto stopped the bleeding for the Falcons, as he picked up a grounder from Chandler Deloatch for the third and last out at the agonizing top of the ninth. Lieto was the fourth pitcher the Falcons used in the ninth inning alone, hoping to bring order back to the team. He took over the mound from Aldolfo Roppul and after allowing back-to-back hits and a walk, he got the grounder to halt the Blue Jays’ rally.

The close win against the Blue Jays came more than a week after the Falcons let the Brewers fight back in the last inning and win the season-opening game.

After the sorry loss, the Falcons were pretty determined to get their first win as shown in the early part of their game against the Blue Jays. The Falcons had a five-run bottom of the first and added four more runs in the next two innings for a 9-4 advantage.

Both teams then slowed down in the middle innings with the Falcons failing to score a single run from the fourth to sixth inning before saving five in the last three for enough cushion. The Blue Jays were silent from fourth to eighth inning before knocking on the Falcons’ door in the ninth, but fell short in the end. The Blue Jays absorbed their second defeat in as many games as they also dropped their opener against the Yankees last week.