Previous Story
Brewers nose out Ol’Aces
The GSM Brewers’ Nokki Saralu, seen here practicing his swing, scored one of the two runs in their 3-2 win over the BSI Aces in the 2016 Saipan Baseball League last Saturday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
The Brewers edged the BSI Aces in a low-scoring game, 3-2, in the 2016 Saipan Baseball League last Wednesday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.
The defending champions scored two runs at the top of the eighth inning to take the close win and improve their record to 9-3. Nokki Saralu and designated hitter Manny Sablan made the two runs off a balk and the Aces’ error, respectively. The Brewers’ first run came way back in the first inning with Sablan’s single bringing in leadoff batter Ton Tenorio.
The Aces, on the other hand, broke their silence at the bottom of the fourth to force the first standoff. Eric Palacios put the Aces on the board, as he singled, moved to second off a wild pitch, and stole third before reaching home off a Brewers’ miscue.
The Aces then grabbed the lead at the bottom of the sixth, thanks to Darion Jones’ RBI single. The Aces went up as the Brewers were silent from the second to seventh inning before making a move in the eighth to regain the driver’s seat.
The Brewers went on to preserve the shaky lead in the last two innings with Vince Cepeda closing out and allowing no hits. Cepeda, who was the Brewers third pitcher in the match after Lenny Sablan and Thomas Camacho, ended the game in style as he fanned out the Aces’ first three batters at the bottom of the ninth.
With the win, the Brewers are still in second place in the eight-team field behind the unbeaten Chalan Kanoa Bears, who own a 12-0 record and have already secured the pennant with still two more games remaining in the regular season.
The Falcons are in third place with their 6-4 mark and are followed by the Aces (7-5), Titanium (5-7), Yankees (4-7), North Starz (1-9), and Blue Jays (0-12).
