4th-inning scoring surge lifts Pirates vs BoS

The Pirates’ Charles McDonald, right, crosses home plate during their game against Bank of Saipan in the Majors division of the 2018 Saipan Little League last Saturday at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield. (Jon Perez)

The Pirates used a seven-run fourth inning in earning an 11-5 win over Bank of Saipan in the Majors division of the 2018 Saipan Little League last Saturday at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Pangelinan Ballfield.

BoS changed pitchers twice in the pivotal inning with Damarlane Sanchez coming in to relieve starter Greg Perez, while Jesse Stole replaced the former a few batters later.

Charles McDonald led off the Pirates’ rampage with a single and moved to second on a Perez wild pitch before reaching home plate on a Joshua Atalig RBI double. Atalig later scored on a D.J. Pangelinan RBI single. McDonald, Atalig, Pangelinan, and M.J. Elieisar all batted twice in the fourth, while Joey Dela Cruz and Deandre Cruz had singles.

McDonald went 2-for-3 with three runs, while Atalig, who was walked twice, had three RBIs after going 2-for-2 with a double and two runs. Pangelinan went 2-for-3 that included an infield hit with an RBI and one run.

Deandre Cruz pitched five innings—4 1/2 innings in relief—and was tagged with two earned runs on four hits with nine strikeouts and three walks before being replaced by Jeremiah Suel at the top of the sixth.

Suel quickly closed out the game after he forced Ezra Ada to ground out to first then retired Fridoline Hocog and Jesse Stole, respectively.

Stole went 2-for-3 with a leadoff triple in the third and an RBI double in the fourth for Bank of Saipan and scored four times.

Braves 12, Cubs 7
Joel Borja tossed four steady innings, while Jylan Sablan drove in three runs in the NSA Braves’ victory over the Cubs.

Borja allowed two runs—both earned—on four hits, while striking out eight and walking four. He went 2-for-3, making an infield hit and a bunt single and scoring twice.

Sablan had a two-RBI single in third and drove in a run in the first on a 2-for-3 batting with two runs. He then closed out for the Braves and gave up one earned run on no hits with six strikeouts, including a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth.

Angel Igitol had a double, two runs, and an RBI after going 2-for-4 for the Braves.

Little Legals 22, Twins 5
G-Boy Pangelinan had a two-RBI triple in a big nine-run binge for the Little Legals in the second inning against the As Matuis Twins. He went 2-for-3 and scored two runs.

Benji Palacios, meanwhile, had a two-RBI triple in the fourth and scored three runs after going 2-for-2, while Derrence Diz went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs.

Jon Diaz pitched four innings for the Little Legals and allowed one earned run on four hits, while fanning eight and walking four. Palacios tossed the last two innings with no hits and six strikeouts and one walk.