Hustlers finally notch a win

In the spirit of Christopher Columbus’ voyage into uncharted waters, the defending champions of the fall edition of the Saipan Major League ventured to Francisco M. Palacios Baseball Field in search of what they knew awaited them, as the Hustlers finally broke into the win column on Monday by defeating the Kautz Glass Glazers 9-7.

On the strength of a seven-run rally in the bottom of the sixth inning, the studs from a season ago regained a little bit of their swagger. The Hustlers’ pitching staff received much-needed help from their offense after falling behind 6-0 going into their sixth at bat.

Byron Kaipat and Jonathan Camacho combined to allow seven runs off of nine hits, struck out five, and walked eight. Camacho relieved Kaipat in the fifth inning when his squad was trailing 5-0, and quickly retired the side with a pair of Ks and a grounder.

The Glazers tacked on another run in the top of the sixth, and that was when the Hustlers opened up a can upon the Kautz clan. A.J. Allen got things started when he successfully made it to first base off of an error, and though he would not score, plenty of his teammates would. Allen was sent back to the dugout when Roy Celis hit into a fielder’s choice, but Jester Garcia moved Celis to second off of another error.

After Luis Iguel was walked to load the bases, Jerome Delos Santos was also walked to send home Celis. That’s when the party got started, as J.R. Suel doubled the trio home to make the score 6-5 for the Glazers.

Jonathan Delos Santos made it to first courtesy of an error, which allowed Suel to score, and Manny Sablan followed that up with a double. Allen made his way through the line up again to bring them home with a single, and just like that, the Hustlers were ahead 9-6.

The Glazers scored a run in the top of the ninth, but it would not be enough for the game to continue, and the Hustlers earned their first win.

In the second game of the holiday afternoon schedule, the Pirates extended their unbeaten streak to three with an 8-6 win over the North Stars that featured the strong arm of Jonathan Jones going the distance in the win.

Jones allowed six runs off of 12 hits, struck out six of the Stars, and walked three in nine innings of work to earn the win, while the team of Anson Jones and Shane Mendiola combined to allow eight runs off of seven hits, fan six, and walk six in eight innings.

The Pirates took the lead in the first inning when Eric Lizama scored off of an error, and never looked back. Jonathan Villagomez scored another run for the Pirates courtesy of a balk in the bottom of the fourth. The Pirates scored two more in the fifth, sixth, and eighth, and relied on Jones to take them home in the ninth.