Kings rally to edge Masters, 6-5

After allowing their opponents to build a 4-1 lead through five complete innings, the Budweiser Kings capitalized on a series of late-game miscues to overtake the Freedom Air Masters at Francisco M. Palacios Baseball Field Wednesday night in the continuation of the Saipan Major League.

The Kings scored six runs of off nine hits in the battle of the league’s oldest and youngest teams, but their most meaningful scores resulted from Masters mistakes.

Designated hitter B.J. Seman tied the game at one apiece when he crossed the plate via throwing error in the top of the fourth, and Ray Dela Cruz scored their second off of another error in the top of the sixth.

Seman scored again to pull the Kings to within one run of the Masters when he streaked across home on a passed ball, and Roque Camacho tripled in Ed Manibusan to tie the game at four in the seventh.

Camacho gave the Kings their first lead of the night when he scored on a second passed ball, and Tony Manibusan provided the eventual game winner in the top of the eighth when he too came home on a passed ball.

Three Kings tied for the best outing at the plate in four at bats by hitting 2-for-4, as Seman knocked a pair of singles scored twice, Tyrone Attao smacked a couple of base hits, and Ed Manibusan hit a single and a three-bagger to go along with his plate crossing.

Camacho came into the game in the top of the fifth and finished the night with a 2-for-3 performance that landed him a single, an RBI triple, and a score.

The Masters appeared to have everything going their way after they closed out the fifth inning with a 4-1 lead, and seemed to have a little extra spring in their step when two extra light bulbs got the juice on the scoreboard to signify the start of the sixth inning.

They still looked determined in the seventh with a one-run lead, but an air of “Here we go again” surfaced when Manibusan scored to tie the game.

“Those errors and passed balls killed us,” said Tony Rogolifoi of the Masters’ defeat, but the coach said that his team will continue to try hard and will do better as the season goes on.

The season continues tonight when the first place Northern Yankees challenge the defending champion Miller Lite Brewers at 6:30pm at Tan Ko field.