Aces stun Brewers in semis opener

BSI Aces catcher Virgil Secharmidal throws to pitcher Mike Iguel after catching a fly ball during Game 1 of their semis series against the GSM Brewers last Tuesday night at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The BSI Aces pushed defending champions GSM Brewers to the brink of elimination after earning a 4-2 win in Game 1 of their semis series in the 2016 Saipan Baseball League last Tuesday night at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.

The third-ranked Aces shut down the Brewers in the last seven innings to take the series opener in their best-of-three semis affair and boost their chances for a finals appearance this season. The Luis Iguel Jr.-managed Aces will go for a sweep today in Game 2 of the short series, while the Brewers will try to salvage their season and the league championship they held for two straight years.

Mike Iguel was the winning pitcher, working the mound for nine complete innings. He struggled early, yielding five hits and two runs before finding his form in the third and allowing only two hits the rest of the game. Mike Iguel’s good pitching from the third to the ninth inning was complemented by the steady hands of his teammates, who caught several fly balls.

The Aces pitcher gave up an RBI to single to Nokki Saralu at the bottom of the second inning, while the Brewers other run came in the first with Manny Sablan’s sacrifice fly bringing Tyrone Omar home. The Brewers went on to keep the 2-0 lead after three innings before a three-run top of the fourth moved the Aces ahead.

Leadoff batter Ben Jones handed the Aces their first run when he reached in the fourth off a Brewers’ error at left field, while Lamarc Iguel scored the game-tying run, thanks to a sacrifice out from Jeremy Atalig. John Tudela, who batted third in the order, then put the Aces on top as he singled and made it home off an RBI single from Eric Palacios.

Now down, 2-3, the Brewers failed to regain the lead at the bottom of the fourth and the remainder of the game as the Aces’ defense held strong. From the third to ninth inning, the Brewers were in a scoring position only once with Byron Kaipat eventually left stranded at third and Pat Alepuyo at first at the bottom of the seventh after Diego Camacho went down on a 6-3 putout play.

At the top of the eighth, the Aces increased their lead when Lamarc Iguel’s single drove Jones home and the eventually winners completed the Game 1 upset against the second-seeded Brewers after forcing the defending champions to a 1-2-3 inning in the last two. The Aces caught three fly balls, booted out two batters off 5-3 and 6-3 putout plays, and Mike Iguel struck out Pete Sablan.

Meanwhile, last night’s Game 2 of the semis series between the pennant champions Chalan Kanoa Bears and Titanium was called off due to heavy rains and will be played tomorrow. The Bears won Game 1, 10-9, extending their winning run to 15 after a 14-game sweep of the regular season.