Tigers snap skid, beat Komoro

The Bob O’Connor-backed Tigers finally ended its four-game slide, beating a much younger Komoro side, 8-7, in Monday night’s game in the 3rd Annual Budweiser-Saipan Major League at the Francisco M. Palacios Baseball Field.

First baseman Manny Cabrera played the hero’s role when he chased Jo Jin Wook’s high fly ball as he almost crashed at the right field fence just to catch the ball for the third out.

The Tigers, who won the 2007 Masters Baseball League title, were holding on to a one-run lead at the top of the ninth when pitcher Ben Duenas walked lead off batter Hyung Joo Kim, who stole second and third to move the tying run 90-feet away from home plate.

Jeremy Kosiro struck out swinging while record-breaking pitcher Jae Young Kim walked and stole second base. Both runners remained stranded on base when Duenas struck out Jung Hoon Tae for the second out.

It was up to Wook to bring either Hyung Joo Kim and Jae Young Kim or both runners home.

Wook foul tips Duenas’ first pitch, then waited for a ball before the Tigers’ veteran hurler threw a strike. Duenas threw back-to-back balls then Wook connected on the sixth pitch on a high fly ball, which Cabrera caught as collided with the right field fence.

Duenas pitched 2.2 innings in relief with two hits, two strikeouts, and two walks. Ed Santos had his first start of the season and lasted for 6.3 innings giving up six hits with seven strikeouts and six walks.

Tony Pangelinan went 3-for-4 with two runs, and a double for the Tigers.

Jin Taek Lim, Hyung Joo Kim, Jang Jun Hyuk, and Jae Young Kim alternated the pitching duties for Komoro and gave up a combined six hits with 11 strikeouts and six walks.

Last Friday, Ray Guerrero went perfect at the plate while Dung Tenorio pitched four innings to help the Ford Rangers score a 19-8 win over the Korean Dreams.

Guerrero went 5-for-5 with four runs, a double, three stolen bases, and an RBI. Robert Bansil went 2-for-3 with two runs, a double, and two RBIs. Pete Tomokane also had two RBIs while Ben Tagabuel and Clifton Silil drove in a run each.

Tenorio lasted four innings on the mound for the Rangers allowing seven hits with three strikeouts and no walks while Franco Flores closed out pitching three two-hit innings with four strikeouts and one walk to preserve the win.

The Dreams try to bounce back with the loss when they face the still winless Kabur at 6:30pm today.