Angels soar to SML title

The St. Michael Angels survived a 12-inning match, escaping with a title clinching 2-1 win over the Tan Holdings Brewers in the 2011 Saipan Major League Monday night at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.

Dave Camacho made the game-winning hit at the top of the 12th inning, blasting a single at centerfield and driving Pete Tomokane home.

With the game tied at 1-all, the Angels started the top of the 12th with a walk, but leadoff batter Jesus Iguel was later caught stealing second. Tomokane also walked and later reached third off an error, while third batter Benwachi Taisacan singled.

With runners on second and third, Camacho stepped up to the plate and swung with the ball dropping near the second base plate and the Brewers taking precious time before picking it up, allowing Tomokane to score. Camacho and fifth batter Jerome Delos Santos were later tagged out off a double play to end the top of the 12th with the Angels on top, 2-1.

Then the Angels finally wrapped up the more than four-hour game when their defense held on and allowed the Brewers to reach only first base.

Toi Celis led off for the Brewers at the bottom of the 12th and was tagged out at first. Byron Kaipat was next at bat and kept the Brewers’ hopes alive when he made a base hit. Manny Sablan batted third and flied out to center and the Brewers failed to extend the series when Angels closer Franco Flores picked up starting pitcher Tony Rogolifoi’s weak grounder and threw to first base for the last out.

The Angels ended the best-of-five title series after winning three straight games.

Starting pitcher Thomas Joab led the pennant champions to another victory with an eight dominating shutout frames.

Joining Joab on the winning team are Fred Kaipat, Franco Flores, Benwachi Taisacan, Mike Iguel, Clifton Silil, Jerome Delos Santos, Pat Alepuyo, Marvin Kaipat, Jesus Iguel, Juan R. Tenorio, Nokki Saralu, Tyrone Omar, Dave Camacho, Hector Efraim, Pete Tomokane, Peter Tenorio, JP Flores, Leo Mendiola, John Flores and Craig Sanchez.

The Angels took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and hung in there in the next seven innings before they almost coughed it up in the bottom of the ninth as the Brewers knotted the count at 1-all.

Jesus Iguel broke the ice in the top of the first, making it on and around off errors and a stolen base. Brewers went three up and three down in the bottom frame. Rogolifoi managed a 1-2-3 inning to start the second, but the Brewers’ cup remained empty in the bottom half.

The Angels continued the posture, but stranded three runners in the next two innings. Notably, Joab skunked the Brewers 1-2-3 in the first four frames. During the stint, Joab gave up just one hit to Kevin Kapileo, but the Angels’ defense was there to sack him trying to stretch out a double.

The pitching duel between Joab and Rogolifoi continued until the ninth. Up to the eighth, Joab’s pitching was lights out and he sat just three outs away from a title clinching shutout. However, he plunked Brewers’ Vince Cepeda to start the inning; Cepeda stole second base and was moved to third off a dribbler down the third baseline by Mike Taitano. Cepeda headed home and tied the game off Asap Wabol’s sacrifice fly.

Rogolifoi stepped back on the rubber in the 10th in favor of Nakamura and the latter kept the Angels at bay. The Angels tapped Flores for Joab in the bottom half and the closer ate two early hits, but escaped with runners on the corners.

Both teams went 1-2-3 in the 11th and then the Brewers finally blinked on defense at the top of the 12th, allowing the Angels to wrap up the series.