Bears keep streak; Yankees snap skid

Yankees players warm up during their first round meeting against the Blue Jays in the 2016 Saipan Baseball League at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Chalan Kanoa Bears continue their winning ways, while the Yankees are back on track in the 2016 Saipan Baseball League.

The pacesetters Bears downed the Falcons, 5-2, in last Friday’s game at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield for their 10th victory in as many games, while the Yankees blew out the Blue Jays last Monday, 13-2, to end their six-game losing skid and improve to a 3-6 record.

Peter Lieto pitched in no relief in seven innings and struck out 10 to help the Yankees earn their first win since recording back-to-back triumphs (versus Blue Jays and North Starz) in April. He allowed only two hits.

The Yankees defeated the Blue Jays anew via 10-run mercy rule after six and a half innings. The eventual winners set up the early win after a six-run bottom of the fourth inning highlighted by Franco Nakamura’s three-run double. Nakamura also reached off a Blue Jays’ error and the Yankees tallied two more runs from Franco Flores’ RBI walk and another miscue from their opponents for an 11-2 advantage.

The Yankees then drew their last two runs from Franklin Lizama and J.D. Dikito’s RBI singles in the fifth and sixth inning, respectively, while the Blue Jays had theirs in the second. Jess Mesa hit an RBI single at the top of the second and also made it home off the Yankees booboo at centerfield.

After their two runs, the Blue Jays were called for 1-2-3 innings from third to fifth and missed a chance to end their misfortunes in the sixth when Davie Matagolai was left stranded at third as the last two batters went down off a 4-3 play and flyout. Leadoff batter Justin Santos also flied out. The Blue Jays had a runner stranded (at first) too at the top of the seventh and last inning after Lieto fanned out Aaron Benevante.

In last Friday’s game, Jeffrey Lizama also pitched for the Bears without relief, struck out seven, allowed only five hits, and gave up no earned run to extend his team’s streak.

The Falcons made the two runs at the top of the fifth off the Bears’ defensive lapses to even up the count, 2-all. However, the Bears quickly regained the upper hand at the bottom of the sixth with A.J. Lizama recording an RBI double and Peyton and Henry Lizama each tallying an RBI single. The Bears hung on to the lead after shutting down the Falcons in the last three innings with Lieto earning four more strikeouts.