Braves vs Marlins in Minor title match

The NSA Braves pitcher, right, goes for a catch, while a Cubs runner slides home during their game in the Minor division of the 2018 Saipan Little League Baseball last Saturday at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The stage is set for the finals showdown between the NSA Braves and Kagman Marlins following their semis victories in the Minor division of the 2018 Saipan Little League Baseball yesterday at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield.

The No. 1 seed Braves lived up to high expectations and took the first finals seat after crushing the Northern Yankees, 16-1, while the Marlins prevailed against the Cubs in the other semis pairing, 7-3. The Marlins-Braves finale will be played this Saturday.

A 15-run bottom of the second inning allowed the Braves to ease past the Yankees in the first semis game. Pitcher Javen Camacho highlighted the Braves’ surge in the pivotal inning with a solo homer in his first at bat in that stage of the one-sided game. He then blasted a two-run triple in his second trip at the plate and scored twice in the second inning, making up for his failure to reach home at the bottom of the first. Camacho advanced off the Yankees error in the first inning and then stole second and third base, but was stranded there after Jacob Babauta was struck out.

The Braves pitcher also threw a no-hitter in the three innings he worked the mound, giving up no earned run and striking out six, including the Yankees’ first three batters at the top of the second inning. The Yankees got their lone run in the game off a passed ball at the top of the first inning.

Besides Camacho, six other players on the Braves top of the order batted two times and reached home twice at the bottom of the second inning.

After opening a big lead at the end of the second inning, the Braves went on to finish the match, which had a one-hour limit, at the top of the third, as the Yankees were called for two quick outs. Camacho fanned the Yankees leadoff batter and then caught the grounder of the second one. The Braves pitcher walked the Yankees third batter, who managed to move to second off a passed ball, but was left stranded when fourth batter Matthew Tomokane was tagged out on a 4-3 play.

The Braves’ semis win over the Yankees came after the former closed out the regular season with an 8-5 triumph over the Cubs last Saturday.

The Braves banked on their eight runs at the bottom of the first inning to withstand the Cubs’ rally in the second. The first finalists got five runs off the Cubs’ errors, two from wild pitches, and one off a passed ball.

A solo homer from leadoff batter Rosie Saralu at the top of the second inning sparked the Cubs comeback, as the team’s next three batters reached off the Braves wild pitches before Herman Iguel halted the run by getting three straight strikeouts. The Cubs then added one more run at the top of the third with Saralu scoring off the Braves error with two outs. However, that was it for the Cubs, as Iguel struck out Abraham Saralu in the next play.

Meanwhile, in the second semis game, Marlins catcher Santiago Sablan hit an RBI triple and reached home on a passed ball at the top of the second inning to help his team slip past the Cubs.

The Marlins were ahead by only one, 2-1, after one complete inning when Sablan drove in Jake Faisao with his triple and then made it home for the squad’s fourth run and 6-1 advantage in that period. David Apatang and Audie Iakopo registered the Marlins’ two other runs off the Cubs’ errors. Austin Camacho added one more run off the Cubs catcher’s booboo in the third inning to give the Marlins enough cushion, going into the bottom of the third.

The Cubs, who had one run each in the first and second inning, were also held to one in the last inning, courtesy of second batter Abraham Saralu. Leadoff batter Paul Lizama went down on a 1-3 putout play, while Robert Manglona was struck out, and Rosie Saralu, who tripled, was tagged out as she attempted to steal home.