Brewers rally past Falcons

Go See Mark Brewers players pose for a photo before facing the Falcons in the opening game in the 2016 Saipan Baseball League last Monday night at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield. (Contributed Photo)

Defending champions GSM Brewers foiled the Falcons’ upset bid after pulling off a come-from-behind 7-6 win in the opening game in the 2016 Saipan Baseball League last Monday night at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.

Catcher Pat Alepuyo saved the day for the Brewers as his three-RBI double—his lone hit in four at bat— sparked the team’s rally at the bottom of the eighth inning. Before Alepuyo’s pivotal hit, the Brewers were staring a 1-6 deficit with two outs and the bases loaded. The veteran catcher then drove home leadoff batter Tyrone Omar, Nokki Saralu and Ricardo Dela Cruz to move the Brewers within two, 4-6.

Alepuyo also reached on a Jesse Brel single, while the latter scored, too off a passed ball from Deleon Guerrero, who came in for Ricky Joe Reungel late in the inning after the Brewers had collected four runs. Brel’s run forced the match’s first and only deadlock, which was quickly broken by Diego Camacho, who made it home off Deleon Guerrero ’s wild pitch.

Now up by a shaky lead, all the Brewers needed were defensive stops at the top of the last inning to win the opening game. They did what the doctor ordered with the second baseman Camacho throwing to Byron Kaipat at first base to beat Falcons leadoff batter Nunu Kapileo. The Brewers then got the second out with closer Vince Cepeda striking out Barry Sunumai.

A hit by pitch kept the Falcons in the game, but not for long as Zack Blas was left stranded at first after Cepeda struck out J.J. Lifoifoi for the final out.

The Falcons absorbed the sorry loss after stunning the Brewers in the majority of the match. Falcons starting pitcher Frankie Lieto and his teammates held the Brewers without a run in the first five innings. Lieto also allowed only two hits in the five-inning shutdown before the Brewers finally lit up the board at the bottom of the sixth inning off Dela Cruz’s RBI triple.

The Falcons got the one run back at the top of the seventh off Kapileo’s RBI single and June Mira made the same hit for the 6-1 advantage. The Falcons four other runs came in the first, second, and fifth inning. Mira scored the first run of the season off Sunumai’s single, while Jonah Delos Reyes made it two in a row for the Falcons in the first inning when he reached home of a fielder’s choice. A Lieto RBI single in the second gave the Falcons a 3-0 advantage, while another Sunumai RBI single extended the lead to four before they collapsed late in the game and allowed the Brewers to steal the win.

Saralu went 3-for-4 for the Brewers and scored one double and a triple, while Mira was 3-for-4 at bat.

Meanwhile, Besides the Go See Mark-sponsored Brewers and Jural Group-backed Falcons, six other teams are competing in this year’s SBL. The list includes the Blue Jays, Yankees, North Starz, Titanium, Aces, and CK Bears.

The Blue Jays, who are supported by lawyer Robert O’Connor will have their opening game tonight against the Saipan Stevedore-sponsored Yankees, while the Hawaiian Rock North Starz and Art Man Titanium will collide this Friday. On Monday, the Best Sunshine-backed Aces will take on the Bears.