Five-run 7th lifts Brewers past Yankees

The GSM Brewers used a five-run seventh inning to rally past the Saipan Stevedore Yankees, 9-6, in last Friday night’s game in the 2015 Saipan Baseball League at the Francisco M. “Tan Ko” Palacios baseball field.

It was the defending champs’ second straight win in as many games to join the Falcons on top of the standings. The Yankees dropped to 1-1 for solo second followed by the 1-2 slates of IP&E Fielders and the North Starz. The Jets remain winless after two matches.

Vince Cepeda, who replaced Lancaster Secharmidal when Chris Camacho was about to bat in the top of the third, shut out the Yankees the rest of the way.

Secharmidal started out strong retiring the first three batters he faced in the top of the first and also had a quick inning in the second. He allowed two hits, including one run, in the top of the third—a pair of singles by Robert Bansil and Gary Cruz.

Secharmidal, after forcing Jack Sablan and Yankees designated hitter Chris Camacho to each fly out to left and center fields to end the second, lost control of the game and let the Yankees score five runs, including one earned.

He gave up an RBI single to Ben Jones scoring Carl Camacho, who led off for the Yankees with a single, then walked Jerome Delos Santos with still no outs. He got his first out when he forced Pete Tomokane to an infield fly that was easily caught by Byron Kaipat.

Secharmidal struck out Brian Camacho but walked Bansil. The Brewers’ defense, with two outs, also faltered with Bansil and Cruz scoring consecutive runs on errors.

Another error by Brewers centerfielder Jun Rabauliman had Jack Sablan reaching first and the latter moved to third on a wild pitch.

Cepeda then came in and brought things back into order. He forced Chris Camacho to fly out to right fielder Tyron Omar to end the third and shutout the Yankees after that.

He was almost unhittable with Cruz the only one who was able to record a hit, single, in the top of the eighth. The Yankees catcher singled in the top of the eighth but got stranded after Cepeda retired the next two of the three batters he next faced.

The Brewers were trailing 6-4 when they made their move in the bottom of the seventh, with Roy Celis leading off with a walk and later crossed home plate on a Manny Sablan RBI double.

The Brewers scored four more times after that including on the Yankees’ back-to-back errors and Cepeda stood atop the mound for the last time in the top of the ninth where he forced Jones, Delos Santos an Tomokane to infield and outfield flys.

Cepeda earned the win after pitching 6.8 shutout innings giving up one hit, two walks and had eight strikeouts. Rabauliman went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

The Brewers aim to clinch a third straight win when they take on the winless Jets tonight at the Tan Ko ballfied.