Jets zoom past Red Sox for second win (Part 2)

A Jets pitcher throws to a Red Sox batter during their Junior League game last Sunday at the Francisco ?Tan Ko? Palacios Ballfield. (ROSELYN B. MONROYO)

The Jets scored 11 runs at the top of the sixth inning to wrap up the second game last weekend one inning early and improve their record to 2-1, while handing the Red Sox their third loss in as many games.

Before going for the jugular, the Jets were only ahead by three after five complete innings, 14-11. Then at the top of the sixth, Brandon Pua led off for the Jets and walked. The next two batters also made it to first off another walk and a single and later reached home plate together with Pua off two more walks and a passed ball to up the Jets advantage to six, 17-11.

The Red Sox changed pitcher after giving up three runs, but that did not stop the Jets’ juggernaut, as the next two batters scored off Kenny Diaz’s triple with only one out. The Jets’ top of the order went on to go for a second at bat and tucked in three more runs of two base hits and a Red Sox error. The hapless defending champions used three pitchers to end the agonizing inning, but it was second baseman Jonah Reye who finally did it with a double play, as he caught a line drive from Diaz and tagged Napu Pua out.

Now facing a double-digit deficit, the Red Sox were pressed to score at least five runs no avoid losing via mercy rule and force one more inning. However, the defending champions got only one run with second batter Luis Blas reaching home off a Jets error. Leadoff batter Ryan Aguon was beaten to first, third batter Devin Resaura flied out at centerfield, and fourth batter Reyes was struck out by Jets closer Brandon Pua.

The Jets and Red Sox engaged in the high-scoring game after hitting their targets early. The Jets got two earned runs and four more off the Red Sox’s miscues in the first inning, while the latter bagged four. The Jets gained two more in the second inning and after a scoreless third notched three apiece in the next two innings to remain on top, but the Red Sox stayed afloat as they collected three runs in the third and four in the fifth.

Comets 11, Fielders 8

In the first Junior League game last Sunday, the Comets thwarted the Fielders.

The Comets limited the Fielders to one run in the first four innings to build an early lead and hung tough against the latter’s late rally to preserve the victory, their second in three games.

The Fielders, who dropped to a 1-2 slate, made it to the board early with Austin Ada reaching home off a Comets error at third base, but was scoreless in the next three innings, as they struggled against starting pitcher Austin Hocog.

In five innings, Hocog struck out six, allowed only three hits, and gave up no earned run, helping the Comets keep the lead, 9-2, before being relieved by Lorenzo Sebaklim. The Fielders’ second run was courtesy off another Comets defensive lapse.

On the offensive end, the Comets had a five-run top of the second, nailing two runs off passed balls, two from the Fielders’ error, and one from a Kobe Santos single. Santos also had an RBI single in the third inning, while the three other runs came off Aurel Mendiola’s two-run single and a fielder’s choice.

The Comets added two more runs in the sixth inning off a wild pitch and passed ball, but the Fielders countered with four runs (three earned) at the bottom to stay in the match and boosted their chances for a comeback win after shutting out their foes at the top of the last inning. The Fielders went on to move closer with their first two batters scoring off the Comets’ booboos, but the next three were booted out with the eventual winners securing the victory after tagging out fourth batter Greg Sablan at third base. The Comets got the two other outs off a fly ball and strikeout.