McDonald’s brings down Comets

McDonald’s earned its second win in the Majors division of the 2019 Saipan Little League Baseball after outclassing the Comets, 7-3, last Sunday at the Capital Hill Ballfield.

McDonald’s got off to a good start and held the Comets to one run in the first five innings to move back on track after losing to the defending champions Kagman Little Legals last week.

First baseman Dillon Santos fired up McDonald’s, as he blasted a one-run homer at the top of the first inning. McDonald’s went on to score three more runs for a promising 5-0 lead. Joey Dela Cruz reached off Casey Chambers’ single, while Jordan Agulto’s single also drove in Melvin Tudela, and Ezra Ada made it home from the Comets’ error at third base.

Dela Cruz was McDonald’s starting pitcher and gave up only one earned run in 5.2 innings he worked the mound, allowing only four hits and striking out 11 batters. He forced the Comets to a 1-2-3 at the bottom of the first after catching two fly balls and a 1-3 putout play.

Then in the second inning, Dela Cruz gave up a double to leadoff Jesus Tyquengco, but left him stranded there after fanning the Comets’ next three batters. The Comets finally scored one against Dela Cruz in the third inning with Sam Aldan’s RBI single, but the McDonald’s pitcher quickly redeemed himself with back-to-back strikeouts to go with his first on second batter Joe Macaranas.

McDonald’s got the one run back at the top of the fourth with Agulto reaching off Santos’ sacrifice fly and the team kept the 6-1 advantage when Dela Cruz struck out the Comets’ first three batters at the bottom.

The tally remained, going into the sixth inning, as neither team scored in the fifth. Then at the top of the sixth and last inning, Isaiah Mesa gave McDonald’s more cushion, 7-1, with his run off a passed ball. McDonald’s had a chance to get a few more runs in the penultimate inning with the bases loaded, but Lance Acosta was caught stealing second for the third out and the Comets’ turn to bat for the last time.

The Comets went on to be slapped with two quick outs with Dela Cruz catching a fly from leadoff batter Joshua Yorormad and Tyquenco, who batted third. Second batter Justin Camacho gave the Comets the needed break when he scored off McDonald’s’ error and their team stayed afloat when Greg Tebit also reached off Isidro Lizama’s double. However, Lizama was stuck at second and James Blas at third after Ada, who relieved Dela Cruz after the Comets were called for the two outs, fanned Jayvin Camacho to wrap up the match.