Two in a row for Yankees, Titanium

Titanium and Ol’Aces (in pink uniforms) players exchange high-fives after their game in the 2016 Saipan Baseball League last Monday night at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Yankees and Titanium earned their second victory in as many games after recording similar close wins in the 2016 Saipan Baseball League at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.

The Yankees nosed out the North Starz, 9-8, last Friday for their 2-0 mark, the same slate Titanium holds following an 8-7 triumph against the Ol’Aces last Monday. Both Ol’Aces and North Starz dropped to a 0-2 card.

A four-run top of the seventh gave the Yankees the lead, which they preserved with closer Franco Flores shutting down the North Starz in the last two innings.

The Yankees were behind, 5-7, after six complete innings, but grabbed the lead, 9-7, at the top of the seventh off JD Dikito’s RBI double and Robert Tudela’s RBI walk. Charles McDonald’s and Dikito tallied the two other runs from a pitching error and a fielder’s choice, respectively.

A run from Tim Cruz off a Yankees’ miscue moved the North Starz within one, 8-9, at the bottom of the seventh, but that was it for the Jonathan Tenorio-managed squad, as Flores relieved Jose Guerrero in the last two innings and helped the Yankees keep the shaky lead.

Flores struck out leadoff batter Jess Sablan at the bottom of the eighth and after a walk by Ben Lizama, the North Starz committed two fly outs to end the inning. Flores then gave up another walk at the start of the bottom ninth, but quickly made up for it when he struck out the next two batters, while McDonald caught a line drive from Jared Camacho for the third and last out.

The Yankees needed to chase the North Starz in the last few innings after going cold from the second to sixth inning. The Yankees earlier recorded five runs at the top of the first for a good start, while the North Starz scored two runs apiece in the first, third, and fifth to take the lead.

Meanwhile, Titanium withstood the Ol’Aces rally to remain perfect.

Titanium was up, 7-1, after six complete innings. Nathan Camacho had a two-RBI single in the third and Titanium got two more runs off the Ol’Aces errors. Brian Camacho added a two-RBI double in the fourth and also reached off an Ol’Aces booboo to widen the gap.

However, the Ol’Aces threatened Titanium after a five-run top of the seventh. John Tudela had two-RBI single, Lamarc Iguel and Rodrick Blanco each made an RBI walk, and Luis Iguel went for a sacrifice out in that rally. The Ol’Aces then got one more run in the eighth as Juan Iguel reached off a Titanium error to boost the former’s chances to extend the game.

Darion Jones had the opportunity to get the game-tying run as he made it all the way to third at the top of the ninth with two outs, but he was left stranded there as Brian Camacho struck out Mike Salas.

Meanwhile, the GSM Brewers and CK Bears collided in last Tuesday’s game with the winner to join the Yankees and Titanium on top of the team standings in the eight-squad field. Results of that match along with the duel between the Falcons and the Yankees will be reported in Saipan Tribune’s Friday issue.