Three-time defending champion Manila primed up for its semifinal showdown with Dumaguete by edging top seed Cebu, 3-2, at the close of the elimination round of the Baseball Philippines Series 9 at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
Jayson Dimacutac and Warren Vispo yielded seven hits but stranded nine runners as the Sharks downed the Dolphins and closed out their elims campaign with a 9-6 slate.
“We knew it’s a non-bearing game but we wanted to enter the playoffs on a winning note so that we could get our morale back,” said Manila coach Jhoel Palanog.
But the Sharks will need two wins to frustrate the Uni-bikers in the playoffs in the league organized by Community Sports Inc. set next weekend, also at the Rizal diamond.
Cebu and Dumaguete enjoy twice-to-beat edges in the semis by clinching the top two spots in the elims.
After a lead-off single by Jennald Pareja and a double by Jarus Inobio in the fourth, a sacrifice fly by Paco Tantuico scored Pareja before Inobio advanced home on a catching error.
Cebu’s Lorenzo Ubungen slammed a homer to right field in the sixth off Dimacutac, who, however, allowed only four hits in a six-inning start.
Manila made it 3-1 in the seventh when Emerson Atilano singled to score Francis Gesmundo, who set up that run with a one-out double.
The Dolphins moved to within oine when playing coach Isaac Bacarisas belted a two-out single to score Ericson Villame but Vispo regained his form, forcing a flyout to Nico Uichico to close out the game.