THE Cardinals successfully defended their Tan Holdings Saipan Baseball League title with a 4-2 victory over the Padres in the second game of the best-of-three championship series on Monday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field.
Thirteen teams saw action this year, playing a grand total of 65 games in the regular season.
Bouncing back
The Cardinals, the defending champions, finished number 4 toward the end of this year’s regular season, but bounced back in the playoffs to secure a championship slot by shooting down the pennant winner, the Falcons, 7-4 in September. The Padres, for their part, made it to the championship round after beating the Bandits, 10-5, on Sept. 20.
In game 1 of the championship series last week, the Cardinals thumped the Padres, 17-8.
On Monday night, the Cardinals defended their two-run lead by stranding 15 baserunners and nailing the Padres to a two-run game in nine innings.
With KJ Villagomez striking out Ben Jones Jr., and second baseman Pat Tenorio Jr. defending the in-field against Tony Salas and Keith Kintol, the Cardinals silenced the Padres in the opening inning.
Padres shortstop JR Suel and catcher Austin Benavente captured flyballs to also prevent the Cardinals from scoring in the first inning.
Right-fielder TJ Sablan handed the Cardinals the lead with an RBI single in the bottom of the second inning. But the Padres tied the game in the top of the third with first baseman Darion Jones launching an RBI double to the centerfield.
First baseman Nate Camacho retaliated by driving in two runs with a single as the Cardinals regained the lead, 3-1 in the bottom of the third.
The Cardinals stranded most of the Padres baserunners until Padres designated hitter Keith Kintol fired a single allowing third baseman Tony Salas to reach home base to narrow the gap, 2-3, in the top of the fifth inning.
Third baseman Brian Camacho singled, and after left-fielder Tony Tenorio’s pop-fly, TJ Sablan blasted his second base hit — an RBI single — to improve the Cardinals’ lead, 4-2.
The Cardinals then protected their advantage to secure this year’s championship.
Villagomez of the Cardinals pitched nine innings and had four strike outs while the Padres’ JP Sablan also pitched nine innings and had five strike outs.
According to SBL board member Shine Tenorio, it was another great season despite some delays due to “unfavorable weather conditions.”
“But overall, the competition was great, and I’m just grateful that the guys keep coming out to play baseball here on Saipan,” he said. After all those typhoons and the Covid-19 pandemic that hit the CNMI in the last few years, he said, “baseball is back on Saipan.”
He is grateful to all the 13 teams for “making this another great baseball season.” Those who reached the playoffs, he said, played really good games, and the championship games were also very good.
“I couldn’t ask for anything better,” Tenorio added.
The president of SBL is Jay Santos while this season’s statistician is Raymond Palacios.
The 2024 Tan Holdings Saipan Baseball League champions, the Cardinals, and their family members pose for photo after the final game at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field Monday night. Joining them is SBL board member Shine Tenorio, left.
Cardinals pitcher KJ Villagomez in action.
The 2024 Tan Holdings SBL runners-up, the Padres, and their family members, pose for a photo.
Cardinals’ right fielder TJ Sablan hits the ball for an RBI double.
Padres first baseman Darion Jones hits the ball.
