The Pirates’ Jess Guerrero connects a single during game 1 of the SBL Masters League championship series at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field on Monday.
The Pirates’ James Fleming slides back to first base safely following a pick-off attempt by the Dodgers’ first baseman, John Acosta, during game 1 of the SBL Masters League championship series at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field on Monday.
THE Pirates are one win away from claiming the 2023 SBL Masters League title after outlasting the Dodgers, 10-6, in game 1 of their best-of-three championship series at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field on Monday.
The Dodgers scored two runs in the top of the opening inning via fielder’s choice followed by an RBI single by Rob Bansil before the Pirates could stop the bleeding with a 6-4-3 double play.
In the bottom half, the Pirates took advantage of the Dodgers’ infield errors with the first two at bat, Jerome Delos Santos and Mark Toves, slipping past the home plate while Audie Maratita followed up with a two-run homer. An RBI single by Mario Aguon then gave the Pirates a 5-2 lead.
The Dodgers equalized with a two-run homer courtesy of Ed Manibusan, but the Pirates replied with two runs in the bottom of the second inning to remain afloat, 7-4.
In the next two innings, the Dodgers failed to score while the Pirates’ Derek Sasamoto brought in Eric Palacios and Aguon with a single to earn two RBIs and further stretch the deficit, 9-4.
It was the Dodgers’ turn to silence the Pirates in the fourth and fifth innings while scoring two runs to close the gap once again, 6-9.
But the Pirates were able to regain the tempo with a single run in the bottom of the sixth while the Dodgers could not muster the strength needed to pull a comeback and had to accept defeat, 6-10.
The Dodgers still have a chance if they beat the Pirates today, Wednesday, to force a third and final game, which will be held on Friday.
