Young Guns down Tanapag Braves

Manager Jess Wabol led a bunch of Junior, Senior, and Big League all-stars to their first victory on Monday as the young guns of Manhoben trounced the Tanapag Braves, 12-2, in the continuation of the Saipan Major League Fall slate at the Francisco M. Palacios Baseball Field.

Tanapag was expected to rebound from last week’s loss to the North Stars but they managed just four hits off of the Manhoben pitching staff as starter Marley Techur surrendered none of them through three innings.

Shortstop Shane Yamada and the all-stars didn’t have any problem generating offense as they racked up 11 hits through seven innings. Yamada went 2-for-3 with a double and a run batted in for Manhoben while Ofero Taitano went 2-for-5 with a pair of singles and the game winning RBI when he knocked in Tony Palacios in the top of the seventh.

Shane Mendiola and David Camacho split time at first base for Manhoben and while neither was able to get a hit they each were credited with runs batted win when they were walked with the bases loaded.

Walks were an issue for the Braves as they sent 10 batters to first base for free—four of whom eventually scored. The Manhoben coaching staff wasn’t exactly happy with their team’s performance at the plate but they at least reached double digits in the hit department and on the scoreboard.

Manhoben got on the board first when Yamada came home on an error in the top of the first and they scored all of the runs they would need a couple innings later when Yamada crossed the plate for the second time to take a 3-2 lead.

Tanapag answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth but the young guns posted the next eight tallies with five runs in the top of the fifth and three in the sixth to take an 11-1 advantage of the game.

The Braves managed another run in the bottom of the sixth but that was all the offense they were able to generate. Not long after Palacios scored for Manhoben in the top of the seventh, the game was brought to an abrupt close as the Tanapag nine were unable to stop the umpires from evoking the 10-run mercy rule.

Action at FMP continues tonight with a battle of undefeated squads as the Hustlers (1-0) take on the North Stars (1-0) at 6:30pm under the lights at the Oleai Sports Complex.