Padres prey on Bandits, 10-5 for finals spot

The long-awaited 2024 Tan Holdings-Saipan Baseball League semifinals between the Padres and Bandits finally came into fruition last Friday—with the Padres solidifying their spot in the finals, 10-5, at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field.

Both teams got off to a slow start in the first and second inning as the pitchers duked it out and were basically untouchable. Jose Lizama Jr. pitched a gem in both innings as he retired the Padres in order in the second, and allowed just one batter on base.

The Bandits, on the other hand, chipped away at the Padres’ J.P. Sablan with an opening double by K.J. Deleon Guerrero and a single in the second. But it amounted to nothing as Sablan got out of a two baserunner jam for still a 0-0 game.

Then, the Padres’ offense picked up their pitcher as Ko Lifoifoi and Jonah Flores reached home when Lizama Jr. failed to locate the strike zone for a 2-0 game.

The Bandits struck back at the bottom of the inning with a Devon Flores single, who then made his way home on a breakdown of the Padres’ defense after John Wilson’s at-bat to make it 1-2.

The floodgates then opened in the fourth with the Padres’ six-run inning that began in the middle of their order. Keith Kintol, Austin Benavente, Jordan Suel, Kazu Dela Cruz, Jonah Flores, and J.R. Suel all made it home which knocked out Lizama Jr. from the game.

The Bandits didn’t give up despite being down 1-8, and rounded the bases three times in the fifth to cut the lead in half, 4-8. The Padres added one more in the seventh and in the eighth, while the Bandits struggled at the plate.

In the last inning, the Bandits made for a rally as they had some traffic on the bases, but only collected one run from Franko Nakamura. Wasted opportunities with men in scoring position became their downfall and they handed the Padres the last finals spot, 5-10.

Austin Benavente, the Padres catcher said of their win and reaching the finals, “It feels good for a newly formed team to come out and make it to the championship. It’s a great feeling.”

As for their matchup against the defending champions Cardinals, “It’s going to be a tough matchup. Those guys can ball. I mean they’re the defending champions, but our team is really good too. It’ll be a good championship so I just hope everyone is healthy and plays their best.”

The finals are now set between the Padres and the Cardinals, with the finals schedule to follow.