Bandits swipe win against Cardinals, 10-9

The Bandits swiped the win away from the Cardinals, 10-9, in the 2024 Tan Holdings-Saipan Baseball League last Tuesday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field.

Cardinals’ pitching broke down in the worst possible moment of the game as it was on the line in the bottom of the last inning, tied at 9-9.

With no outs, the Cardinals’ pitcher delivered the walk off base-on-balls to the Bandits’ Ton Guerrero, which scored Niko Martin who hit a triple earlier in the inning.

Martin was in a crucial scoring position as the Cardinals’ pitching couldn’t get a grip on the ball and resulted first in a walk to Harry Nakamura, then a hit-by-pitch to Ben Taisacan—which loaded the bases—and which they capitalized on.

The Cardinals were in heart-break city as they walked back to the dugout with their third loss in dramatic fashion during their final regular season game.

The Bandits actually bounced back later in the game after being down 2-6 in the fourth inning. They found their groove over a fatiguing Cardinals’ pitching staff and tied the game up, 6-6, after two runs scored in the fifth.

The Cardinals then took the lead back by one, 7-6, in the sixth inning off a run by Nokki Saralu, but the Bandits’ caught fire and stayed hot for the rest of the game.

Martin, Nakamura, and Guerrero went on to score three runs in the sixth to tie the game up once again, 9-9, after the Cardinals brought home two—for nonstop back-and-forth tug of war action over the lead.

In the end, it was the Cardinals’ wild pitching that ultimately became their downfall, as they lost in dramatic, base-on-balls walk off fashion.

Last Wednesday’s game saw the Braves hunt down the Bears, 8-5.

In the standings, the Falcons clinched the pennant with their 9-1 record; the Cardinals are at 7-3; Bandits are at 7-2 each; Padres have a 6-2 record; Sandlot and Braves are at 6-3; Blue Jays are 5-4; Royals have an even 4-4 record; Bears are 4-6; D-9er’s are 2-6; Natives haven’t won a game and lost eight; while Blue Shark also haven’t won a game with nine losses.

When all last regular season games are finished this week—or next week depending on the rain—the postseason schedule will be determined.