Braves scalp Yankees, 8-4

After trailing the Northern Yankees by four runs, the Tanapag Braves scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning before piling on five more in the fifth to take the lead for good on Thursday night in continuation of the Big League’s prime time schedule under the lights of Francisco M. Palacios Baseball Field.

Relief pitcher John Tudela came up huge for the Braves on both sides of the ball, as the talented utility player went 3-for-4 at the plate with two singles, a triple, two runs scored and three runs batted in. On the mound, Tudela struck out seven would-be hitters and surrendered a pair of walks and hits in four scoreless innings that gave his team their second win of the season.

Starting pitcher Mariano San Nicolas got the Braves into a bit of trouble in the top of the second inning when he gave up hits to Jesse Agulto and Jeff Saures that were converted into runs. The hole got deeper in the top of the third inning when centerfielder Roger Sellem and Agulto came home to give the Yankees a 4-0 lead. That finished the night for San Nicolas on the mound, as he moved to first base to allow Tudela an attempt at holding the Yanks at bay until their offense could get going.

Tudela pitched a pair of strikeouts in a 1-2-3 top of the fourth inning, and sensing a chance to build momentum, the bats of the Braves suddenly came to life. Sato Manalo reached base in the bottom of the fourth on a fielder’s choice after San Nicolas got plunked by Leroy Dela Cruz, to get the Braves started. Tudela singled Manalo home to put the first run on the board, and catcher Henry Iguel knocked Tudela home with a triple in the following at bat. Iguel later scored courtesy of an error by the shortstop before the Yankees could put the brakes on the charging Braves.

The Braves got their first base runner in the fifth inning in the same fashion as the fourth, as San Nicolas was beaned for the second time. This time around, San Nicolas was able to score when Tudela notched his second and third runs batted in when he tripled him in with Manalo to give the Braves a 5-4 lead.

From that point on there was no looking back for the Braves, as Iguel knocked in Tudela for the second time, and later scored off of a wild pitch. Outfielder Ryan Duenas later scored when slugger Jordan Suel sac flied to center to make the score 8-4.

The Big League action returns to the Palacios Field on Tuesday, March 22, when the Northern Yankees return to face the Comets under the lights at 6:30pm.