Falcons escape with 10-9 win over Dreams

The Tanapag Falcons capitalized on miscues by the Korean Dreams to score a nail-biting 10-9 victory in extra innings as games in the 2008 Budweiser Saipan Major League continued last Friday at the Francisco M. Palacios Baseball Field.

With the score all tied up at 9-9 at the bottom of the 10th inning, Dustin Quitano scored the winning run for the Falcons when the Dreams’ third baseman overthrew to second base allowing the Tanapag second baseman to race all the way to home plate.

Earlier, Sid Sablan gave the Tanapag team a runner in first with no out on an error by infielder Joe Tenorio.

That was crucial as it opened things up for Quitano who reached base on a single although Sablan was tagged out at second on a fielder’s choice.

The sacrifice would pay dividends later on, as J.R. Suel banged in a single that had Quitano scampering to second base.

The Dreams had all the time in the world to squeeze out a double play and extend the game to an 11th inning, but N. Otta’s throw to Justin Reyes was a bit out of the second baseman’s reach and the ball sailed toward right field.

Quitano, luckily for the Falcons, had the presence of mind to keep on going, touching second base and dashed toward third base in full steam before beating the throw at the plate for the game-winning run.

It was the second time in the game that Quitano bailed his team out of trouble, as he also scored the tying run in the bottom of the ninth on an RBI by Ned Norita.

The Falcons actually were fortunate to send the game into extra innings after seeing their 8-5 lead evaporate in the eighth inning, as the Dreams also capitalized on Tanapag’s own miscues to take a 9-8 advantage.

Four Dreams runners crossed home plate in the eighth as Jun Salalila drove in Otta, Harland Reyes and Salalila scored on consecutive errors by leftfielder Roy Magofna, and Shane Mendiola gave them the lead when Norita mishandled the throw to third base.

Falcons struck first and led 2-0 after four innings before the Dreams erupted for five runs in the fifth to take a 5-2 lead.

The team from Tanapag retaliated with three runs apiece in the sixth and seventh innings to peg the score at 8-5.

Norita went on to lead Tanapag, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs. Mike Pangelinan matched Norita’s 3-for-4 at the plate and added an RBI for good measure.

Harland Reyes led the Dreams with a 2-for-4 performance at the plate as well as two RBIs.

McGregory Camacho took the win for Falcons after taking the mound for starting pitcher Pete Teigita in the fifth. Shane Mendiola, meanwhile, was assessed the loss after relieving for Thomas Joab.

The win allowed the Falcons to keep pace of second place Ford Rangers as the two teams are now tied at 6-3 in the team standings, behind the unblemished 9-0 record of Rock Steady. The loss, meanwhile, leveled the win-loss card of the Dreams to 5-5.