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Rangers get back at Rock Steady, 7-4
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Posted on Apr 16 2009
Ford Rangers got back at defending champion Rock Steady, 7-4, in a tension-filled game that opened the second round of the 2009 Budweiser Saipan Major League Wednesday night at the Francisco “Tan Ko’ Palacios Ballfield.
The Rangers rallied from a 3-4 deficit with a run in the bottom of the sixth and three runs in the bottom of the seventh to avenge their loss to Rock Steady in the two teams’ first encounter earlier this season.
After a string of fielding errors by Rock Steady, designated hitter J.J. Laniyo stole home plate and the Rangers tied the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the sixth.
Then in the bottom of the seventh, Roy Celis hit a double followed by Shane Yamada’s single.
Celis gave the go-ahead run on a passed ball, while Pete Tomokane walked to first base.
Dave Camacho hit a two RBI single that drove home Yamada and Tomokane and capped the Rangers’ sixth straight win.
Starting pitcher Kelvin Kapileo allowed five hits and three walks, two runs, and struck out only one batter after four innings.
Reliever Franco Flores retired the first six batters then gave up only two hits after that. He also allowed one run, hit by a pitch, and struck out two.
Rock Steady defeated the Rangers, 6-5, at the start of the first round last Feb. 20.
It was the first win for the Rangers against Rock Steady since the finals last year and they are now a win ahead in the team standings.
The Rangers are on top of the heap with a 6-1 win-loss mark.
The San Roque D-9ers are second at 5-1, while Rock Steady was relegated to third place at 5-2.
The D-9ers are the only other team that defeated the defending champions so far this year, but they lost to the Rangers, 13-0.
The D-9ers’ last win was against Korean Phoenix, 19-1.
The Young Guns created a three-way tie from fourth to sixth after winning their last two assignments of the first round.
They beat the Tigers, 7-1, and Korean Phoenix, 10-8.
