Mariners silence Ballistics to recover from debut loss

The Mariners had five batters combining for 11-for-15 and capitalizing on the Ballistics’ errors on their way to an easy 13-3 victory in the 2018 Saipan Baseball League last Monday night at the Francisco “Tan Ko” M. Palcios Ballfield.

The win had the Shine Tenorio-managed Mariners bouncing back from a 12-7 defeat to Titanium during the league’s opening week and handing the Ballistics its second loss in as many games.

Ton Tenorio went 2-for-2 for the Mariners, including an RBI double in an eight-run scoring binge at the top of the fifth, and he also reached home plate twice. Shane Yamada had an RBI double in the first to put the Mariners on board and scored one run on a 2-for-4 performance at the plate.

Pat Tenorio scored twice after going 3-for-4, while K.J. Deleon Guerrero went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs. Nate Smith had a pair of RBI singles and two runs on a 2-for-2 batting for the on target Mariners.

The Ballistics committed 14 errors in the game, which the Mariners turned into five runs and used to move their runners to scoring position four times.

Derron Flores was tagged with three earned runs on seven hits with no strikeouts and one walk in 4 1/3 innings pitched, while Kainoa Wanket completed the win when he shut out the Ballistics on one hit with one strike and one walk.

Wanket came in with one out at the bottom of the fifth and Keola Camacho about to bat. He forced the Ballistics second baseman to an infield fly then retired Vicente Cabrera to end the inning. Wanket, in the sixth, was backed up by their infielders, forcing Rejay Iskawa to ground out to second base before giving up a single to Jimmy Demapan and walking J-Boy Mendiola.

An R.J. Renguul fielder’s choice moved Demapan to third, but cost them Mendiola as the Ballistics catcher was tagged out at second on a timely throw by Mariners shortstop Yamada to Jerry Kintol for the second out. Demapan was then out at home as Mariners catcher Deleon Guerrero made the throw to Wanket, who perfectly protected the plate to end the sixth.

Wanket pitched 1-2-3 inning in the seventh, fielding Milo Mafnas’ grounder to Nate Camacho for the first out then forcing Harry Nakamura to fly out at left field with Smith making the catch.

Ballistics centerfielder Ben Leon Guerrero, earlier, got on base on a Yamada error and moved within scoring position—to keep the game going—after the Mariners’ previous defensive plays. Wanket, however, picked him off at third base with Pat Tenorio making the tag to wrap up the game.