CEBU scored five runs in the first two innings and held on for a 7-6 win over Dumaguete to take solo top spot in the Baseball Philippines Series 9 yesterday at the Clark Field parade grounds in Pampanga.
The Dolphins built a 7-2 lead in the bottom half of the fifth inning and closed in on a semifinal slot and a twice-to-beat incentive with their 10th triumph in 13 matches.
Dumaguete fell to 9-4 even as defending champion Manila improved to 8-5 with a 10-0 thrashing of Taguig.
Devoid of their national team players, the Manila Sharks still proved too much for the Patriots as they unloaded all their runs in the first three innings.
Alabang also firmed up its bid to join the next round with a 15-7 drubbing of Batangas in the other morning match.
The Tigers, bannered by pitcher Adrian Bernardo, improved their record to 6-7 while the Batangas Bulls and the Taguig Patriots occupied the cellar at 3-10. Marc Anthony Reyes
Linescores:
First Game
TAGUIG—000 000 0—0 6 3
MANILA—145 000 0—10 10 4
Second Game
ALABANG—203 900 100—15 17 2
BATANGAS—301 030 000—7 9 6
Third Game
D’GUETE—000 112 200—6 11 7
CEBU—230 020 00-x—7 5 1