The Philippines overcame its first taste of adversity in the East Asia Baseball Cup, rallying from four runs down to defeat regional rival Thailand, 9-5, on Friday and book a spot in the final in Clark, Pampanga.
Three runs were scored in the third and fourth innings before the Filipino batters padded their lead at Field 1 of The Villages to secure a championship showdown with Hong Kong.
Hong Kong crushed Singapore, 14-4, in a shortened seven-inning affair to remain unbeaten in the competition and set up a rematch of last year’s final held in Thailand, which the Philippines won handily.
Both the Philippines and Hong Kong share identical 2-0 slates in the Super Round, where results of games against teams that were eliminated are not counted.
The final is set for Sunday, but the two teams will still face off on Saturday to conclude the Super Round.
Coach Vince Sagisi’s squad got back with three runs in the bottom half of the third, then catcher Mark Steven Manaig hit a solo homer in the fourth that allowed the Philippines to tie things up at 4-4.
Late splurge
Lord de Vera later put the Nationals in front, 6-4, driving a single to center that scored Aids Bernardo and Ian Mercado.
John Vargas also homered for the Philippines in the bottom of the fifth, a solo shot to deep left to make it a three-run advantage. He also doubled in the seventh to drive home Clarence Caasalan as the Filipinos made it 8-4.
Mar Joseph Carolino picked up the win in relief, pitching three scoreless innings and allowing just two hits and striking out five for the Philippines after lefty starter Amiel de Guzman gave up five runs, all unearned, on four hits and walking two batters despite five strikeouts in four innings.
Raymond Nerosa gave up a run in the eighth before JP Macasaet closed it out with a scoreless ninth. INQ