AMIGOS WIN AMATEUR CROWN

PRESS RELEASE – Saturday night at Leo Palace Stadium the Chalan Pago Amigos and Sakudee matched up in game two of the Leo Palace Baseball League Amateur Division Championship.  Sakudee would start with Josh Aguigui on the mound opposite the Amigos Paul Campos.  Aguigui had thrown four scoreless innings to close out the game one loss and came out in game two with his best stuff.  Campos matched Aguigui frame for frame bu Aguigui and Sakudee would get the best of the matchup shutting down the Amigos and giving Sakudee the must have 2-1 win in a great pitchers duel.

In a game that was low on scoring every hit and every baserunner could mean the difference in the game.  Sakudee would get both of their runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning with Jude Manibusan starting things off with a single and advancing on a sac bunt by Roman Blas and Vic Villagomez.  Hot hitting Marvin Knowles would double Manibusan in for the first run of the game and then come around to score on a rbi single by Luke Tedtaotao.

The Amigos would answer in the top of the 4th inning as Pete Castro Jr would walk to get on and come into score on an error off the bat of Brod Santos.   However on this night Aguigui was on his “A” game and getting plenty of help from his defense with again Jeremy McDonald turning in great defense at shortstop and John McDonald tracking down balls in center.

Sakudee would take game two over the Amigos 2-1 with Aguigui going seven innings allowing no earned runs, five hits and striking out seven.  Campos was also spectacular in the loss going six innings, allowing two earned runs and only five hits.  Jude Manibusan had two hits for Sakudee and Pete Castro Jr was 1-2 with a run and walk in the loss for the Amigos.  With the win Sakudee would force a deciding game 3 Sunday night with winner taking all.

Game#3    Amigos 2  Sakudee 1  WP: Florencio Binuya  LP: John McDonald

In the deciding game three on Sunday night at Leo Palace both the Amigos and Sakudee would come with their usual stellar pitching.  After two great pitchers duels in game 1 and 2, game 3 would be more of the same.  Sakudee with send John McDonald to the mound and the Amigos would counter with Florencio Binuya.  In another great pitchers duel the Amigos would put two runs on the board in the 4th inning and great defense would hold off Sakudee with Binuya pitching the Amigos to a 2-1 victory and the 2012 Leo Palace Baseball League Amateur Division Championship.

Both pitchers would keep the game scoreless unitl the top of the 4th inning when the Amigos bats would break through against Sakudee’s McDonald.  Andy Quintanilla would reach by hit by pitch to lead off the inning with Brod Santos singling to put two on with one out.  Amigos’ Keith Castro would drive a triple to the right centerfield gap scoring Santos and Quintanilla to give the Amigos a 2-0 lead.

Sakudee would threaten in the bottom of the 5th inning against Binuya with Troy Simbahan blasting a bomb to left that short hopped the fence for a two out double.  Matt Barcinas would follow with a  hit by pitch to put runners on 1st and 2nd with two outs.  Josh Aguigui would ground a single to right field with the right fielder making a perfect throw to the plate getting Simbahan in a run down between 3rd and home.  Amigos catcher Brod Santos throw to 3rd would sail into left field where a hustling Keith Castro would be backing up the play, scoop up the ball and fire a strike to the plate to nail Simbahan trying to score for the 3rd out and keep Sakudee off the board.

Sakudee would finally get on the board in the bottom of the 6th inning on a sac fly by Kevin Ishezaki scoring Roman Blas to cut the Amigos’ lead to 2-1.  That would be as close as Sakudee would get as Binuya retired Sakudee in the 7th inning to close out another great game and give the Amigos a 2-1 win and the title.

Binuya would go the distance allowing one earned run with seven strikeouts to shut down Sakudee and pick up the win.  McDonald was almost as good in the loss also going seven innings allowing two earned runs, five hits with eight strikeouts.  Keith Castro was 2-3 with a triple and two rbi for the Amigos.  Jeremy McDonald was 2-3 for Sakudee.

Florencio Binuya and Bruce San Nicolas were named Co-Playoff MVPs with Binuya picking up the win in Game 3 and San Nicolas picking up two wins in the playoffs including the win and a great performance in game 1 of the Championship Series.

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