PRESS RELEASE – The 2012 Leo Palace Baseball League AAA Division Championship was decided Sunday night at Leo Palace Stadium with the AM-PCR Angels clinching the title with a 5-2 win over the Philip & Son’s Phillies.  Another great game between two teams that played four games this season with each game decided by 3 runs or less.

The Angels would send Sean Cruz to the mound matching up with the Phillies Luis San Nicolas.    Cruz would get the better of the matchup pickup up the win allowing onlyone earned runs in 5-2/3 innings before giving way to reliever Gerald Borja who would close out the game for the save.  San Nicolas went an effective 3 2/3 innings allowing 5 runs with only 3 earned.  The Phillies would commit only 1 error but it was a costly one in the 2nd inning allowing two unearned runs to come in.

The Angels would start the scoring in the 2nd inning taking advantage of two hit batters, a walk and an error before Jathan Muna-Barnes would connect for a two out rbi single giving the Angels a 3-0 lead.  The Angels would continue the scoring in the 3rd and 4th innings with Randy Alcantara rbi sac fly scoring Alejandro Diaz who was hit by pitch  and a rbi single from Brandon Fernandez scoring Ryan  Martinez who had also singled.  The Angels would take a 5-0 lead into the 5th inning.

The Phillies would get on the board against Angels starter Cruz in the 5th inning with JD San Nicolas reaching on an error and coming around to score on a Jared Alerta single to cut the Angel’s lead to 5-1.  Miller Santos would keep the Phillies hopes alive in the bottom of the 6th with a bomb to left for a homerun.  Paul Pangelinan and Mike Aguon would then single putting runner on 1st and 2nd with no outs.  The Angel’s catcher Christian Borja would then catch Aguon with a quick pickoff throw backdoor to him at first base for the first out.  Brandon San Nicolas would then walk for the Phillies again putting runners at first and second with one out.  Borja would then nail Pangelinan at 3rd base in either a double steal attempt or a missed hit and run for the second out of the inning.  The Angels would go to their bullpen bringining in reliever Gerald Borja to get the 3rd out of the inning.

Borja would retire the Phillies in the bottom of the seventh to clinch the AAA Championship for the Angels.   In the deciding game the Phillies were lead by Miller Santos 2 for 3 day at the plate including a long homerun in the loss.  Ryan Martinez and Derwin Aguon had two hits each and great defense from Angels shortstop Jathan Muna-Barnes ignited the Angels in the deciding game two.  Freddy Cepeda was named the Playoff MVP picking up the complete game win in Game#1 which the Angels took 5-4.

Leo Palace Baseball League action continues with the Amateur Division Playoff Semifinal with the #1 Chalan Pago Amigos facing off against the #5 Talofofo Rangers on December 4th Tuesday 7pm and the #2 Sakudee taking on the #3 Haggan on December 5th Wednesday 7pm.

Winning Pitcher- Sean Cruz; Save- Gerald Borja; Losing Pitcher- Luis San Nicolas