[sixcol_five_last]
By Robert Balajadia
After many rain delays, the Budweiser Baseball League has finally ventured into the season’s final stretch featuring a championship best-of-seven series series between the top-seeded Braves vs. the Crown Bakery Phillies starting Tuesday night. The championship series will be played every Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday night until a winner is decided.
The regular season series between the two teams had been split 1-1 with the Phillies taking the postponed game after the teams avoided a near confrontation. The two best teams on paper are the last two standing.

Braves’ third baseman Chad Palomo picked up a grounder and throws the ball towards first base to make the play. (photo by Jesse Castro)
Da Braves (12-2)
The top seeded Braves, who started the season 12-0, find themselves in familiar territory after defeating the 76 Cardinals 3-1 in the semifinals on their quest for an unprecedented fifth straight championship. The Cardinals stole the second game of the series with an eighth inning comeback, but two of Da Braves’ three wins were by the 10-run mercy rule.
Da Braves played their first two semifinal games without key player B.J. Balajadia, who came back for the final two games against the Cardinals after nursing a shoulder injury. Pitcher Tony Yatar told GSPN at the closeout game of the series that the team is getting healthy at the right time and all should be ready for the championship series.
Da Braves wrapped up the series agains the Cardinals after Game 1 of the Phillies and Braves which has allowed the defending champs ample time to rest. Yatar was not worried about rust when asked if that may play a factor and instead addressed that the team that makes the less errors and gets the most hits will win the championship.
This year’s Braves are the most stacked team in recent memory. Heavy with experience with the likes of veterans Rico Castro, J.T. Tuquero, the Sarmientos, John Salas, Dominic Cruz and the resurging Jimmy Reyes, the Braves possess no weakness on the field and down the lineup.
Pitching will be key for the Braves. A shorter series will work to their advantage. They will be riding the arms of Yatar, John Pangelinan, JP Aguon, Paul Lujan and Cliff Raphael. Aguon is off-island and will miss the first three games of the series in what is anticipated to be his last go around in the BBL.
Braves vs. Cardinals game recap:
GAME 1: Braves def. Cards 17-0
GAME 2: Cards def. Braves 10-8.
GAME 3: Braves def. Cards 16-1.
GAME 4: Braves def. Cardinals 10-4

Phillies third baseman Derwin Aguon makes the tag on Athletics runner Ignacio Aldan, but the umpire will rule in favor of the runner during their semifinal series. (photo by Jesse Castro)
Crown Bakery Phillies (10-4)
The most impressive part of the Phillies win against the favored BOG Athletics was not the score of every game but the fact that they swept the A’s 3-0.
During the middle of the season, shortstop and big hitter Jathan Muna-Barnes told GSPN that his team would need to win every game for the rest of the season after starting out 4-3. The team is now singing to a different tune as they will try and keep the underdog spirit alive and dethrone the defending champion Braves.
After 29 complete innings of play the Phillies gutted every game against the Athletics to pull off the series upset. These games included an 11-inning game in Game 1 and a complete game by J.D. San Nicolas in the closeout Game 3. With less than a week of rest, the Phillies jump right back on the saddle.
It took a while before the Phillies gelled, but it’s perfect timing. They have the talent to pull it off, but obviously not as deep as the Braves. If they pull from the bench, it’s not as interchangeable as their favored opponents.
They have a solid offense with the likes of Matt Muna, Derwin and Michael Dean Aguon, Barnes and Calvert Alokoa.
If the Phillies win the series, it will come down to their solid pitching staff led by Freddy Cepeda, RJ Joe as well as San Nicolas.
“The depth of my pitching is the the most key resource that I have for this series,” Phillies manager Shon Muna said.
Phillies vs. Athletics game recap:
GAME 1: Phillies def. Athletics 9-6.
GAME 2: Phillies def. Athleics 4-2.
GAME 3: Phillies def, Athletics 3-2
[/sixcol_five_last][useful_banner_manager_banner_rotation banners=69, 38, 53 interval=8 width=120 height=600 orderby=rand]


GPS Sports Calendar
February 2023
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for January
1st
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
2nd
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
3rd
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
4th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Events for February
6th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
7th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
8th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
9th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
10th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL FINALS
Events for February
12th
MONSTER ENERGY MOTOCROSS ROUND 2
Events for February
13th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
14th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
15th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
16th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
17th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
18th
BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2K/5K
World Athletics Cross Country Championships
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Events for February
20th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
21st
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
22nd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
23rd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
24th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS
Events for February
24th
Events for February
25th
Events for February
27th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER SEMIFINALS
Events for February
28th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL FINALS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS

Basketball
BULLDOGS WIN BATTLE OF 4-0 TEAMS

Baseball
MUNA LEADS DODGERS TO TOURNEY FINALS

MMA/Boxing
JONES TO FACE FORMER UFC CHAMPION

Baseball
GECKOS SWING BIG IN SEASON OPENER

Baseball
FRIARS EDGE ROYALS IN PITCHER’S DUEL

Basketball
FRIARS TAKE DOWN PANTHERS 74-68

Running/Track
GECKOS, SHARKS BUILDING TRACK CONFIDENCE

Basketball
BULLDOGS WIN BATTLE OF 4-0 TEAMS
COMING SOON …
- Trevin Jones vs. Cody Garbrandt
- Ricky Camp vs. WIlson Reis