Cebu, Manila try to protect lead in BPS Series 9

AFTER SHARING the top spot for much of this season, the co-leaders Cebu Dolphins and the Manila Sharks will finally part ways when they take on one another today in the Baseball Philippines Series 9 at the Parade Grounds in Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga.

The Dolphins battle the Batangas Bulls and the Sharks go up against the Dumaguete Uni-bikers at 9 a.m., both looking for their seventh win against two losses and a continued share of the lead.

They expect to break that tie, however, as they square off in the featured match at 1 p.m. in a duel of BP Series 8 finalists.

In other matches, the Alabang Tigers and Taguig Patriots collide in back-to-back games while the Uni-bikers mix it up with the Bulls in the other 1 p.m. game.

Cebu swept last week’s assignments in contrasting fashions, surviving a scare from Alabang, 7-6, in 14 innings before blasting Taguig, 11-4, to remain on top of the heap.

The three-time defending champion Sharks, on the other hand, tripped Dumaguete in dramatic fashion as Warren Vispo came through with a two-run homer in the eighth inning to steer the Sharks to a 10-8 victory over the Uni-bikers for their fifth straight victory.

Though Cebu yielded the Series 8 crown to Manila, the Dolphins have the psychological edge against Sharks in today’s outing after a 12-7 victory last April 1. But they face an equally tough rival in the Bulls, who are out to break out of the slump with a 2-6 record. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio