Games Saturday
(E. Marcelino Baseball Stadium, Taguig City)
9 a.m. — Alabang vs Batangas
1:30 p.m. — Cebu vs Pampanga

Justin Zialcita drove in five runs and substitute pitcher Romeo Jasmin came through with a strong performance as the Batangas Bulls trounced the Pampanga Sand Kings, 9-3, and gained a share of second place in the Dunkin’ Donuts Baseball Philippines Series 6 Sunday at the Alabang Country Club.

Zialcita made four hits in five times at-bat, including two doubles to steer Bulls past the Kings, who stunned erstwhile unbeaten Manila Sharks, 7-5, in the same ballpark the other day.

The victory enabled the Bulls to tie Manila, Cebu and Alabang with similar 2-1 records.

Zialcita was at his best during a four-run binge in the second frame where he smashed a double that scored third base runner Charles Catangui and Mark Ong, who earlier hit a two-RBI single to put Batangas on the board.

Two innings later, Zialcita hit another double that brought home Nick Sarda from second as the Bulls grabbed a 6-0 lead before sealing the final win in the eighth where they scored two more runs.

An inning earlier, Jasmin allowed Pampanga to load the bases for catcher Rizel Santos, who a day ago smashed two round-trippers against the Sharks.

But he was able to survive the jam by scooping a short bouncer for the last out of the seventh.
The loss dropped Pampanga to 1-3.