Top meets bottom in Baseball Philippines Series 3 action today as Manila takes on Makati, looking for its seventh straight win against a team which could not seem to get going after six games at the Rizal Baseball Stadium.
The fired-up Sharks, who racked up six straight victories in varying fashions, stake their unbeaten slate against the winless Mariners in a 10: 30 a.m. showdown between a former champion and last year's runners-up in the league organized by Community Sports Inc.
Though they have contrasting campaigns this season, Manila team manager Jhoel Palanog opts to downplay his wards’ chances.
"We’ll do our best not to be complacent because we know all the teams are capable of beating anyone," said Palanog, whose Sharks lost to the Cebu Dolphins in last year’s finale.
Equally interesting is the duel between Series 2 title-holder Cebu and an unpredictable Antipolo City side at 7 a.m. even as Batangas seeks its fourth win in seven games against Dumaguete in the 2 p.m. main encounter of the tournament backed by Purefoods TJ Hotdog, Gatorade, Mizuno Sports, Harbour Centre, Industrial Enterprises, Inc., Phil. Transmarin Carriers, Fort Bonifacio Dev't. Corp. Forward Taguig, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, PABA, Gerry Davis Sports and Go Nuts Donuts.
The Dolphins and the Pilgrims are both coming off rousing victories with the former walloping the Dumaguete Unibikers, 14-4, to grab second place at 4-2 and the latter blasting the Mariners, 9-2, last week for an even 3-3 card and in a tie with Taguig and Batangas clouters.
"I expect our match to be exciting and close. But we need to play doubly hard against them (Antipolo)," said Cebu team manager Isaac Bacarisas, out to stay within striking distance of Manila.
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