Sharks to keep core for next attack

Finally relishing the sweet taste of victory, Manila is keeping the core of its champion squad for another crack at baseball glory in October.

“Hopefully, we will stick with this line-up in the next series,” said Manila coach Jhoel Palanog, moments after the Sharks edged the Cebu Dolphins, 2-1, in their sudden death duel for Dunkin Donuts Baseball Philippines Series VI crown last Saturday.

For sure, finals MVP pitcher Jon Jon Robles will be back for another stint after keying the Sharks’ close win over the Dolphins.

For Palanog, it was the biggest and sweetest victory of his career.

Aside from mentoring the Harbour Centre-owned Sharks since 2007, Palanog coached the National University (NU) in the UAAP for eight years where he guided the Bulldogs to the finals in Season 72 before being replaced after the season.

“Whatever I lost (with NU), I gained with this team,” said Palanog. “I hope that I can gain that recognition in coaching with this title.”

The Sharks took the biggest catch in Robles, a two-time MVP in the UAAP with UST and a one-time titleholder in Baseball Philippines with the Makati Mariners during Series I, strengthening Manila’s pitching rotation that includes national player Charlie Labrador.

But after a stint in the Czech Republic, the lefty hurler groped for form in the early stages of the tournament presented by Dunkin Donuts and organized by Community Sports Inc.

“I had a long break,” said the 24-year-old Robles, who yielded just three hits in the title series. “I didn’t play for nine months and I was really out of shape. But as the season went along, I regained my form.”

Mixing superb pitching and a balanced offense, the Sharks dominated the elims with a 4-1 record and then trounced the Alabang Tigers in the semifinal round to gain a crack at the crown.

The Sharks, with Robles’ one-hitter, beat the Dolphins in Game 1, 5-3, but dropped a pulsating 9-10 setback in the second game to set up the winner-take-all match.

But Robles held his ground in the decider, yielding two runs and striking out 10 batters while Nino Tator came through with three doubles, including the go-ahead RBI in the fifth inning to help anchor the win.

Meanwhile, the rubber match will be shown on NBN-4 on Aug. 5 starting at 2 p.m.

The league was sponsored by Gatorade, Industrial Enterprises Inc., Philippine Transmarine Carriers Inc., Harbour Centre and The Heritage Park, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Amateur Baseball Association, Philippine Umpires Association and Sports Radio 918.