Phl batters whip Thailand, keep crown

PATHUM THANI, Thailand — The Philippine men’s baseball team stretched its dominance with a 5-3 victory over host Thailand to take the gold medal in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games at Queen Sirikit Baseball Stadium.

Veteran pitcher Romeo Jasmin delivered a sterling job on the mound with 10 strikeouts over eight innings before lefty reliever Amiel de Guzman slammed the door shut on the hosts by getting the final three outs.

De Guzman fanned the last two batters, triggering a wild celebration from the dugout as the Philippines won for the third straight time and four of the five times baseball was played in the biennial meet.

The Philippines won the inaugural edition in 2005 at Rizal Memorial Stadium over Thailand, 2011 against host Indonesia in Palembang and 2019 in Pampanga at the expense of its Thai counterpart.

It was a sweet triumph for the team, especially for coach Orlando Binarao’s assistant Joseph Orillana, who as a player was part of the 2007 team that lost the gold to Thailand when the Games were held here.

“Our loss to them in 2007 was huge,” he said.

Jasmin, a 37-year-old righty, who at times would make submarine throws, pitched on six days rest and shut out Thailand in the first five innings, allowing just one hit.

He got some early run support in the first inning when catcher Mark Steven Manaig singled to left to score Jennard Pareja from first. Pareja, playing through a groin injury, had a leadoff walk to start the game.

The Philippines extended the lead to 3-0 with two outs in the third when Clarence Caasalan was issued a walk with the bases loaded and James Vincent Nisnisan was hit by a pitch by Thai starter Linus Supnet Oudum.

Mark Beronilla made it 4-0 in the fourth on a single that scored Erwin Bosito with the bases loaded.

The Thais threatened with two runs in the sixth, the first major threat Jasmin endured, but the Filipinos made it 5-2 in the seventh as a fielding error on John Leonel Matanguihan’s grounder sent Beronilla home from third.

Thailand cut the deficit to two runs in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Oliver Dunn in the eighth, and opened the ninth with a Jake Chaisongkram single, prompting Binarao to replace Jasmin with De Guzman, the 23-year-old pitcher of UAAP champion National University.