Aragon was in awe after hitting another go-ahead homerun.
LAPU-LAPU, CEBU --
Ysmael Aragon didn't get all of it, just enough.
Aragon’s solo-shot in the 11th inning lifted the Quezon City United to a wild 6-5 win over Lapu-Lapu on Friday night, ending the Red Dragons’ three-game winning streak.
The Sheriff led off with his third homer of the season off
Jilenko Polanco (0-1) -- the ball bouncing out of right fielder
Joey Cortes glove as he hit the Red Dragons Ballpark wall.
``It's not like I crushed it, but I hit it good enough for this park,'' Aragon said. ``They told me (Cortes) had it in his glove. We'll take it. It's great to see this team fight.''
United closer
Jaicus Rondez (1-0), who entered with 2 saves and 0.00 ERA, pitched two innings for the win, giving up just one hit and striking out a batter.
Down 4-5 in the top of the 9th inning,
Jilenko “Nine Fingers” Saranillo smashed a game-tying tater for his third round-tripper this season.
``This is a game we won't forget all year long,'' United manager
Artemio Ojeda said, ``because there were so many heroes. Unbelievable.”
``I'm tired,'' Saranillo said. ``In a game like this that goes so long, you just hope nobody gets hurt and somebody wins eventually. We were very lucky.''
Neyo Gabilo had four hits and drove in one run for the Red Dragons. He reached base in all but one five plate appearances.
Joshua Colarina started the scoring with a two-run shot off Quezon City starter
Jaypee Bernardo.
``We had ample opportunities to win this game, and we did not do it,'' Lapu-Lapu manager
Erwin Vadalean said. ``We couldn't help ourselves offensively, we couldn't score a run in the late innings.''
The Red Dragons went ahead 5-2 until the seventh inning when Quezon City scored one run in each of the next three innings, tying the game.
Bernardo, making his season debut, went four-plus innings, allowing seven hits and five runs.
Pahayahay, Lapu-Lapu starter, gave up eight hits and three runs in seven innings.
Player of the Game:
Ysmael Aragon
(1-for-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI)
Pat’s thought on the game:
It was a breathtaking game. The Sheriff comes through yet again. But there’s some bad news. He and my starting SS, Edilberto Pecson, will test free agency next season. It’s too early to offer them extension but their loyalty seems unfazed. I don’t know if I’ll trade them before the deadline, hang onto them and hope for compensation or field offers for them and get guys who’ll help us now and in the future. Probably, I would not sleep tonight. Dang.