The Philippine Men’s National Baseball Team stumbled against China, 8-15, putting its 20th Asian Games campaign in peril on Tuesday at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Stadium in Aichi, Japan.
With only two teams from each pool advancing to the medal rounds, the Nationals absorbed a crucial Pool A loss that dropped them to 1-1, tied with China for second and third place.
The Philippines now needs to defeat world No. 1 Japan on Wednesday at 11 a.m. and hope for a favorable result in China’s match against Palestine to keep its medal-round hopes alive.
Two-out rallies by China in the second and fifth innings proved to be the difference in the contest.
One out away from limiting the damage after China scored the game’s opening run in the second, Amiel De Guzman could not close out the inning. He lost the strike zone and issued back-to-back walks, with the second forcing in Luan Chenchen to make it 2-0.
Wang Lei then drove in two more runs with a single past a diving John Matanguihan, bringing home Fu Wenlong and Wang Lizi and ending De Guzman’s stint on the mound. Francis Gonzaga took over in relief.
Gonzaga, however, gave up a triple down the right-field line to his first batter faced, Zhou Yi, who brought home two more runs to extend China’s lead to 6-0.
The Philippines mounted a response in the bottom of the fourth, scoring three runs to cut the deficit to 3-7. Bong Liguayan delivered an opposite-field two-RBI double before a throwing error by shortstop Wang Lizi allowed another run to score.
China answered in the fifth, though, scoring five runs with two outs already recorded.
The rally began with another bases-loaded walk, this time to Lizi, before Li Xiaoyang and Wang Lei followed with hits to stretch China’s advantage to 12-3.
Li and Wang Lei spearheaded China’s offensive attack with three hits apiece, driving in four and three runs, respectively. Wang Lizi added three RBIs on two hits.
For the Philippines, pinch hitter Gio Gorpido led the way with three RBIs on two hits in two plate appearances.
Left-handed pitcher Joshua Pineda also turned in a strong relief outing, holding China scoreless over the final 3 1/3 innings while allowing just two hits.
