Beijing CP Loong’s super flex takes CPB finals to a Monday decider

Ok, so this is how we’re going to roll. First, it was the Shanghai Orcas and their 11-1 demolition job on Saturday. Now comes the Beijing CP Loongs who didn’t so much exact revenge for that loss but ripped it out of their opponents and ran off laughing down the road with a 14-0 series leveller tucked under an arm.

“Last night our group was a bit tired, but then we studied the game and we became more committed to simply being aggressive,” explained the game MVP Ronaiker Ricardo Palma Rodriguez, who scored twice and added three RBS for good measure.

Game Two of Chinese Professional Baseball’s Summer Games finals saw Beijing bounce back from a series opener that had them connecting – often – but just not hard or smart enough. There were no worries about that on Sunday.

The Loongs came out looking for all the world like there was a point to prove here, that their potency was somehow being questioned. Ortega Taveras Irving Rene connected to deep right centre for a double with the second pitch of the game to set the tone, and from there hits just kept coming. He was soon crossing the plate, while Jonathan Aldair Arauz Morales and Francisco Jose Martinez Garcia both ran in to make it 3-0 at the end of the first.

Feel, for a moment, for Shanghai’s Sakurai Shuto (ERA 11.37), who entered the fray for Angel Yefrey Macuare Cabrera with his side 3-0 down in the sixth and then had Rodriguez and Alfredo Despaigne blast him out of the park, while Garcia Martinez raced home while watching Rodriguez’s heroics.

That made it 6-0 – and Beijing just never let up.

“The strategy was to prepare ourselves mentally first – with the team, with the staff, everything – and to play, and to have fun. Having fun is the best strategy there is,” said Rodriguez.

While the MVP nod went to Rodriguez, another to shine on Sunday was Garcia Martinez (five runs, five RBI), while Robert Jose Colina Molina (ERA 1.01) got the win – and the Orcas got nothing much at all. One hit – which came in the bottom of the fourth – and then only a few walks all night. Their battered bullpen will have to regroup – and now its all coming down to Monday night.

Game Three starts at 5.30pm Shanghai time – and you can follow the action here.