


The Guam Major League Championship series was just getting interesting Friday night when a torrential downpour rendered all the action moot.

That was the ruling from GML Commissioner Roke Alcantara Sr.

The defending champion Guam Autospot Orioles faced the IT&E Rays in Game 5 of the championship series at the Paseo Stadium. The Rays lead the series 3-1

The game got as far as the top of the fourth inning before a 20-minute deluge rendered the infield a muddy quagmire.

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It looked as if it might be the grand finale, for a little while. The Rays scored a run in the bottom of the first, and the Orioles answered in the top of the second. The Rays went quietly in the bottom of the second and so did the Orioles in the top of the third.

Then the floodgates opened. The Rays put up 10 runs on eight hits and went through their entire lineup and then some. Dominic Cruz cleared the bases with two outs, runs scored on walks and errors and suddenly the Rays were up 11-1.

The Orioles showed mettle in the top of the fourth and the next three batters loaded the bases on base hits. Poland Masaharu cleared the bases, sending a ball to shallow center as the rain poured down, cutting the lead to 11-4.

"It's not a complete game so we have to replay it from the beginning, on Sunday if the weather permits," said Alcantara. "So nothing from today. It was as if we didn't play at all."

The next attempt to continue the series will be at 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30 at Paseo Stadium.