MANILA: Holding fort in overtime yet again, San Miguel Beer has turned up the heat a few notches higher.

Executing well in the stretch for the second straight game, the Beermen earned the right to live another day in the PBA Philippine Cup to drag what looked like a lost title series against Alaska into a critical Game 6 after an 86-73 victory Wednesday night at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

June Mar Fajardo provided the drama by suiting up for the first time in the series and pumping a boost of adrenaline on everyone else as San Miguel, after losing the first three games of this race-to-four playoff for the crown, whittled down that gap to 3-2 and has all the momentum it needs going into a sixth game Friday night.

Arwind Santos benefitted from Fajardo’s appearance, getting more leeway to operate on the offensive end to finish with 22 points that went with 16 rebounds and four blocks for his best effort in the series.

Alaska’s offense bogged down in extension, with the Aces held scoreless in the first 3:45 as the Aces again went down in flames and will be feeling a lot more pressure come Game 6.

“It’s one-game-at-a-time for us. Now, they (Aces) are giving us a chance to have a Game 7 (with a win tomorrow), and it’s everybody’s (sic) ballgame,” San Miguel coach Leo Austria told reporters.

“Everything is still possible,” he went on. “But we need to win Game 6.”

It was a bitter pill to swallow for the Aces, who trailed by seven halfway through the fourth period before mounting a comeback and forging overtime after a Dondon Hontiveros triple with 45.3 seconds to go for 67-all.

Both teams actually bungled chances to win in regulation, but none bigger than Alaska’s last attempt after the Aces had possession going into the final 20.7 of the fourth.

The Aces couldn’t get off a decent shot after JV Casio ran down the clock and attacked with under 10 seconds to go, only for Calvin Abueva to put up a running hook shot off the glass that was way too hard.

San Miguel already raced to a 78-67 lead before the first Alaska point came in overtime, courtesy of a Vic Manuel split from the stripe with 1:15 remaining that hardly put a dent on the outcome.

Alaska coach Alex Compton, though, only has one explanation why his Aces lost again.

Usually not a man to question officiating, Compton pointed out to a huge discrepancy in fouls called and free throws awarded, with San Miguel getting a total of 35 free throw attempts while having 20 less fouls called.

Alaska, because of that, went to the charity stripe just five times in the very physical contest and surrendered 20 more points after San Miguel made 23-of-35 attempts and the Aces making just 3-for-5.

“Do you guys see anything on the stats sheets?” Compton asked reporters, who first asked him what went wrong for the second straight game in overtime. Alaska lost Game 4, 100-94, on Sunday night, also in extension.

“I think those figures have an impact on the game,” Compton explained, careful to not get in trouble with the Commissioner’s Office.

“It’s up to you (media) guys how you want to spin it. I am just pointing out facts and if you get (those figures) it would be very difficult to win any game,” he said.

No team in the PBA has ever come back from a 0-3 deficit to win a best-of-seven series in any playoff pairing and no squad in professional sports anywhere in the world has any crew come back from the same deficit to win in a title playoff.

Only the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2010 semifinals and the Boston Red Sox in the 2004 American League Championship series against the New York Yankees were successful in pulling off the feat, but both didn’t come in the Finals.

Fajardo, who played with his left knee in a heavy strap, finished with 13 points in 16 minutes with Alex Cabagnot and Marcio Lassiter finishing in twin digits for another 23 points.

Abueva wound up with 12 points and 11 rebounds, with Manuel the other Ace in twin digits with 25 and 13.

Game 6 will also be at the Araneta Coliseum, with a rubber match, if needed, to be played Wednesday next week at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.