PIRATAS HIT 5 HOME RUNS IN WIN
The Liga Mexicana de Beisbol playoffs are in full swing. The Pericos de Puebla, Sultanes de Monterrey and the Toros de Tijuana all advanced to the finals of their respective divisions with 4 game sweeps over their opponents.
The only playoff up for grabs is the one between the Leones de Yucatan and the Piratas de Campeche. Thanks to a game 4 win in Campeche, the Piratas have evened the series at 2 games apiece. Game 5 will be played on Sunday the 21st of August and then shift back to Merida for games 6 and a game 7 if necessary.
CJ Retherford got things going for the Piratas with a solo home run in the bottom of the 1st for a 1-0 lead. Campeche scored 4 more times to take a 5-0 lead. Retherford went 2 for 5 with 3 RBIs for the Piratas in the 11-7 win.
The Leones scored 6 runs in the top of the 4th to take a 6-5 lead with the big blow a 2 run home run by Humberto Sosa. Yucatan added an insurance run in the top of the 5th for a 7-5 lead. Campeche got a run back in their half of the 5th on a passed ball. Henry Alejandro Rodriguez tied the game with a solo home run in the bottom of the 7th inning.
Jesus Arredondo led off the bottom of the 8th for Campeche with a single and came around to score on a home run by Engel Beltre. Yosmany Guerra followed with a single and scored on Retherford's second home run of the game as the Piratas built an 11-7 lead and the victory.
The two teams combined to use 14 pitchers in the game, seven by each side. 45 pitchers were used by the 8 playoff teams last night, an average of 11.2 pitchers per game. Johan Yan got the win in relief for Campeche while Mario Meza was charged with a blown save for Yucatan and Juan Gutierrez took the loss.
IN OTHER LMB PLAYOFF ACTION
Toros 2, Acereros 1
Alex Sanabla allowed 4 hits in 6 innings on the mound while walking 2 and striking out 2 to get the win for the Toros. The Acereros, last year's LMB runners up, managed a run on a solo home run by Uriak Marquez in the loss. The Toro's 2 runs came in the bottom of the 6th inning on a 2 run home run by Alex Romero. Alex Caldera took the loss for Monclova. The Toros swept the Acereros and will face the Sultanes de Monterrey in the Norte Division finals.
Sultanes 9, Vaqueros 4
In the 4 game sweep of the Vaqueros de Laguna, the Sultanes outscored Laguna 38-13. Monterrey scored 7 runs in the 4th inning to put away the game. Arturo Rodriguez had the big hit of the inning, a 3 run home run to left. Ramon Rios was 3 for 5 on the night with 2 RBIs for Monterrey. Jerome Pena had a solo home run for for the Vaqueros and Ruben Sosa went 3 for 5. Mario Gonzalez picked up the win despite allowing 4 runs on 10 hits over 5 innings. Walter Silva lasted 3 innings giving up 7 runs on 10 hits in the loss. With the sweep, the Sultanes will face the Toros de Tijuana in the Norte Division finals of the LMB.
Pericos 7, Tigres 5
The Pericos de Puebla scored 4 times in the top of the 8th inning to take a 7-6 lead. Chad Gaudin allowed a lead off single in the bottom of the 9th but then struck out the side to preserve the win for Carlos Bustamante. Josh Judy suffered the loss for the Tigres. Quintana Roo, the 2015 LMB Champions, scored 4 times in the 5th inning to take a 5-2 lead but couldn't hold on and, with the loss, were swept by the Pericos. Peubla advances to the final round of the Sur Division playoffs of the LMB against either Campeche or Yucatan. Issmael Salas and Cesar Tapia were 2 for 4 for the Pericos and Daric Barton was 1 for 4 with a 2 run home run. Carlos Gastelum and Alfredo Amezaga both went 3 for 4 for the Tigres.