Luis Garcia Powers Leones To 4-0 Win Over Piratas

3 RUN HOME RUN IN THE 8TH SEALS THE DEAL

Watch video highlights here.

Luis Garcia was the hero of the game against the Piratas, hitting a 3 run home run in the bottom of the 8th for the Leones as Yucatan evened the best of seven Zona Sur divisional playoffs at 3 games apiece and forcing a deciding seventh game, in Merida, on Wednesday the 26th of August.

Marco Quevedo / Leones Facebook

Marco Quevedo got the win, pitching 7 innings, scattering 8 hits and striking out 5 for the Leones. Jorge Castillo pitched well, giving up just 1 run on 5 hits in 5 1/3 innings on the mound to take the loss for the Piratas.

Kevin Flores got things going for the Leones in the bottom of the 5th inning with a lead off triple. Israel Nunez hit a long sac fly to center to score Flores and the Leones grabbed a 1-0 lead.

Flores scores the 1st run
Leones Faebook

Jose Aguilar led off the bottom of the 8th for the Leones with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ricardo Serrano. Jesus Valdez, the regular season leader in batting average at .363, was intentionally walked by the Piratas reliever Ivan Salas. Hector Gimenez flew out to right but the DH for Yucatan, Luis Garcia, hit a frozen rope over the wall in left for a 3 run home run and the 4-0 Leones lead.

The Piratas had chances to score in the 6th, with men on 1st and 2nd, aided by a throwing error by Quevedo, and 7th inning with runners on 2nd and 3rd and 2 outs but could not score as Quevedo (8 hits, 0 runs and 5 strikeouts in 7 innings) pitched out of the jams both times to keep the shut out in place.

Garcia was 1 for 3 with the home run and 3 RBIs for the Leones while Carlos Colmenares went 3 for 4 for the Piratas.

IN OTHER LMB PLAYOFF ACTION

Mexico 14, Tijuana 1

Watch video highlights here.

The Diablos scored 3 times in the bottom of the 1st and added 7 runs in the 4th on their way to  14-1 thrashing of the Toros de Tijuana. Mexico evened the Zona Norte divisional playoffs at 3 games apiece with the win.

Hankerd & Terrazas
LMB Website

Mexico pounded out 17 hits, including a double and a home run by Cyle Hankerd (his third home run and 11th RBI of the series). Ivan Terrazas has driven in 10 runs for the Diablos this post season.

Juan Pablo Oramas worked 7 full innings, scattering 4 Toros hits and giving up 1 run while striking out 6. Oramas' only mistake of the game was a lead off home run to Miguel Olivo in the 7th inning.

Logan Duran lasted 2 1/3 innings and was touched for 4 runs on 5 hits while striking out 2 in the loss for Tijuana.

Second baseman, Carlos Valencia, was 2 for 4 for the Toros and Miguel Olivo 1 for 3 with the home run for Tijuana.

Hankerd and Terrazas were a combined 5 for 9 with 8 RBIs and 3 runs scored for the Diablos. Ramon Urias was 2 for 4 with a home run, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored and Luis Flores went 2 for 4 with an RBI for Mexico.

The 7th game will be played tonight, in Mexico City, with the winner to face either Monclova or Saltillo in the Zona Norte divisional finals set to begin on Friday the 28th of August.

Saltillo 7, Monclova 3

Watch video highlights here.

The Saraperos used 2 walks and 5 singles to chase the Acereros starter, Jose Oyervides, with 6 runs in the 1st inning. Oyervides lasted just 1/3 of an inning, his shortest stint of the year, with the lone out coming on a sacrifice bunt by Luis Borges.

With the win, the Saraperos even the Zona Norte divisional series at 3 all and force a game 7 tonight in Monclova. The winner of that game will face either the Diablos Rojos del Mexico or the Toros de Tijuana in the championship round of the Zona Norte playoffs.

Santiago Gutierrez allowed 3 hits and a run in his 5 innings on the mound to get the win for Saltillo.

Justin Greene was 3 for 5 with a run scored, Jon del Campo 1 for 3 with 2 walks and an RBI, Christian Zazueta 1 for 4 with 2 RBIs and Manny Rodriguez 1 for 5 with an RBI for Saltillo.

Olmo Rosario went 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs for the Acereros in the loss.

Quintana Roo 9, Oaxaca 3

Watch video highlights here.

Jorge Cantu and Jose Felix homered in the 4 run 4th for the Tigres and Quintana Roo scored 4 more times in the 5th to put the game away in the 9-3 pasting of the Guerreros.

The Zona Sur divisional playoff series is tied at 3 games apiece forcing a 7th game to be played, in Cancun, on Wednesday the 26th of August. The winner of that game will take on either the Leones de Yucatan or the Piratas de Campeche in the championship round beginning on Friday the 28th of August.

Daniel Cabrera worked 6 innings, scattering 8 hits and giving up 3 runs while striking out 11 Guerreros to get the win while Irwin Delgado went 4 1/3, allowing 5 hits, including the 2 home runs to take the loss.

In addition to the home runs by Cantu and Felix, Alfredo Amezaga was 2 for 4 with2 RBIs and 2 runs scored and Eugenio Velez 2 for 4 with an RBI for the Tigres.

Luis Rodriguez was 3 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored in the loss for Oaxaca.

Yucatan Smothers Campeche 9-2

Opening ceremonies in Campeche
Leones Facebook

The Leones pounded out 14 hits, including 5 home runs in their 9-2 win over the Piratas de Campeche in game 3 of their Zona Sur divisional playoffs. Ricardo Serrano had 2 home runs on the night.

Jesus Valdez hit a solo home run to left to lead off the top of the 2nd for the Leones. Luis Garcia drew a one out walk but was erased on a 4-6 fielders choice. Kevin Flores followed with a 2 run home run to left center that scored Ricardo Serrano and put the Leones up 3-0. Israel Nunez hit a 3-2 fastball over the wall in left for the third home run of the inning and a 4-0 Yucatan lead.

Corey Wimberly led off the top of the 5th with a single and moved to second on a two strike sacrifice bunt by Jaime Pedroza that caught the Piratas defense napping. Wimberly scored on a single by Jose Aguilar to increase the Leones lead to 5-0.

Ricardo Serrano hit the first of his two home runs leading off the 6th inning to give Yucatan a 6-0 lead.

The Piratas scored in their half of the 6th. Fernando Flores led off the inning with a walk and went to third, one out later, on a ground rule double to right center by Carlos Colmenares. Oscar Verdugo replaced starter Jonathan Castellanos for the Leones. Adan Velazquez reached safely on a throwing error by the Yucatan shortstop as Flores scored the first Piratas run of the game. One out later, Verdugo threw a wild pitch that allowed Colmenares to score. Ronny Paulino hit a grounder to third for the final out of the inning but Campeche had scored twice and the score was 6-2 Leones.

Yucatan scored a run without benefit of a hit in the top of the 8th. Israel Nunez drew a lead off walk, went to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on consecutive wild pitches by the Piratas reliever Ivan Salas. Leones 7, Piratas 2.

Jesus Valdez singled to lead off the 9th for Yucatan and came around to score on Ricardo Serrano's  second home run of the game for a 9-2 Leones lead.

With one out in the Piratas half of the 9th and a man on first, closer Adam Reifer made three attempts to pick off the runner at first. Why, with a 9-2 lead, would Leones manager Wilfredo Romero order three pick off attempts? The third throw went wide and the runner advanced to third. No harm was done as the next to Pirata hitters made outs but the logic of the situation eludes me.

Jonathan Castellanos
Leones Facebook

Jonathan Castellanos allowed 2 runs on 3 hits while striking out 6 in 5 1/3 innings to pick up the win for Yucatan. Rolabdo Valdez gave up 3 home runs and 5 earned runs in 4 innings to take the loss for the Piratas.

Jesus Valdez went 3 for 4 with a home run, Ricardo Serrano 2 for 3 with 2 home runs and 3 RBIs, Kevin Flores 1 for 5 with a home run and Israel Nunez 1 for 3 with a home run for the Leones.

Yucatan holds a 2-1 lead in the divisional series which continues on Saturday in Campeche.

IN OTHER LMB PLAYOFF ACTION

Saltillo 3, Monclova 1
The Saraperos de Saltillo scored all of their runs in the bottom of the 3rd and held on to top the Acereros de Monclova 3-1 and take game 3 of their Zona Norte divisional series.

Michael Nix allowed 2 hits and 1 run while walking 3 and striking out 4 Acereros in 5 complete innings on the hill. Robert Suarez recorded the save, striking out 3 in 1 1/3 innings of work. Juan Pena gave up 3 runs on 7 hits in the loss.

Christian Zazueta was 1 for 4 with a home run and 2 RBIs while Jonathan Aceves and Jose Lopez were 2 for 3 for Saltillo. Manny Rodriguez went 2 for 4 for Saltillo.

Antonio Lamas, Jose Amador and Eder Salcedo each had a hit for Monclova and Olmo Rosario scored their only run.

Game 4 will be played in Saltillo on Saturday with the Acereros holding a 2-1 lead in the best of seven series.

Quintana Roo 5, Oaxaca 3
The Tigres got 6 solid innings of work from starter Daniel Cabrera, who got the win, and Quintana Roo won game 3 of their Zona Sur series with the Guerreros by a 5-3 score.

Daniel Cabrera / Tigres Facebook

Ramon Ramirez picked up the save. Ruddy Acosta gave up 4 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks in 4 1/3 for the loss. The defense behind Acosta was deplorable as the Guerreros committed 4 errors in the game.

After singling to lead off the 4th for the Tigres, Esteban Quiroz would score on a single by Sergio Contreras. Following a sacrifice bunt by Francisco Peguero and an intentional walk to Alfredo Amezaga, Jose Felix singled to drive in Jorge Cantu, Contreras and Amezaga. A throwing error by the Guerrereos center fielder allowed the third run to score and Felix wound up on third. The 4-1 lead would be enough for the Tigres.

Sergio Contreras was 2 for 4, Esteban Quiroz 2 for 5 and Jose Felix 1 for 4 with 2 RBIs for Quintana Roo.

Yancarlo Angulo was 2 for 4 with 2 doubles, an RBI and a run scored for Oaxaca.

The series continues on Saturday, in Oaxaca, with the Guerreros holding a 2-1 lead in the series

Tijuana 11, Mexico 4
the Toros scored 5 runs in the 1st inning and added 6 more runs in the 8th to gore the Diablos 11-4. The Toros victory brought them from down 2 games to none to 2-1 in the Zona Norte divisional series with the best team in the LMB.

Barry Enright improved to 2-0 in the playoffs, holding the Diablos to 3 runs on 5 hits over 6 1/3 innings and the Toros used four relievers to shut done the Diablos over the remaining 2 2/3 frames. The Diablos starter, David Reyes lasted just 2/3 of an inning and gave up 5 runs on 4 hits in taking the loss.

Eduardo Arredondo went 3 for 5 with a home run to lead off the game for Tijuana while teammate Luis Suarez was 3 for 4 with a double and a triple, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Lew Ford and Enrique were both 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs for the Toros.

Ivan Terrazas continued his hot hitting for the Diablos, going 3 for 4 with a home run and 2 RBIs to raise his  playoff batting average to .727.