Charros Get 8-2 Win in Mexicali

SCORE 5 IN 5TH TO BREAK THE GAME OPEN

The Charros used a 5 run 5th inning to break open a close game and went on to beat the Aguilas de Mexicali 8-2 in the opening game of a 3 game series. The Charros improved to 6-6 on the year and reached .500 for the first time since game 2 of the season.

At the same time the offense was hitting on all cylinders, the pitching, led by starter Daniel Guerrero, was humming along nicely. Guerrero (1-1) worked 6 innings giving up a run on 3 hits and 2 K's in picking up the win.

Javier Solano (1-1), the Aguilas starter, lasted 4 1/3 innings on the mound while being tagged for 7 runs on 6 hits and walking 4 in taking the loss.

Figueroa and Rodriguez Score

Jalisco jumped out early, taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning. Carlos Fugueroa singled to lead off the game and went to second on a single by Manny Rodriguez. With 2 outs, Agustin Murillo drew a base on balls to load the bases. Michael Choice came through with a single that scored Figueroa and Rodriguez for the lead.

Amadeo Zazueta hit a sac fly to right to score Jonathan Aceves, who had singled, in the 2nd inning to build a 3-0 Charros lead.

The Aguilas scored in the bottom of the 3rd on a single by Yordany Linares who went to second on a walk to Xorge Carrillo. Linares scored on a double play ball by Ramon Urias to cut the Jalisco lead to 3-1.

Walks are the bane of every manager's existence. Mexicali's Solano walked Figueroa and Rodriguez to start the 5th inning. Art Charles doubled to right to score both Figueroa with Rodriguez stopping at third. Murillo followed with a single to drive in both runners and that was all for Solano. Cacao Valdez doubled off of reliever Juan Espinoza to score Charles. Fernando Valenzuela single to drive in Murillo and Valdez for the 8-1 Charros lead.

Charles and Rodriguez Score

Ricky Alvarez and Dave Sappelt singled for the Aguilas in the bottom of the 7th. After a double play, Xorge Carrillo struck out but strike 3 was a wild pitch that allowed Sappelt to score from second to make it an 8-2 game. After 2 singles loaded the bases, Charros reliever Adrian Guzman got Ramon Rios to pop up to second to end the threat and wrap up the Jalisco 8-2 win.

Agustin Murillo, Michael Choice and Fernando Valenzuela were all 1 for 4 with 2 RBIs for Jalisco.

Ricky Avarez was 2 for 4 for the Aguilas.

Two more games with the Aguilas before heading to Mazatlán for a weekend series with the Venados.

Choice and Aaron Kurcz Watch

IN OTHER LMP ACTION

Culiacan 3, Hermosillo 2 (11 innings)

Jose Manuel Orozco hit a 2 out walk off home run to right in the bottom of the 11th inning to lift the Tomateros to a 3-2 win over the Naranjeros. Antonio Lamas hit a solo home run for Culiacan in the 6th. Jose Amador was 3 for 4 and Carlos Gastelum 2 for 4 for Hermosillo. Francisco (1-0) picked up the win in relief while Demetrio Gutierrez (0-1) suffered the loss. Watch Orozco's home run here.

Los Mochis 5, Obregon 4

The Caneros scored all of their runs in the 5th inning and held on to beat the Yaquis 5-4. Roy Merritt (0-1) gave up 4 runs on 6 hits in 5 innings of work to get the win and Jon Sintes worked a perfect 9th inning to earn his 4th save of the year. David Reyes (0-3) gave up all 5 Caneros runs in the loss. The Naranjeros have lost 4 in a row after starting the season 6-1. Saul Soto was 1 for 4 with 2 RBIs and Juan Carlos 2 for 4 with an RBI for Los Mochis while Delino Deshields was 1 for 3 with 2 RBIs for Hermosillo.

Navojoa 9, Mazatlán 8

The Mayos scored 4 in the 3rd and 4 in the 5th while adding an insurance run in the 8th inning. They weathered a 2 run bottom of the 9th to outlast the Venados 9-8. Oscar Felix (1-0) picked up the win in relief and Kyle Grana got the save despite giving up 2 runs on 2 hits in the bottom of the 9th. Luis Heredia (0-1) lost in relief for Mazatlán. Alejandro Gonzalez was 1 for 4 with 3 RBIs for Navojoa while Esteban Quiroz went 4 for 5 with an RBI and 2 runs scored for the Venados.

Tomateros Defeat Charros 8-4

TAKE 3RD GAME OF THE SERIES

The Tomateros de Culiacan salvaged 1 game 3 of the series with the Charros on a blustery Sunday in Guadalajara with an 8-4 win. For the first time this season, the Charros pitching had a rough outing. William Oliver (1-1) started for Jalisco and gave up 6 runs on 5 hits in 2 1/3 innings of work, including a bases clearing triple by Carlos Alvarez.

William Oliver on the Mound

Marco Camerena (1-0) scattered 9 Charros hits over 5 innings allowing 3 runs while striking out 2. The Charros had 11 hits in the game but just 1 extra base hit, a double by Fernando Valenzuela.

With the score 1-0 Culiacan in the top of the 3rd, Nick Buss bunted for a single and moved to second on a walk to Oscar Robles. Jorge Cantu was hit by a pitch to load the bases. One out later, Joey Meneses singled to shallow right field to drive in Buss. Carlos Alvarez hit a 2-2 fastball to the wall in right center that cleared the bases. A relay throw trying to catch Alvarez at third got by Alex Liddi for an error as Alvarez scored. The Tomateros had taken a 6-0 lead.

Zazueta Singles

Gabriel Gutierrez and Amadeo Zazueta singled to lead off the bottom of the 3rd for the Charros. Eduardo Arredondo singled to load the bases with no outs. Manny Rodriguez grounded into a force out as Gutierrez scored. Cacao Valdez then hit a sac fly to plate Zazueta. Japhet Amador singled to put runners at the corners with two outs. Alex Liddi came through with a single to center that plated Rodriguez as the Charros cut the Tomatero lead to 6-3.

The Tomateros could have scored a run in the 4th. Ali Solis tripled to lead off the inning. Nick Buss then hit a fly ball to right for an out. Solis, tagging on the play, slid hard and short as he wound up 2 feet shy of home for the easy 9-2 double play.

Zazueta singled to lead off the bottom of the 7th for the Charros, stole second and scored when Valdez reached safely on a throwing error by the Culiacan second baseman. The Charros had pulled to within 2 runs at 6-4.

Valenzuela Jr. Double

Al Solis doubled for Culiacan with two outs in the 8th inning to score Carlos Alvarez to increase the Tomateros lead to 7-4.

Culiacan added their final run in the 9th inning on a single by Oscar Robles, a double by Jorge Cantu (the Charros challenged the fair/foul call claiming fan interference but the play was upheld) and a sac fly by Ryan Solis for the final 8-4 win.

Culiacan improved to 2-6 on the year with both victories against the Charros and Jalisco fell to 6-2, tied with the Aguilas de Mexicali atop the Liga Mexicana del Pacifico standings.

IN OTHER LMP ACTION

Mexicali 10, Los Mochis 7

The Aguilas scored 10 runs on 15 hits including home runs by CJ Retherford and Ricky Alvarez in the 10-7 win in Los Mochis. Reynier Romero and Sergio Garcia homered for the Caneros in the loss. Alvarez was 2 for 5 with 4 RBIs for the Aguilas. Ramon Orantes, Jesus Arredondo and Garcia were all 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs for Los Mochis. Edgar Gomez (1-0) picked up the win in relief and closer Adam Reifer recorded his 4th save for the Aguilas. Juan Noriega (1-1) was charged with a blown save and the loss for the Caneros.

Mazatlán 5, Hermosillo 4 (10 innings)

Venados Celebrate Walkoff Win

In the second straight extra inning game between these two teams, The Venados executed a squeeze bunt in the bottom of the 10th for the walk off 5-4 win over the Naranjeros. Pinch hitter Hector Paez pulled off the squeeze as Erick Rodriguez scored the winning run. The Venados closer, Steven Hensley (1-0), got the win and Derek Eitel (0-1) suffered the loss. Hermosillo committed 4 errors in the game leading to 2 unearned runs for the Venados. Mario Santana was 1 for 5 with a bases clearing double for Mazatlan. The Venados improved to 4-4 on the year while the Naranjeros fell to 1-7.

Navojoa 9, Ciudad de Obregon 4

The Mayos exploded for 5 runs in the 3rd inning to take a 7-3 lead and added 2 more runs in the 9th to top the Yaquis 9-4 in front of 8,230 Obregon fans. The Mayos and Yaquis are now both 4-4 on the year. Eddie Gamboa (1-0) picked up the win despite giving up home runs to Roger Bernadina and Said Gutierrez. David Reyes (0-1) lasted just 2 1/3 innings on the mound, allowing 7 runs on 8 hits.
Obregon reliever Mark Hamburger gave up home runs to Quncy Latimore and Jesus Castillo in the top of the 9th. Latimore was 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs and 3 runs scored for the Mayos while Gutierrez went 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs for the Yaquis.

Charros Crush Tomateros 10-1

AMADOR AND VALENZUELA HOMER IN THE WIN

Marco Tovar

On a perfect day for baseball in Guadalajara, the Charros were almost perfect in defeating the Tomateros de Culiacan 10-1 behind a strong outing by starter Marco Tovar (2-0). Tovar worked 6 innings, giving up the lone run on 6 hits while striking out 2.

The Charros had built a 2-0 lead when Nick Buss singled to start the top of the 4th for Culiacan. Sergio Gastelum followed with a double to left center with Buss stopping at third. Ryan Lollis hit a ground ball to second that scored Buss as the Tomateros cut the Charros lead to 2-1.

Jalisco responded quickly and resoundingly in their half of the 4th inning. Edson Garcia drew a lead off walk and went to third on a single by Gabriel Gutierrez. Jesus Lopez dropped a squeeze bunt down the first base line that catcher Ali Solis couldn't handle, Garcia scored and all runners were safe. Eduardo Arredondo laid down a bunt for a single and the bases were loaded. With one out, Jesus Valdez hit a long fly ball to left center that scored Gutierrez for the 4-1 lead. With one swing of the bat, Japhet Amador made it a 7-1 game with a long 3 run home run to left.

Pinch hitter, Fernando Valenzuela Jr. hit a solo home run to right to increase the Charros lead to 8-1.

Eduardo Arredondo singled in the bottom of the 8th and went to second on a throwing error by the Tomatero shortstop. Manny Rodriguez than lofted a fly ball into right center that fell between the two Tomatero outfielders for a single. Alejandro Ortiz singled to drive in Arredondo. Following a walk to Japhet Amador that loaded the bases, Alex Liddi hit a sac fly to right that scored Ortiz for the 10-1 lead and the win.

Felipe Arredondo (0-1) gave up 7 runs on 9 hits to take the loss for the Tomateros who fell to 1-6 on the year while the Charros improved to 6-1.

IN OTHER LMP ACTION

Mexicali 5, Los Mochis 3

The Aguilas scored 3 runs in the top of the 9th to overcome a 3-2 deficit and beat the Caneros 5-3. Andres Avila (0-1) was charged with a blown save and the loss. Francisco Rodriguez (1-0) picked up the win in relief and Adam Reifer notched his 3rd save of the year. Chris Roberson was 3 for 4 and Gil Velazquez went 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs for Mexicali. Yunesky Betancourt homered for the Aquilas. Saul Soto homered for the Caneros and Roldolfo Amador was 2 for 4 in a losing effort.

Hermoillo 7, Mazatlán 3 (13 innings)

The Naranjeros snapped a 6 game losing streak with a wild 13 inning win in Mazatlán. Hermosillo scored 4 runs in the top of the 13th to defeat the Venados 7-3. Mazatlan had tied the game in the bottom of the 9th. The Naranjeros used 8 pitchers in the win while the Venados called on 7 pitchers. Ronnie Shaban was charged with a blown save for Hermosillo while Nickolas Sarianides (1-0) picked up the win. Jesus Sanchez (1-1) took the loss. Adan Munoz had a home run and 2 RBIs, Jose Amador went 3 for 4 with an RBI with Sebastion Elizalde and Carlos Gastelum both driving in runs for the Naranjeros. Heber Gomez was 2 for 4 with an RBI for the Venados.

Ciudad de Obregon 5, Navojoa 0

Christian Villanueva hit a 2 run home run in the bottom of the 1st inning, his 4th of the year, to lead the Yaquis to a 5-0 whitewash of the Mayos. Victor Arano (2-0) picked up the win in relief while the Navojoa starter, Daniel Gutierrez (0-1), took the loss. Villanueva, Asael Sanchez, Iker Franco and Luis Urias were all 2 for 4 for the Yaquis. Jesus Castillo went 2 for 4 for the Mayos.