Monclova Pitching Shuts Down Leones 5-3

The Acereros del Norte Monclova's starting pitcher, Jose Oyervidez (3-1), gave up 2 runs on 5 hits over 6 innings and the offense pounded out 15 hits on the way to the Acereros 5-3 win.

Jose Oyervidez courtesy Leones Facebook

Carlos Penuelas got things started for Monclova in the top of the 2nd inning with a single. Flavio Romero followed with a single of his own and Hector Garanzuay singled to score Penuelas and Romero scored when the throw to third got by Willy Aybar to give the Acereros an early 2-0 lead.

Monclova added to their lead in the top of the 3rd. Jose Ruiz led off the inning with a solo home run to right center for a 3-0 lead. Jose Amador and Travis Garcia followed with singles and Amador scored on a single by Francisco Cordoba. Carlos Penuelas drove in the third run of the inning, and the 5-0 Acereros lead, with a single.

Luis Garcia courtesy Leones Facebook

Luis Garcia led off the bottom of the 4th inning for Yucatan by singling to left. Garcia would come around to score in front of a Willy Aybar home run to right that cut the Monclova lead to 5-2.

Before the Acereros came to bat in the top of the 7th, the Leones manager, Wilfredo Romero, was ejected from the game by the home plate umpire for arguing balls and strikes. Corey Wimberly hit a two out double to center and Jose Aguilar drew a base on balls. Hector Gimenez singled to center to plate Wimberly and the lead was down to 5-3 Monclova.

With two on and two outs in the top of the 9th inning, the Leones pitcher, Luis Vazquez left the game after injuring his leg. Manuel Rodriguez came in to face the dangerous Olmo Rosario but Rodriguez got Rosario to ground out to short to end the inning.

Juan Noriega, in to pitch the 9th for Monclova set the Leones down to preserve 5-3 win for Jose Oyervidez (3-1) and pick up his 3rd save of the year. Juan Delgadillo (1-2) gave up 10 hits and 5 runs in 2 1/3 innings to be charged with the loss.

Willy Aybar was 1 for 3 with a home run and 2 RBIs, Corey Wimberly 2 for 4 with a run scored and Hector Gimenez 2 for 4 with an RBI for Yucatan.

Jose Ruiz was 2 for 4 with a home run and an RBI while Carlos Penuelas went 2 for 3 with an RBI and Jose Amador was 3 for 5 for the Acereros.

IN OTHER LMB ACTION:

Mexico 10, Oaxaca 4
The six through nine hitters in the Diablos lineup went 6 for 14 with a home run, 7 RBIs and 5 runs scored and Mexico's pitchers held the Guerreros to 4 runs on 6 hits, including home runs by Jaime Brena and Alejandro Gonzalez.

Aguascalientes 13, Tabasco 5
The Rieleros scored 5 times in the 8th inning including Saul Soto's 2nd home run of the game to cruise past the Olmecas 13-5. Pedro Diaz went 3 for 4 with 2 RBIs for Tabasco. Soto was 3 for 4 with 6 RBIs and Julian Castro went 2 for 3 with 3 RBIs and 4 runs scored for the Rieleros.

Saltillo 6, Veracruz 2
4 runs in the 3rd inning was enough for the Saraperos to top the Aguilas 6-2. Linder Castro (1-0) pitched 5 innings allowing 1 earned run on 4 hits, 1 a home run by Adelaido Martinez, to earn the victory while Oscar Verdugo (1-2) took the loss. Carlos Alvarez and Genaro Andrade homered for the Saraperos.

Campeche 1, Tamaulipas 0
The Piratas scored the only run of the game in the 3rd inning on a single by Dave Sappelt, a walk to Maxwell Leon and a Josh Fields RBI single to left. Hector Velazquez (2-0) tossed 8 innings of 2 hit ball while striking out 10 for the win. Ricardo Gomez recorded his 4th save. Francisco Felix (1-2) pitched well but walked 5 and took the loss for the Broncos.

Ciudad del Carmen 2, Monterrey 1
Carlos Ibarra went 3 for 3 with 2 RBIs for the Delfines while Jose Felix went 2 for 3 with the lone RBI for the Sultanes in the 2-1 loss. Sandy Rosario (3-0) got the win and Josh Lueke his 5th save. Thomas Melgarejo (0-2) was saddled with the loss for Monterrey.

Quintana Roo 3, Laguna 2
The Tigres jumped out to a 2 -0 lead in the bottom of the 1st and held on to beat the Vaqueros 3-2. Jorge Cantu homered for the Tigres and Jose Orozco hit a solo home run for Laguna. Pablo Ortega (4-0) worked 7 innings for the win and Francisco Rodriguez earned his 5th save of the year. Felipe Arredondo (1-1) took the loss despite 7 good innings on the mound.

Puebla 18, Tijuana 6
The Pericos scored 18 runs on 20 hits to maul the Toros 18-6. Luke Scott went 3 for 5 with 2 home runs, 1 a grand slam, and 6 RBIs for Puebla. Alberto Carreon added a homerun on a 3 for 5 night with 3 RBIs and 3 runs scored and Jon Del Campo was 4 for 5 with 3 RBIs and 4 runs scored. CJ Retherford was 2 for 3 with a home run for the Toros and Emmanuel Valdez added a pinch hit solo home run.

Leones Defeat Acereros del Norte Monclova 7-4

The Leones scored 3 runs in the 2nd inning on a triple by Kevin Flores with the bases loaded and 3 more runs in the 8th inning to defeat the Acereros de Monclova 7-4 in front of 7,975 home town fans Friday night at Parque Kukulkan in Merida.

Monclova started the scoring in the top of the first. Flavio Romero led off the game with a walk and moved to second on a wild throw to first on a pickoff attempt by Leones starter, Jesus Rodriguez. Romero would come around to score on a single by Jose Ruiz that gave the Acereros an early 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the 2nd inning, the Leones loaded the bases on consecutive singles by Willy Aybar, Ivan Araujo and Ricardo Serrano. Kevin Flores worked the count to 2-2 before hitting a shot into the right field corner for a bases clearing triple and the 3-1 Yucatan lead.

Flores Triple courtesy Leones Facebook

Yucatan added to their lead in the bottom of the 7th on a double to right by Jose Aguilar and a run scoring single by Hector Gimenez to give the Leones a 4-1 lead.

Flavio Romero drew a one out walk for Monclova in the top of the 8th. Hector Garanzuay singled and Romero scored on a single by Olmo Rosario. Two batters later Jose Amador singled to drive in Garanzuay and the Acereros had cut the Leones lead to 4-3.

Ricardo Serrano led off the bottom of the 8th inning with a solo home run for Yucatan. Kevin Flores followed with a single and scored in front of a home run by pinch hitter Jesus Valdez that made the score 7-3 Yucatan.

Serrano HR courtesy Leones Facebook

Monclova scored a run in the top of the 9th. Jesus Arredondo drew a lead off base on balls and went to third on a wild pitch and throwing error by Leones reliever Anthony Ortega. Pinch hitter Hector Arredondo was hit by a pitch and Hector Garanzuay followed with a single that scored Jesus Arredondo. The rally fell short when Olmo Rosario hit into a game ending double play and the Leones won 7-4.

Jesus Rodriguez (1-0) was the winning pitcher and Anthony Ortega picked up his first save of the year. Newcomer to the Acereros, Justin Klipp (0-1) suffered the defeat.

Jesus Rodriguez courtesy Leones Facebook

Kevin Flores was 2 for 3 with a triple and 3 RBIs, Ricardo Serrano 3 for 4 with a home run and RBI and Jesus Valdez 1 for 1 with a home run and 2 RBIs for Yucatan. Hector Garanzuay went 2 for 4 with an RBI and Jose Amador was 2 for 4 with an RBI for the Acereros.

IN OTHER LMB ACTION:

Mexico 14, Oaxaca 2
Mexico scored 14 runs on 14 hits to pound the Guerreros 14-2. Yair Lozoto (2-1) got the win and Luis Mendez (0-1) lasted just 2 1/3 innings, giving up 8 runs in the loss. DH Ruben Rivera was 2 for 2 with 3 walks and 2 runs scored and Jesus Fabela went 3 for 4 with 2 doubles and 6 RBIs for the Diablos.

Aguascalientes 9, Tabasco 7
The Rieleros scored 7 runs in the 7th inning to overtake the Olmecas 9-7. Saul Soto was 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs and Danny Richar 3 for 5 with 2 RBIs for the Rieleros. For the Olmecas, Jose Castillo went 4 for 5 with a home run and 3 RBIs and Cesar Rodriguez had a home run and 3 RBIs on a 2 for 4 night at the plate.

Saltillo 5, Veracruz 4
The Saraperos got a pinch hit walk off single by Rufino Candelario to beat the Aguilas 5-4. Edwin Salas (1-3) got the win in relief while Jose Marrujo suffered the loss for Veracruz. Luis Terrero was 1 for 3 with a home run and 3 RBIs for Saltillo and Issmael Salas had a double and a home run with 2 RBIs for the Aguilas.

Tamaulipas 6, Campeche 2
The Broncos scored 4 runs in the 2nd inning on their way to a 6-2 win over the Piratas. Francisco Campos (1-3) took the loss for Campeche. Heriberto Rodriguez (1-0) got the win and Hector Navarro the save for the Broncos. Cristhian Presichi and Travis Denker hit home runs for Tamaulipas while Ruben Mateo and Fernando Flores homered for Campeche.

Ciudad del Carmen 6, Monterry 5
The Delfines scored the winning run in the bottom of the 9th on a throwing error by the Sultanes second baseman's attempted force at second. del Carmen had tied the game by scoring 4 runs in the bottom of the 8th with the help of a 3 run home run by Alex Valdez.

Laguna 8, Quintana Roo 1
The vaqueros scored 4 in the 7th and 1 in the 8th to overpower the Tigres 8-1 in Cancun. Luis Rodriguez (2-0) picked up the win while Kelvin de la Cruz fell to 2-1 on the year with the loss. Francisco Mendez was 1 for 3 with a home run and Angel Berroa went 2 for 4 with a home run and 3 RBIs for Laguna.

Tijuana 2, Puebla 1
Sandy Madera hit a solo home run for the Pericos in the 2nd but it wasn't enough as the Toro's Roman Pena hit a 2 run home run in the bottom of the 8th for the 2-1 final score. Dennys Reyes (3-0) won in relief and Ramon Ramirez picked up his 7th save of the season. Marcos Zavala (0-1) took the loss for Puebla.