Piratas Down Leones 4-2

TAKE A 3 GAMES TO 2 LEAD BACK TO MERIDA

Campeche starter Hector Velazquez and 4 relief pitchers held the Leones to 2 runs on 6 hits to win Sunday's game 4-2. Ozzie Mendez picked up the win in relief with Fernando Nieve recording his 3rd save of the playoffs. Francisco Rodriguez gave up 2 runs on 3 hits in 1/3 of an inning to take the loss for Yucatan.

Garcia scores for the Leones
Leones Facebook

Both starting pitchers kept the game scoreless until the 7th inning. The Leones scored first. Hector Gimenez singled to lead off the top of the 7th. Luis Garcia drew a base on balls. After Ricardo Serrano grounded into a fielder's choice and Kevin Flores popped out, pinch hitter Albino Contreras singled to right to score Garcia. Corey Wimberly was intentionally walked to load the bases with two outs. Jaime Pedroza singled to score Serrano but Contreras was thrown out at home on a perfect throw by the Piratas right fielder. The Leones had a 2-0 lead.

Campeche got those runs back and more in their half of the inning. Eliseo Aldazaba was hit by a pitch to lead off but was erased on a good 1-6 put out by the Leones starter, Yoanner Negrin. Lopez went to second on a single by Fernando Flores. Negrin was replaced on the mound by Francisco Rodriguez who walked pinch hitter Jesus Valenzuela on four pitches to load the bases with one out. After the second out, Roberto Valencia singled to right with Lopez and Flores scoring. Alfredo Silverio singled to drive in pinch runner Jasson Atondo and Ronny Paulino plated Valencia with a single for the Piratas final 4-2 win.

Jose Aguilar went 2 for 3 and Albino Contreras 1 for 1 with an RBI while Jaime Pedroza was 1 for 4 with an RBI for Yucatan.

Roberto Valencia was 1 for 1 as a pinch hitter, driving in 2, Alfredo Silverio 2 for 4 with an RBI, Roberto Lopez 2 for 3 with a run scored and Ronny Paulino 1 for 4 with an RBI for Campeche.

The Zona Sur divisional playoff between these two teams returns to Merida for game 6 on Tuesday the 25th of August and game 7, if necessary, Wednesday the 26th.

IN OTHER LMB PLAYOFF ACTION

Saltillo 4, Monclova 2

The Saraperos broke a 2-2 tie with the Acereros in the bottom of the 7th on solo home runs by Justin Greene and Manny Rodriguez on their way to a 4-2 win. They cut the Zona Norte divisional playoff lead by Monclova to 3 games to 2.

Monclova had opened the scoring with a solo home run by Brett Harper in the top of the 4th as the Acereros took a 1-0 lead.

Saltillo scored twice in the bottom of the 5th to take a 2-1 lead. Christian Zazueta singled and went to second on a hit batter. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a single by Justin Greene.

Antonio Lamas doubled for Monclova in the top of the 6th and scored on a single by Olmo Rosario to tie the game at 2 all before the Saraperos put the game away in the 7th.

Josh Lowey gave up all 4 runs to Saltillo in 6 2/3 innings on the mound. He allowed 8  and struck out 6 in the loss. Edgmer Escalona picked up the win for the Saraperos, going 7 innings, scattering 7 hits and allowing both Acereros runs. Robert Suarez picked up his 2nd save for Saltillo.

Justin Greene was 3 for 4 with a home run and 2 RBIs, Christian Zazueta 3 for 4, Refugio Cervantes 3 for 4 and Manny Rodriguez 1 for 4 with the home run for Saltillo.

Antonio Lamas went 2 for 4 and Brett Harper 1 for 4 with the home run for Monclova.

The series moves to Monclova for game 6 and game 7, if necessary, beginning on Tuesday the 25th of August.

Oaxaca 3, Quintana Roo 1

The Guerreros took a 3 games to 2 lead in the best of seven Zona Sur divisional playoffs against the Tigres by virtue of their 3-1 win over the Tigres on Sunday in Oaxaca.

Gonzalez' sacrifice bunt
Oaxaca Facebook

Alan Sanchez singled, as did Alejandro Ortiz to lead off  the bottom of the 3rd for Oaxaca. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a double by Ronny Cedeno. One out later, Yancarlo Angulo singled to score Cedeno and the Guerreros had all the runs they needed. They led 3-0.

Iker Franco led off the top of the 8th for the Tigres with a single, moved to second on a ground out and Angel Erro, a pinch runner for Franco, scored on a single by Carlos Gastelum for the final score of 3-1 Guerreros.

Sergio Valenzuela / Guerreros Facebook

Sergio Valenzuela went 7 1/3 innings to pick up the win for Oaxaca. He gave up 5 hits, 1 run and struck out 7. Manny Corpas pitched the final 1 1/3 innings to record the save. Ramon Ortiz gave up all 3 Guerreros runs on 9 hits to take the loss.

The series shifts to Cancun for game 6 and game 7, if necessary, beginning on Tuesday the 25th of August.

Tijuana 3, Mexico 1

Miguel Olivo hit a home run, with Oscar Robles on base to give the Toros a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st that would hold up as the Tijuana pitching staff held the Diablos to 3 hits to beat Mexico 3-1 and take game 5 of the Zona Norte divisional playoffs.

The series now heads back to Mexico City for game 6 on Tuesday the 25th of August with the wild card Toros, after sweeping the 3 games in Tijuana, holding a 3 games to 2 lead in the series.

Fabio Castro went 5 2/3 innings, allowing 1 run on 1 hit and striking out 6. He also walked 5 Diablos but Mexico was unable to take advantage of the free passes. 4 Toros pitchers were credited with holds and Mario Mendoza earned the save, pitching a 1-2-3 top of the 9th.

Marco Duarte pitched well for Mexico, throwing 8 complete innings, giving up 3 runs while scattering 5 hits and striking out 4. One bad pitch, the home run to Olivo in the bottom of the 1st, was Durante's downfall in the loss.

Miguel Olivo was 2 for 2 with a walk, 2 RBIs and a run scored, Lew Ford 2 for 3 with a run scored and Eduardo Arredondo went 0 for 3 with a sac fly RBI in the 8th for Tijuana.

Ramon Urias, Ivan Terraas and Jesus Lopez had the 3 hits for Mexico