Monterrey Scores Early and Hangs on to Defeat Oaxaca 3-2 in Game 4

SULTANES TAKE 3 GAMES TO 1 LEAD IN SERIE DEL REY CHAMPIONSHIP

Dallas Martinez

Dallas Martinez of the Sultanes and Jose Carlos Medina of the Guerreros squared off in the 4th game of the Serie del Rey with Martinez out dueling Medina in a thrilling 3-2 win for Monterrey.

Martinez threw 6 innings of 4 hit ball without giving up a run, walking 2 and striking out 3 in getting the win. Medina scattered 7 hits over 7 innings of work, walking 1 and striking out 2. The top of the 2nd would spell the downfall of Medina when he would give up 5 of those 7 hits and commit a throwing error.

Jose Amador lead of the top of the 2nd with a double and went to third on a single by Chris Roberson. Ramon Rios then singled to right to score Amador and put runners on first and second with no outs. Sebastian Elizalde hit a bouncer back to the mound but a throwing error by Medina allowed Roberson to race home with the 2nd run of the inning. Monterrey had runners on second and third with no outs and a 2 run lead. After Ali Solis flew out to right for the 1st out, Julio Borbon singled to left to score Rios for the 3-0 Sultanes lead.

Sebastian Elizalde

With 1 out in the bottom of the 7th inning, Alan Sanchez singled to right and scored on a triple to center by Samar Leyva. A passed ball by the Sultane's catcher allowed Leyva to score and cut the lead to 3-2. Oaxaca put men on first and second with 1 out but Jay Austin ground into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

The Monterrey relievers would hold the Guerreros scoreless over the final two innings and The Sultanes held on for the 3-2 win.

The Sultanes take a 3 games to 1 lead in their quest for the Copa Zaachila in the Serie del Rey. Game 5 will be played in Oaxaca on Sunday the 7th of October with game 6 (if necessary) in Monterrey on Tuesday the 9th of October.

It should be noted that only 2 teams have come back from a 3 games to 1 deficit (or 3-0) since 1970 in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol. The 1971 Algodoneros de Guasave (now the Charros de Jalisco)were down 3 games to 1 and defeated the Diablos Rojos del Mexico 4-3. Those same Diablos fell behind the Tigres de Angelopolis 3 games to none and came back to win 4 games to 3.

But despite history, baseball aficionados will always say..."That's why we play the game"!

Caneros Take Series From Charros With 5-1 Win

AGUSTIN MURILLO'S HR ONLY BRIGHT SPOT IN LOSS

The Caneros de Los Mochis took the 3 game series with the Charros, 2 games to 1, with the 5-1 win on Thursday.

Poor starting pitching was a problem again for Jalisco as Marco Tovar gave up 3 runs on 6 hits in 3 innings on the mound.

But there were other problems too. The relief pitchers walked three Caneros (2 of which scored), threw a wild pitch that led to a run and hit a batter.

The Charros hitters struck out 10 times and were 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position. They were also caught stealing twice.

Jalisco Manager Homar Rojas

Homar Rojas, the Jalisco manager, had Michael Choice and Cacao Valdez, arguably the slowest runners on the offense, try to steal second (each time with 1 out) and behind just 3-0. In the 4th inning, Choice was caught stealing and Art Charles followed with a double. Instead of at least runners at second and third with 1 out, the Charros were left with a runner at second and 2 outs. Rojas tried it again in the 5th inning with the same result.

Choice Caught Stealing

The Charros fell to 3-5 on the year. They have been shut out twice and held to 1 run in two other games.

Los Mochis loaded the bases with 1 out in the top of the 1st and scored their first run on a sac fly to right by Emmanuel Avila. Leandro Castro then doubled to drive in Juan Carlos Gamboa for the 2-0 Caneros lead.

Cacao Valdez Out at Second

Gamboa added to the Caneros lead in the 2nd inning with a single to left that scored Sergio Garcia, who had doubled earlier. Los Mochis led 3-0.

JC Linares and Leandro Castro both walked in the top of the 7th and moved up a base on a wild pitch by Jalisco reliever Victor Gonzalez. Ramon Orantes singled to drive in Linares and Castro scored when Gilberto Galaviz reached on a fielding error by the Charro's shortstop. The Caneros lead was now 5-0.

Agustin Murillo's sole home run leading off the bottom of the 7th was the lone run scored by Jalisco and cut the lead to 5-1.

Julian Arballo on the Mound

Julian Arballo (2-0) pitched 5 innings for the Caneros striking out 6 and holding the Charros to 5 hits in the win. Jon Sintes struck out 2 in the 9th to pick up his 2nd save of the year.

Tovar (0-2) lasted 3 innings. He threw 60 pitches in those 3 innings giving up 3 runs and 6 hits in taking the loss.

The Tomateros arrive in Guadalajara today to begin a 3 game weekend series against Jalisco.

IN OTHER LMP ACTION

Culiacan 6, Mexicali 5

Sebastian Elizalde hit a walk off single in the bottom of the 9th inning to drive in Jose Orozco as the Tomateros beat the Aguilas 6-5. CJ Retherford hit 2 home runs and drove in 3 for Mexicali but it wasn't enough. Joey Meneses homered for Culiacan. Derrick Loop (1-1) picked up the win in relief while Adrian Garza (0-1) took the loss.

The 2nd of Retherford's HRs

Mazatlán 3, Hermosillo 1

The Venados scored twice in the first inning and held on to beat the Naranjeros 3-1, Hermosillo had pulled to within a run on a sac fly by Eric Young Jr. in the 3rd but Cyle Hankerd homered in the bottom of the inning to put Mazatlán up 3-1. Jesus Sanchez (1-1) allowed 1 run on 4 hits in 5 1/3 innings to get the win and Benino Pruneda walked 2 and struck out 2 in the 9th to record his 1st save of the year. Tim Melville (0-1) took the loss.

Obregon 11, Navojoa 8

No pitching contest here as the Yaquis scored 11 runs on 10 hits and the Mayos 8 runs on 13 hits. Sergio Contreras was 2 for 4 with 5 RBIs and Justin Greene 3 for 4 with 2 RBIs for the Yaquis. Jesus Castillo went 1 for 3 with a 3 run home run and 4 RBIs, Humberto Sosa 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs and Randy Arozarena 4 for 5 for the Mayos. Arturo Lopez (2-0) got the win and Zack Dodson (0-1) took the loss. 

Naranjeros Shutout Charros 4-0

Juan Oramas, starting pitcher for Hermosillo, shut out the Charros on 1 hit through 6 innings last night to beat the Jalisco team 4-0. Oramas walked only 1 while striking out 7. Oramas set down the first 13 Charros he faced before giving up a single to Cory Vaughn with one out in the 5th. Leo Rosales, Heriberto Ruelas and Jesus Castillo allowed just 1 hit over the last 3 innings to seal the win for Hermosillo.

Jerry Owens led off the bottom of the 1st for Hermosillo with a double. Justin Greens singled and Adan Munos singled to drive in Owens with the first run. With one out Greene stole third and then scored on a sac fly to center by Matt Padgett and the Naranjeros led 2-0.

In the botom of the 4th, Yunesky Sanchez singled. Sebastian Elizalde laid down a bunt that the Charros infielders couldn't handle and Hermosillo had runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs. Carlos Gastelum singled to drive in Sanchez and took second on the throw home. Jorge Flores then hit a sac fly to score Elizalde for the 4-0 lead and the eventual final score.

Orlando Lara started and took the loss for Jalisco, dropping his record to 2-1 on the year. He gave up 6 hits over 3 1/3 innings and was responsible for all 4 Hermosillo runs.

Marquez Smith, with a single in the 7th, and Cory Vaughn had the only hits for Jalisco.

The Charros fall to 17-12 on the year, 1/2 game in front of the idle Yaquis de Obregon and atop the standings of the Liga de Mexicana del Pacifico. The Naranjeros, with the win, are now 12-17, five games behind Jalisco in the league standings.

The Tomateros de Culiacan bring their 2 game winning streak to Zapopan for 3 games starting tonight through Sunday.

Charros Lose to Naranjeros 8-3

The Charros de Jalisco dropped the third game of the three game series with Hermosillo by a score of 8-3. Jalisco dropped to 3-2 on the year while Hermosillo climbed to 3-2.

Juan Delgadillo took the loss for Jalisco, his second of the year. Delgadillo gave up 5 runs on 8 hits with 4 walks and 2 home runs.

Roy Corcoran picked up the win in relief for the Naranjeros. Juan Oramas started the game for Hermosillo and held Jalisco to 3 runs on 5 hits though 4 2/3 innings of work.

The Naranjeros scored two runs in the top of the 1st on back-to-back home runs by Carlos Gastelum and Sebastian Elizalde.

Jalisco got a run back in the bottom of the 1st. Manny Rodriguez singled and moved to second when Leo Heras drew a walk. Japhet Amador then singled to score Rodriguez and the Charros had cut the lead to 2-1.

Hermosillo scored another run in the top of the 2nd on a walk to Jerry Owens and a double by Sebastian Elizalde that scored Owens. Hermosillo led 3-1.

The Charros scored two times in the bottom of the 2nd.  Cory Vaughn drew a walk and stole second. Wilson Batista grounded out with Vaughn moving to third. Gabriel Gutierrez doubled to left that scored Vaughn. Eduardo Arredondo followed with a single to score Gutierrez and tie the game at 3.

Adan Munoz led off the 3rd for Hermosillo with a double. With one out Jorge Flores singled and took second on the throw to third trying to get Munoz. Jerry Owens singled and Munoz scored with Flores moving to third. Carlos Gastelum hit a sac fly to right that scored Flores and the Naranjeros had a 5-3 lead they would not relinquish.

Hermosillo scored one run in the 6th and two more in the 8th for the final margin of victory, 8-3.

Manny Rodriguez and Japhet Amador were both 2 for 4 with Amador getting an RBI. Gabriel Gutierrez was 1 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored. Eduardo Arredondo had the other RBI for the Charros.

Venados de Mazatlan leads the Liga de Mexicana del Pacifico standings at 4-1 with four teams at 3-2, two teams at 2-3 and Mayo de Navojos remains winless at 0-5.

The Charros de Jalisco (3-2) travel to Culiacan today to take on the Tomateros de Culiacan (2-3).