Mexicali Tops Navojoa 4-3 in 16 Innings

WILL FACE MAZATLAN IN LMP CHAMPIONSHIP

Let the Cebration Begin in Mexicali

CJ Retherford's successful squeeze bunt in the bottom of the 16th inning scored Chris Roberson from third for the winning run as the Aguilas de Mexicali defeated the Mayos de Navojoa 4-3 to take game 7 of the Liga Mexicana del Pacifico semifinal round and advance to the Championship series against the Venados de Mazatlán. This game was the longest in the history of the LMP Playoffs.

The Aguilas had tied the game at 3 in the bottom of the 6th inning when Retherford was hit by a pitch with 2 outs and scored in front of a home run to center by Luis Juarez. Those would be the last runs scored by either team for the next 10 innings.

19 pitchers were used in the game, 9 by the Mayos and 10 by the Aguilas. Yair Lozoya pitched the final 2 innings for Mexicali to pick up the win while Tomas Solis was charged with the run in the 16th and took the loss for Navojoa.

The teams combined to use 28 position players, 15 by the Aguilas and 13 by the Mayos. The Mexicali substitutes went 3 for 7 while the Mayos pinch hitters were 0-5. Navojoa was 1 for 9 and Mexicali 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

Another sellout crowd of 17,000 in Mexicali sat through a game that lasted 6 hours and 2 minutes. There is no mention of how many fans were around at the end of the game that started at 8PM (local time) on the 18th of January and finished at 2:02 AM (local time) on the 19th of January.

Both teams scored in the 1st inning. Carlos Moncrief led off the top of the 1st for Navojoa by drawing a walk. 2 batters later, Jesus Castillo waited out a walk to put runners on first and second. A double by Jose Amador scored Moncrief for the early 1-0 lead.

Mexicali answered in their half of the inning when Chris Roberson singled with 2 outs, stole second and scored on a single to left by Yuniesky Betancourt to tie the game at 1.

Navojoa added a run in the 3rd inning on a lead off single by Moncrief, a double by Nate Tenbrink and a sac fly to right by Quincy Latimore. The Mayos had a 2-1 lead after 3 innings.

In the top of the 5th inning, Tenbrink reached on a 1 out single, Latimore's single to center moved him to third and Castillo hit a sac fly to left that scored Tenbrink for a 3-1 Navojoa lead.

Luis Juarez'  home run in the bottom of the 6the inning, with Retherford aboard, tied the game at 3 all. There would be no more scoring for 10 innings.

There are several choices for Most Valuable Player (MVP) in this series. Luis Juarez won game 1 for the Aguilas with a 2 out single in the bottom of the 9th and his home run in this game tied the score. CJ Retherford's ability to lay down the squeeze after 6 hours of play in this game, his .318 batting average for the playoffs and his consistent play at first base is certainly worthy of consideration. Although he didn't make the splashy plays as did Juarez and Retherford, Xorge Carrillo hit .382 and was solid behind the plate for Mexicali.

The LMP Championship Series has the Aguilas facing the Venados de Mazatlán with the series set to begin on Wednesday the 20th of January.

Aguilas Top Mayos 4-3 In LMP Playoffs

TAKE 3 GAMES TO 2 LEAD BACK TO MEXICALI

The Aguilas de Mexicali scored 2 runs in the 8th inning and held on to beat the Mayos de Navojoa 4-3. Jake Sanchez picked up the win in relief and closer Esmailin Caridad worked out of a 2 on, one out jam in the bottom of the 9th inning to preserve the win. Carlos Bustamante was charged with a blown save and took the loss for Navojoa.

Mexicali took the lead in the top of the 5th inning when Xorge Carrillo doubled to left with 2 outs and scored as Ricky Alvarez reached base safely on a fielding error by the Navojoa shortstop to give the Aguilas a 1-0 lead.

The Mayos responded quickly in their half of the 5th. Jose Amador was hit by a pitch leading off and went to third on a double to right by Carlos Moncrief. Both runners scored on a double by Fernando Flores for a 2-1 lead with no outs. After a coaching visit to the mound, Diego Madero singled on a bunt back to the pitcher that scored Flores when the Aguilas pitcher threw the ball away and the lead was 3-1 Mayos.

The Aguilas scored again in the to of the 6th inning. Chris Roberson singled and went to third on a single by Yuniesky Betancourt that deflected off the glove of the Navojoa shortstop. CJ Retherford followed with a single that scored Roberson and the Mayos lead was cut to 3-2.

Roberson led off the top of the 8th inning for Mexicali by drawing a walk. Carlos Bustamante was brought in to face Betancourt who singled to put runners on first and second with no outs. Retherford's sacrifice bunt moved both runners up a base. Wellington Dotel reached base on a fielder's choice that scored Roberson and got Betancourt to third. Betancourt scored on a wild pitch to give the Aguilas the 4-3 lead and the win.

Betancourt was 3 for 4 with  run scored, Retherford 1 for 3 with an RBI, Ramon Urias 2 for 5 and Xorge Carrillo 2 for 4 with a run scored for the Aguilas.

Fernando Flores went 1 for 3 with 2 RBIs and a run scored for Navojoa while Carlos Moncrief was 2 for 3 with a run scored.

Game 6 will be played in Mexicali on Sunday the 17th and game 7, if necessary, will be played on Monday the 18th,

Mayos de Navojoa Advance In LMP Playoffs

TOP VENADOS 5-4 WITH A CARLOS MONCRIEF HR

The Mayos went up 5-3 on a solo home run by Carlos Moncrief in the top of the 9th and withstood a Venados rally in the bottom of the inning to best Mazatlán 5-4 and advance in the 2016 Liga Mexicana del Pacifico Playoffs.

After Navojoa had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning, the Venados scored 3 times in their half of the inning. Jeremias Pineda singled, stole second, went to third on the throwing error by the catcher and scored 1 out later on a single by Cyle Hankerd. Mike Jacobs followed with a single and both runners advanced on a ground out. Edwin Salas drew an intentional walk to load the bases. Erick Rodriguez waited out a walk that scored Hankerd. Heber Gomez hit a slow roller to short that scored Jacobs for the 3-1 lead. The Mayos challenged the play at first but the "safe" call was upheld.

Navojoa got a run back in the 3rd inning on a singles by Genero Andrade, Jose Chavez and Quincy Latimore to cut the Venados lead to 3-2.

Pinch hitter Victor Mendoza hit a leadoff single for the Mayos in the top of the 7th inning and moved to second on a balk by the Venados pitcher. Diego Madero was brought in to run for Mendoza and scored 1 out later on a single by Alan Sanchez. The score was tied 3-3.

Carlos Moncrief doubled to lead off the Mayos half of the 8th inning and scored on a single to center by Jose Amador to give Navojoa their 1st lead of the night at 4-3.

Moncrief's solo home run to left, in the top of the 9th inning, put the Mayos up 5-3.

Jeremias Pineda singled with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th for Mazatlán and went to third on a wild pitch by the Mayos closer, Daniel Moskos. With 2 outs, Cyle Hankerd singled to right to score Pineda but Mike Jacobs struck out swinging to end the game.

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