League Leaders Square Off Jalisco Beats Mazatlan 9-5

AMADOR, RODRIGUEZ AND VASQUEZ HOMER FOR THE CHARROS

Japhet Amador

The Charros de Jalisco took game 1 of their 3 game series with LMP co-leader Venados de Mazatlan on Tuesday and came out on top with the 9-5 win. Japhet Amador and Manny Rodriguez hit their league leading 6th home runs and Niko Vasquez added his 4th of the year.

Jalisco began the scoring in the 3rd inning with a 5 run explosion highlighted by the Niko Vasquez 2 run blast to deep center field. The Charros had the early 5-0 lead.

Niko Vasquez (left)

Mazatlan cut the lead to 5-2 in the top of the 4th. Alex Liddi and Anthony Giansanti singled and Liddi scored on a double by Kenny Wilson. Giansanti scored on a sac fly by Samar Leyva.

The Venados added two in the top of the 5th. A lead off walk to Edson Garcia, a single by Brian Hernandez and a single by Liddi produced the first run and Wilson drove in Hernandez with a single to cut the lead to 5-4.

Amadeo Zazueta singled to lead off the bottom half of the 5th and scored in front of Japhet Amador's 6th home run of the season as Jalisco increased their lead to 7-4.

Manny Rodriguez

With two outs in the bottom of the 7th, Agustin Murillo scored when Manny Rodriguez launched a 2 run home run to left, his 6th of the year, to lengthen the Charros lead to 9-4.

Edgar Munoz tripled to lead off the top of the night for the visiting Venados and scored on a sac fly off of the bat of Jesus Fabela that cut the lead to 9-5 but that was all the scoring for Mazatlan and Jalisco came away with the 9-5 win and for, at least one night, sole position of 1st place in the LMP.

Felipe Gonzalez (2-1) picked up the win in relief of starter Elian Leya while Alejandro Soto (1-2) took the loss for the Venados.

Jalisco Falls to Culiacan 4-3

4 RUNS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 8TH WINS IT FOR THE TOMATEROS

Will Oliver

The Charros de Jalisco had the game well in hand, with a 3-0 lead, until the bottom of the 8th. Will Oliver, who had pitched 6 masterful innings of shutout baseball, could only watch from the dugout as reliever Aaron Kurcz gave up 3 runs on 3 hits to let the Tomateros tie the game and Felipe Gonzalez (0-1) allow a run on 2 hits, all in 2/3 of an inning, as the Charros fell to 11-8 on the season.

Newly activated Juan Ramon Noriega (1-0) was the beneficiary of the 4 run outburst to pick up the win for the 9-10 Tomateros and Casey Coleman notched his 6th save of the season.

Luis Cruz

Luis Cruz doubled to begin the come back in the bottom of the 8th for Culiacan. Blake Gailen singled to drive in Cruz. Ryan McBroom tripled over the head of the center fielder to plate Gailen. Jorge Vasquez hit a sac fly to plate McBroom and just like that the game was tied at 3. Issmael Salas singled and Ronnier Mustelier doubled. With men on second and third, Ali Solis hit a sac fly to bring in Salas to give Culiacan the 4-3 lead.

The Charros went down in order in the 9th to hand the Tomateros the come back win. With the loss, the Charros fall back into a 1st place tie in the LMP with the Venados de Mazatlan.

16,062 fans were on hand at Estadio de los Tomateros in Culiacan to watch the exciting come back win by the home team.

Ryan Mcbroom

Jalisco Tops Culiacan 4-3

NIKO VASQUEZ' HOME RUN IN THE 8TH WINS IT

The Tomateros de Culiacan took the early lead as they scored 3 runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning. Ali Solis began the inning being hit by a pitch. Rico Noel singled and Antonio Lamas loaded the bases on the second hit by pitch of the inning. The Charros starter, Octavio Acosta, then uncorked a wild pitch that scored Solis. A 5-3 ground out scored Noel. Issmael Salas singled to drive in Lamas for the 3-0 Culiacan lead.

Manny Rodriguez

The Charros began chipping away at that lead in the top of the 4th when Manny Rodriguez homered to lead off the inning. Two outs later, Yadir Drake drew a walk. Kevin Medrano followed with a double to right to score Drake as Jalisco cut the lead to 3-2.

Drake led off the 6th with a single. With one out, Vasquez reached om a fielding error. Santiago Chavez singled to load the bases. Amadeo Zazueta drove in Drake with a single to tie the game at 3.

Vasquez hit an 0-1 pitch to left for a silo home run in the top of the 8th as Jalisco took their 1st lead of the game at 4-3. Closer Grant Sides walked the 1st man he faced in the bottom of the 9th but then struck out the side for the Charros win.

Niko Vasquez (left) Homers

Felipe Gonzalez (1-0) picked up the win in relief as Sides earned his 6th save of the campaign. David Goforth (1-2) took the loss for the 8-10 Tomateros.

Jalisco won their 4th game in a row and at 11-7, took over sole possession of 1st place in the LMP.