Diablos Move to Championship Round of the Zona Sur with Series Win over Pericos

BEST PERICOS TWICE ON SUNDAY TO TAKE SERIES 4 GAMES TO 1

The Diablos got solid pitching and timely hitting in their 3-1 win in the 5th game of the series. Mexico recorded just 5 hits but made the most of them, scoring 3 runs on 3 hits off of the Pericos starter.

Mexico moves on to the Zona Sur Championship round to face either the Leones de Yucatan or the Guerreros de Oaxaca in a best of seven series. At the time of this article, Oaxaca was leading the Leones in the bottom of the 6th inning.

Carlos Figueroa started the game by drawing a walk. Juan Carlos Gamboa, the second batter, also waited out a base on balls to put runners on first and second with no outs. Yeison Asencio hit a fly ball to left that advanced Figueroa to third. Luis Jimenez singled to drive in Figueroa for the 1-0 Diablos lead.

Mexico added 2 runs in the 3rd inning. With one out, Juan Carlos Gamboa drew a walk but was forced at second on a ground ball by Yeison Asencio. Asencio scored in front of a towering home run to left off of the bat of Luis Jimenez. Diablos 3-0.

Luis Jimenez

The Perico's bats were held in check, 5 hits through 6 innings. In the bottom of the 7th, Michael Crouse hit a lead off single and advanced to second 2 pitches later on a wild pitch. Daniel Sanchez hit a grounder to short that moved Crouse to third. Oscar Sanay then singled to bring in Crouse but that would be all the scoring for the Pericos in the 3-1 loss.

Luis Mendoza (1-0) scattered 7 hits over 6 2/3 innings allowing 1 run, walking 2 and striking out 4 in recording the win. Manny Acosta earned his 2nd save of the series allowing one base runner in the 9th.

Josh Outman (2-0) pitched well except for the home run he allowed to Jimenez. He gave up all 3 runs on 3 hits, walking 3 without recording a strikeout in the loss for Puebla.

The hitting hero for Mexico was Luis Jimenez who went 3 for 4 with the home run and 2 singles, driving in all 3 runs for the Diablos.

Sergio Perez went 3 for 4 and Michael Crouse 2 for 3 with a walk, in the loss. Oscar Sanay had the only RBI for the Pericos.

Diablos Rojos del Mexico Take Suspended Game From Pericos 12-4

DIABLOS GO UP 2 GAMES TO ONE IN ZONA SUR 1st ROUND PLAYOFFS

What a difference a day makes. When the game between the Pericos de Puebla and the Diablos Rojos del Mexico was suspended on Tuesday, the Pericos had a 3-0 lead with 1 out. Ricky Rodriguez and Michael Crouse had hit home runs and Wirkin Estevez seemed to be in charge.

Upon resuming the game, the Diablos scored twice in the 3rd inning, once in the 5th, which was the end of Estevez, and then exploded for 9 runs in the bottom of the 7th inning to secure the win and go up 2 games to none in the 1st round of the LMB Zona Sur playoffs.

Michael Crouse had launched his second home run of the game in the top of the 7th to put the Pericos up 4-3 before the roof caved in and the Diablos decimated the Perico's pitching staff in the bottom of the inning.

David Reyes (1-0) was the recipient of the offensive output, pitching 1 2/3 innings to get the win.

David Reyes

Fernando Cruz (0-1) lasted just 2/3 of an inning for the Pericos, walking 2, surrendering 5 hits and being tagged for 5 runs in taking the loss. Jeff Johnson, who relieved Cruz, didn't fare any better against the Diablo's bats, allowing 4 runs on 4 hits in 1/3 of an inning on the mound.

Luis Jimenez went 4 for 5 with an RBI and a run scored and Carlos Figueroa was 2 for 4 with a walk, 2 RBIs and 4 runs scored for the Diablos.

Michael Homers in an LMB Game

Michael Crouse was 2 for 3 with 2 home runs, 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored for the Pericos.

The playoffs now shifts to Oaxaca, Monterrey, Nuevo Laredo and Puebla for game 3. The Guerreros, Acereros and Diablos all boast a 2 games to one advantage with the Sultanes and Toros tied at 1 game apiece.

Follow my blog at www.wdbarrsports.blogspot.com
Follow me on facebook at www.facebook.com/wdbarrsports
Follow me on Twitter at www. twitter.com/wdbarr1

Liga Mexicana de Beisbol 1st Round Summary

FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF THE SECOND GAMES OF THE PLAYOFFS

MONCLOVA 7     DOS LAREDOS 4

The Tecolotes jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning on a 2 run double from Daniel Mayora, but a 5 run outburst, in the 5th, by the Acereros gave Monclova the lead for good as the Acereros won the game 7-4 increasing their lead in the 1st round series to 2-0. Jesus Castillo and Danny Espinosa hit 2 run home runs in the explosive 5th inning. The Tecolotes scored twice in the top of the 9th inning but it was a case of "too little, too late". Juan Martinez and Domonic Brown were both 3 for 5 for Dos Laredos. Andre Rienzo (1-0) got the win and Josh Lueke picked up the save. Alexis Candelario (0-1) took the loss for the Tecolotes.

Andre Rienzo

OAXACA 6     YUCATAN 3

Oaxaca took the lead for good in the top of the 8th inning and doubled up the Leones 6-3 to go up 2 games to none in the best of 7 first round of the playoffs. 7,292 fans crowded Parque Kukulkan but were not enough to help Yucatan. Dustin Geiger went deep for the Guerreros while Jose Aguilar and Walter Ibarra did the same for the Leones. Although charges with a blown save, Samuel Zazueta (1-0) earned the win and Carlos Felix recorded his 2nd save in as many tries. Maikel Cleto (0-1) was charged with the loss.

Jose Guadalupe Chavez

TIJUANA 6     MONTERREY 3

The Toros de Tijuana had 13 hits, 7 for extra bases, in their 6-3 defeat of the Sultanes. Fernando Perez was 3 for 4 with a home run, Jose Chavez 2 for 4 with 2 doubles and Junior Lake 2 for 4 with a triple for Tijuana. The Sultanes had a 3-0 lead after 4 innings but couldn'thold off the Toros offense in the loss. Ramon Rios was 3 for 3 for the Sultanes. Jeff Ibarra (1-0) earned the win and Daniel Moskos notched his 1st save of the series. Marco Tovar (0-1) gave up 2 runs in 1/3 of an inning of relief to take the loss.

PUEBLA 3     MEXICO 0  (game suspended-rain)

The Pericos de Puebla jumped on top of the Diablos in the top of the 2nd, following home runs by Ricky Rodriguez and Michael Crouse. The rains fell hard with no respite in sight when the Umpires, and the League, suspended the game. The contest will resume at 1 PM (CDT) on the 12th of September with 1 out in the top of the 2nd and Alberto Carreon at the plate.