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| Art Charles' 4th HR of the Year |
Although the game was no pitchers duel, by any stretch of the imagination, it produced in the fans the full spectrum of emotions from jubilation to apprehension to frustration and elation.
Jalisco sent 13 batters to the plate in the bottom of the 1st inning. 5 singles, 3 doubles, a wild pitch and a home run resulted in 9 runs and a seemingly insurmountable 9-0 lead for the home team. There was jubilation in the stands.
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| Amador Scores in the 1st |
Apprehension arrived in the 3rd and 4th innings as the Naranjeros scored twice in the 3rd when Jorge Flores led off with a home run and then 3 consecutive singles produced the second run and cut the lead to 9-2. We, as fans, have watched this scenario too many times with the Charros pitching. Starter, Marco Tovar seemed to have lost his stuff in the 3rd.
Tovar sandwiched 2 walks around a single to load the bases with 1 out in the top of the 4th. The frustration came, as in several other games, when the Jalisco manager, Homar Rojas, failed to put the last 2 innings together and pull Tovar before it was too late. Tovar had proved to be ineffective in the 3rd and continued that ineffectiveness in the 4th. In this case Rojas' decision resulted in a grand slam home run by Eric Young Jr. that reduced the Charros lead to 9-6. An RBI single by Jose Amador later in the inning made it a 9-7 Charros lead.
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| Marco Tovar, Charros Starter |
Apprenhension came back to haunt the fans in the top of the 9th. Closer, Aaron Kurcz, gave up 2 singles and a walk and then another single that drove in a run as Hermosillo pulled to within 3 runs at 11-8. Young singled again to reload the bases before Kurcz got Efren Navarro to pop up to third to end the game and bring elation to the 9,002 fans at Estadio de Charros.
Ramon Delgado (1-0) was the lucky winner in the roulette of Charros pitchers while Edgar Torres (0-2) lasted just 1/3 of an inning for the Naranjeros in absorbing the loss.
It's on to Navojoa for the 11-9 Charros for a 3 game weekend series with the Mayos.
IN OTHER LMP ACTION
Obregon, 3, Navojoa 2
After the Mayos had tied the score 2 all in the top of the 8th, Carlos Valencia hit a 2 out double to left to score Matt Juengel with the go ahead run and Carlos Fisher (2-0) set the Mayos down in the 9th for the 3-2 Yaquis win. Alejandro Barraza (0-1) took the loss. Valencia was 1 for 3 with 2 RBIs for Obregon while Jesus Castillo went 1 for 3 with 2 RBIs for Navojoa.
Mexicali 6, Los Mochis 5
The Aguilas goa a grand slam home run from CJ Retherford (his 5th hr of the year) in a 5 run 8th inning and survived a 3 run bottom of the 9th by the Caneros to win in Los Mochis 6-5. Retherford was 1 for 4 on the night but that 1 hit provided the margin of victory for Mexicali. The Aguilas committed 3 errors on the game and the Caneros had only 1 RBI and 2 earned runs in the loss. Francisco Rodriguez (3-0) got the win in relief. Andres Avila was charges with a blown save resulting in a loss for Santiage Gutierrez (2-1).
Culiacan 3, Mazatlan 1
Edgar Gonzalez (2-1) worked 6 innings giving up 1 run on 4 hits, walking 2 and striking out 3 to earn the victory and Javy Guerra notched his 2nd save of the season as the Tomateros beat the Venados 3-1. Starter Felipe Gonzalez (0-2) was charged with the loss. 17,834 fans watched the home team win yet again over Mazatlán. Ronnier Mustelier was 3 for 4 with 2 doubles and Joey Meneses 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs for Culiacan. Cyle Hankerd went 0 for 2 but his sac fly produced the only Vanados run.
