Lenadores de Las Tunas 31, Santa Maria Pirates 7 – The Lenadores took the axes to the Pirates, clubbing 10 doubles and five homers as they romped over the Pirates in their first game at the BCL Americas. Rafael Vinales went 5-for-7 with seven RBIs for Las Tunas, homering twice and doubling while also hitting a pair of singles. After four innings, Las Tunas led 16-0, and were only held off the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh – an inning where they still managed to load the bases. Swindly Lint homered for Santa Maria, which fell to 1-1 in group play.
Tigres de Chinandega 14, Titanes de Florida 9 – Starter Ronald Medrano lasted just two innings for the Tigres, who found themselves in a 9-0 hole after four before coming all the way back over the final five innings to win their opener at the BCL Americas.
Medrano, who was stellar over the winter with the Charros de Jalisco of the Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico, allowed seven runs, six of them earned, on eight hits in just two innings before handing off the ball.
Omar Mendoza and Brandon Leyton homered in the fifth to spark the rally for the Tigres, who scored five in the fifth and sixth in the seventh to take the lead, and then added one in the eighth and two in the ninth to cap the win.
Pitching Struggling at the BCL Americas – Pitching has been less than stellar at this tournament, which can be expected, given the venue. As anyone who has been to Mexico City can tell you, the altitude makes doing everything — even walking long distances — difficult if you aren’t well acclimated.
As World Baseball Network noted last year when former National League Cy Young award winner Trevor Bauer pitched for the Diablos Rojos, Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu is at an altitude of approximately 7,300 feet, nearly half a mile higher than Coors Field in Denver, the home of Major League Baseball’s Colorado Rockies and the highest elevation in MLB.
The altitude works against pitchers in two ways — for one, pitches break less, as the lower air pressure at altitude means that pitchers have to impart more spin on the ball at altitude to get the same amount of break they would get at a lower elevation. Secondly, pitching is largely an anaerobic activity, meaning that a pitcher expends energy in short bursts rather than over long, sustained periods of time. But due to the lower oxygen content of the atmosphere, pitchers can’t recover as quickly after each pitch, meaning that they tire faster.
None of the other five teams play in cities with an elevation over 750 feet, except the Diablos Rojos. This is a built-in advantage for the Diablos pitchers, who have had a few weeks to get accustomed to the elevation and how the ball plays there.
Of all the pitchers who have appeared in the BCL Americas and pitched two full innings, only two — Zac Grotz of the Diablos Rojos del Mexico, who went three innings against the Titanes de Florida, and Vin Tampanelli of the Kane County Cougars, who went two innings against the Santa Maria Pirates — have not allowed a run.
The Next Two Days – With their second loss of the tournament, the Titanes de Florida are guaranteed to finish third in Group A, and will face the second-place team in Group B tomorrow at 9:30 p.m. EDT.
The Tigres de Chinandega and Diablos Rojos del Mexico face off tonight at 9:30 p.m. EDT with the top spot in Group A on the line.
In Group B, the Lenadores de Las Tunas and Kane County Cougars will play at 2:30 p.m. EDT, with the winner claiming the top position in Group B.
The Santa Maria Pirates are guaranteed a third-place finish and will face the loser of tomorrow’s game between the Diablos Rojos and Tigres de Chinandega at 4 p.m. EDT.
Remaining Schedule at the BCL Americas
Thursday, April 10
4:30 p.m. EDT – Lenadores de Las Tunas (Cuba) vs. Kane County Cougars (United States)
9:30 p.m. EDT – Diablos Rojos del Mexico (Mexico) vs. Tigres de Chinandega (Nicaragua)
Friday, April 11
4:30 p.m. EDT – Santa Maria Pirates (Curacao) vs. Loser of Mexico vs. Chinandega
9:30 p.m. EDT – Titanes de Florida (Puerto Rico) vs. Loser of Las Tunas vs. Kane County
Saturday, April 12
4 p.m. EDT – Semifinal 1 – Group A Winner vs. Winner of Friday Matinee
7:30 p.m. – Semifinal 2 -Group B Winner vs. Winner of Friday Nightcap
Sunday, April 13
2 p.m. – Championship Game
Broadcast Info – The 2025 Baseball Champions League Americas will be broadcast on Fubo Sports Network, RYZ Network, and streamed live on AAbaseball.tv.
Photo: Zac Grotz threw three shutout innings for the Diablos Rojos del Mexico in their BCL Americas opener. He’s one of only two pitchers in the event to have thrown two innings or more and not allow a run. (Photo Courtesy of the Diablos Rojos del Mexico)
