Caneros de Los Mochis 1, Mayos de Navojoa 0 – Eric Filia drove in the game’s only run with an RBI single in the third. Starter Luis Miranda allowed three hits over seven shutout innings, striking out five and walking one before handing the ball off to the Caneros’ bullpen, which allowed one hit in two innings.
Naranjeros de Hermosillo 1, Algodoneros de Guasave 0 – Sergio Burruel singled home Cesar Salazar in the sixth, and Robert Stock struck out seven and walked one through five shutout innings as Hermosillo (19-7) won to remain atop the second half standings.
Tomateros de Culiacan 5, Sultanes de Monterrey 2 – Esteban Quiroz hit his 10th homer of the year, a solo shot in the first, and his 11th, a grand slam in the eighth, driving in all five Culiacan runs and vaulting himself to second place in the race for the LAMP home run crown, one behind Yasmany Tomas of Los Mochis. Starter Jose Luis Bravo threw six innings, allowing one run on four hits and striking out four for the Tomateros.
Yaquis de Obregon 9, Charros de Jalisco 3 – Christian Villanueva went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer in the third and three RBIs, and Victor Mendoza contributed a solo shot in the seventh as Obregon breezed by Jalisco. Former Milwaukee Brewers prospect Braden Webb allowed two runs on five hits over five innings of work.
Aguilas de Mexicali 6, Venados de Mazatlan 0 – Norberto Obeso went 2-for-4, driving in two runs and scoring one of his own, as the Aguilas soared past the Venados, who remain tied for ninth in the second half.
Sprinting to the Finish – With eight games remaining in the LAMP regular season’s second half, two teams — the Mayos de Navojoa and the Sultanes de Monterrey — are in dire straits. The two teams are tied for ninth at 8-18 in the second half, 11 games back of first place Hermosillo, who they can no longer catch. They won’t finish second, either, as they are nine games back of Jalisco (17-9).
For Monterrey, their so-called “tragic number”, that is, the number of opposition wins and Sultanes losses that would result in their elimination from the postseason, is three. If the Sultanes lose three of their remaining eight games, and Los Mochis, Mexicali, and Guasave each win three of their remaining eight games, the Sultanes will finish sixth, where the best they could hope for is a four-way tie for the final playoff spot, and they wouldn’t win the tiebreaker. Considering that Monterrey has lost five straight, Sultanes fans shouldn’t hold out much hope that the Grey Ghosts are playing in January.
For Navojoa (24-37, 8-18 second half), it’s a bit more complex, as the Mayos finished sixth in the first half. While they’re in the same situation as Monterrey in the second half standings, they likely only need to rise to eighth place to make the playoffs. Such a finish would give them eight points, which might be enough to grab the seventh seed. They’re three games back of eighth-place Mazatlan (11-15 second half) with eight games to play, so it’s possible, though unlikely.
Tonight in the LAMP
All times Eastern Standard Time
6 p.m. – Mazatlan at Mexicali
7 p.m. – Los Mochis at Navojoa
7 p.m. – Guasave at Hermosillo
7 p.m. – Monterrey at Culiacan
7:10 p.m. – Jalisco at Obregon
