What have you done for me lately?
This is the rhetorical question Tomateros de Culiacan management asked of manager Oscar Robles Tuesday morning.
Robles led the Tomateros to a 24-10 record in the first half of the Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico season, but the Killer Tomatoes of the first half have been dying on the vine since the season’s midpoint, and Robles and coach Emmanuel Valdez were fired Tuesday.
Roberto Vizcarra, who has managed the Tigres de Quintana Roo and the Leones de Yucatan to a pair of championships each, was announced as Robles’ replacement. Vizcarra, a member of the Mexican baseball hall of fame, has previously managed the Aguilas de Mexicali in LAMP.
Algodoneros de Guasave 2, Naranjeros de Hermosillo 0 – Jorge Perez threw a complete game shutout, allowing seven hits, walking none, and striking out three, as the Algodoneros de Guasave ended Hermosillo’s winning streak at 11 games. Orlando Pina got the first run home for Guasave with an eighth-inning sac fly that scored Yadir Drake, and Drew Evans grounded into a double play that allowed Drew Avans to score from third. The Algodoneros are 10-6 in the second half, three games back of first-place Hermosillo.
Aguilas de Mexicali 3, Tomateros de Culiacan 1 – After handily winning the first half of the season, Culiacan has regressed severely, falling for the sixth straight game Tuesday. Javier Salazar hit a two-run homer for Mexicali in the top of the third, and Alex D. Mejia singled in Phillip Evans for a ninth-inning insurance run. Dwight Smith Jr.’s sixth inning triple allowed Andres Alvarez to score the Tomateros’ lone run.
Caneros de Los Mochis 11, Venados de Mazatlan 2 – A six-run sixth inning keyed by a Yasmany Tomas’ ninth homer of the year pushed the Caneros back to two games above .500 for the second half. Tomas’ three-run homer puts him one behind Culiacan’s Joey Meneses for the league lead, and the Cuban outfielder went 3-for-4 with a run scored and three RBIs.
Charros de Jalisco 2, Sultanes de Monterrey 1 – Billy Hamilton’s third-inning triple scored Alfredo Hurtado to tie the game at one, and Michael Wielansky followed with a double to score Hamilton and make it 2-1 Jalisco. Six Charros pitchers combined to allow just three hits and a walk, and the Charros improved to 11-5 in the second half.
Mayos de Navojoa 2, Yaquis de Obregon 1 – Bobby Bradley’s seventh homer of the year gave Navojoa a 1-0 lead in the fourth, and Joe Stewart’s sac fly in the bottom of the fifth allowed Luis Juarez to score the go-head run.
Transactions for December 10
Mayos de Navojoa – Received C Gilberto Vizcarra on loan from the Aguilas de Mexicali. Retroactive to December 9, deactivated C Juan Uriarte, who may be activated December 14, and added RHP Jorge Sauceda to the active roster. Retroactive to December 6, deactivated RHP Damián Mendoza, who may be activated December 11, and added LHP Daniel Zazueta to the active roster.
Algodoneros de Guasave – Received IF Michael Robles on loan from the Caneros de Los Mochis.
Aguilas de Mexicali – Retroactive to December 1, deactivated RHP Sergio García-Repper, who may be activated December 11, and added OF Antonio Castañeda to the active roster.
Naranjeros de Hermosillo – Retroactive to November 24, deactivated RHP Aníbal Cervantes, who may be activated December 11, and added LHP Jorge Rodríguez to the active roster. Retroactive to November 21, deactivated RHP Enrique Castillo, who may be activated December 11, and added RHP José Albertos to the active roster.
Caneros de Los Mochis – Retroactive to December 7, deactivated LHP Miguel Vázquez, who may be activated December 11, and added RHP Luis F. Miranda to the active roster. Retroactive to December 7, deactivated C Logan Moore, who may be activated December 12, and added IF Kyle Martin to the active roster.
Algodoneros de Guasave – Retroactive to December 7, deactivated OF Randy Delgado, who may be activated December 11, and added IF Michael Robles to the active roster. Retroactive to December 9, deactivated RHP Dan Kubiuk, who may be activated December 19, and added RHP Alejandro Cervantes to the active roster.
Tomateros de Culiacan – Fired Oscar Robles as manager and named Roberto Vizcarra as manager. Fired Emmanuel Valdez as coach and named Alfonso Jimenez to the staff. Retroactive to December 7, we inactivate left-handed pitcher Victor Gonzalez, who we agree may be activated as of December 14, and infielder Luis Roberto Verdugo will take his place on the active roster.
Venados de Mazatlan – Retroactive to December 7, deactivated IF Niko Vásquez, who can be activated December 12, and added IF Ricardo Serrano to the active roster.
Charros de Jalisco – Retroactive to December 5, deactivated LHP Alemao Hernández, who can be activated December 12, and added RHP Darío Gardea to the active roster.
Sultanes de Monterrey – Deactivated RHP Carlos Medina, who may be activated December 11, and added RHP Mario Pérez to the active roster. Retroactive to December 4, deactivated LHP Cristian Castillo, who may be activated December 11, and added RHP Alexis Vera to the active roster.
Tonight in the LAMP
All times Eastern Standard Time
8:30 p.m. – Mexicali at Culiacan
8:30 p.m. – Jalisco at Monterrey
9:30 p.m. – Mazatlan at Los Mochis
9:30 p.m. – Obregon at Navojoa
9:30 p.m. – Hermosillo at Guasave
Watch the LAMP all season on Youtube.
