Call them the Cardiac Charros.
For the second series in a row, the Charros de Jalisco took the first three games, lost the next three, and won game seven to advance in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol playoffs, this team beating the Algodoneros de Union Laguna 5-4, getting a pair of runs in the top of the ninth on a homer from Willie Calhoun down the right field line to avoid elimination and advance to the Serie Campeonato against the Sultanes de Monterrey.
Josh Fuentes and Alfredo Hurtado each hit two-out RBI singles in the second that got the Charros a 2-0 lead.
Union Laguna got on the board in the top of the third when a ground out by former Yankee Didi Gregorius allowed Hendrik Clementina to score and make it 2-1. Brian O’Grady hit a two-run homer in the bottom of sixth that gave the Algodoneros a 3-2 lead, and a bases-loaded walk to Drew Lugbauer an inning later made it 4-2.
In the top of the eighth, Kyle Garlick’s solo homer cut the lead to 4-3.
Overall, Calhoun went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, two runs scored, and a homer for Jalisco.
Six Jalisco pitchers combined to allow four runs on six hits, walking seven and striking out eight. Starter Luis Payan went five innings, allowing two runs on three hits with three walks and six strikeouts.
The win sets up a rematch of the first round series between the Charros and the Sultanes de Monterrey, which the Charros led three-games-to-none before the Sultanes won three games in a row. The Charros won game seven to advance, while the Sultanes advanced by winning three games as a first-round loser and holding the tiebreaker over the Acereros de Monclova, who won three games in their first round loss to the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos.
It is also the second time since the LMB adopted this playoff format that a team that lost in the first round advanced to the Serie Campeonato, with the Pericos de Puebla accomplishing the same feat in 2023, the year they won the Serie del Rey.
Because the series went seven games, the Serie Campeonato will start Sunday at Estadio Panamericano in Guadalajara, Jalisco. A full schedule for the second round is below.
Diablos Rojos, Piratas Series Starts Saturday Night – The Piratas de Campeche and Diablos Rojos del Mexico will start the Serie Campeonato Saturday night at 9:30 p.m. EDT at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu in Mexico City. Domingo Acevedo will start for Campeche against Ricardo Pinto for Mexico, which has swept its first and second round series against Yucatan and Puebla, respectively.
Where to Watch – All LMB games are streamed on LMB.tv for a fee.
Serie Campeonato Full Schedule
All times Eastern Daylight Time
* – If Necessary
August 30
6 p.m. – Piratas de Campeche at Diablos Rojos del Mexico – Game 1
August 31
4 p.m. – Piratas de Campeche at Diablos Rojos del Mexico – Game 2
TBD – Sultanes de Monterrey at Charros de Jalisco – Game 1
September 1
TBD – Sultanes de Monterrey at Charros de Jalisco – Game 2
September 2
9:30 p.m. – Diablos Rojos del Mexico at Piratas de Campeche – Game 3
TBD – Charros de Jalisco at Sultanes de Monterrey – Game 3
September 3
9:30 p.m. – Diablos Rojos del Mexico at Piratas de Campeche – Game 4
TBD – Charros de Jalisco at Sultanes de Monterrey – Game 4
September 4
9:30 p.m. – Diablos Rojos del Mexico at Piratas de Campeche – Game 5*
TBD – Charros de Jalisco at Sultanes de Monterrey – Game 5*
September 6
6 p.m. – Piratas de Campeche at Diablos Rojos del Mexico – Game 6*
TBD – Sultanes de Monterrey at Charros de Jalisco – Game 6*
September 7
4 p.m. – Piratas de Campeche at Diablos Rojos del Mexico – Game 7*
TBD – Sultanes de Monterrey at Charros de Jalisco – Game 7*
Photo: The Charros de Jalisco celebrate their game seven win over the Algodoneros de Union Laguna. (Photo courtesy of the Charros de Jalisco)
