Score early and often and you’ve got a good chance to win a baseball game.
The Diablos Rojos del Mexico did just that in game one of the Serie del Rey, the championship series of the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol, getting three runs in the first and four in the second and holding on to take an 8-4 win at home.
After Carlos Sepulveda led off the bottom of the first with a single, he stole second and then scored when Allen Cordoba laced the second pitch he saw off the right field wall for an RBI double. Cordoba advanced to third on a ground out by Robinson Cano, then scored when Julian Ornelas grounded out to first base. Jose Marmolejos launched a solo homer into the right field bullpen to give the Diablos a 3-0 lead.
Se sella el ataque rojo 🔴
José Marmolejos 👹 la manda a volar y con un cuadrangular 💥 finaliza el rally #CienAñosSiendoElRey 👑 pic.twitter.com/1LDUVm3Xsn
— Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (@LigaMexBeis) September 11, 2025
An inning later, the Reds kept hitting. Sepulveda’s singled to center and the ball was bobbled by Charros’ center fielder Mallex Smith, allowing Sepulveda to get to second and Juan Carlos Gamboa to get to third while Carlos Perez scampered home to make it 4-0. After Allen Cordoba walked to load the bases with one out, Cano’s ground out to first scored Carlos Perez from third to give the Reds a 5-0 lead. Julian Ornelas followed with a single to right that scored Sepulveda and Cordoba and end the night for Charros starter Luis Payan.
Payan, who had allowed eight runs on 17 hits with 26 strikeouts and nine walks with a 0.890 WHIP, lasted just 1 2/3 innings, allowing seven runs, all earned, on seven hits with a walk and two strikeouts.
The Charros got on the board in the fourth when Willie Calhoun’s seventh homer of the playoffs cleared the wall in right field to make it a 7-1 game. An inning later, Mallex Smith’s two-run double scored Josh Fuentes and Alfredo Hurtado to cut the Diablos’ lead to 7-3. With runners at the corners, Mateo Gil hit a hot shot to third that the Diablos’ Rio Ruiz couldn’t corral, allowing Smith to score from third to make it 7-4.
Four relievers from the Diablos’ bullpen combined to allow four hits and a walk over the final 4 1/3 innings, shutting down the Charros and securing a 1-0 series lead. Diablos starter Ricardo Pinto allowed four runs, three of them earned, on five hits in 4 2/3 innings, striking out five and walking one.
A seventh-inning ground out by Carlos Perez scored Marmolejos to make it 8-4 Mexico.
Game two of the series is tonight at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu in Mexico City, with Justin Courtney starting for the Diablos Rojos against Zac Grotz for the Charros.
Where to Watch – All LMB games can be streamed live on MLB.tv for a fee. Games one and two will be streamed live on YouTube by Claro Sports.
2025 Serie del Rey Schedule
All times Eastern Daylight Time
* – If necessary
September 10
Diablos Rojos del Mexico 8, Charros de Jalisco 4
Live Stream on YouTube via Claro Sports
September 11
9 p.m. – Charros de Jalisco at Diablos Rojos del Mexico – Game 2
Live Stream on YouTube via Claro Sports
September 13
8 p.m. – Diablos Rojos del Mexico at Charros de Jalisco – Game 3
September 14
7 p.m. – Diablos Rojos del Mexico at Charros de Jalisco – Game 4
September 15
9:30 p.m. – Diablos Rojos del Mexico at Charros de Jalisco – Game 5*
September 17
9 p.m. – Charros de Jalisco at Diablos Rojos del Mexico – Game 6*
September 18
9 p.m. – Charros de Jalisco at Diablos Rojos del Mexico – Game 7*
Photo: Jose Marmolejos of the Diablos Rojos del Mexico homered for the Diablos Rojos in the second inning of game one of the Serie del Rey. (Photo courtesy of the Diablos Rojos del Mexico)
