Jose Marmolejos of the Diablos Rojos del Mexico circles the bases after his first inning home run in game four of the Serie del Zona against the Leones de Yucatan. (Photo courtesy of the Diablos Rojos del Mexico)
Diablos Rojos del Mexico 4, Leones de Yucatan 1 – Starter Jose Luis Bravo allowed two hits over five scoreless innings and Jose Marmolejos went 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs as the Diablos Rojos took game four to sweep the Serie del Zona from the Leones de Yucatan.
Marmolejos homered in the top of the first to give the Diablos the lead, then capped the scoring for Mexico City with an RBI single in the top of the ninth that made it a 4-0 game. Jose Rondon and Robinson Cano each drove in a run for the Diablos with sacrifice flies.
Yadir Drake’s one-out homer in the bottom of the ninth scored the Leones only run.
The Diablos Rojos pitching staff held the Leones to just four hits, walking two and striking out six.
Mexico City advances to the Serie de Campeonato for the Zona Sur, where they will face the Guerreros de Oaxaca, which will begin August 24 at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu in Mexico City. A full schedule for the Serie de Campeonato can be found at the bottom of this story.
Sultanes de Monterrey 11, Acereros de Monclova 4 – Two-run home runs from Carlos Soto and Roberto Valenzuela helped the Sultanes put up six runs in the bottom of the fifth, and a five-run inning in the seventh pushed Monterrey in the Serie de Campeonato with a game seven win over Monclova.
Jose Cardona had a three-run homer in the seventh for Monterrey, who will meet the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos in the Serie de Campeonato for the Zona Norte, which begins Friday in Monterrey.
The Acereros stranded six runners and scratched out 12 hits against the Sultanes, but didn’t score again after the bottom of the third inning. Aldrem Corredor’s third-inning solo homer capped the scoring for Monclova.
Serie de Campeonato Schedules – The Series de Campeonatos will begin Friday with Dos Laredos traveling to Monterrey in the Zona Norte. The series between the Diablos Rojos del Mexico and the Guerreros de Oaxaca will begin at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu in Mexico City on Saturday.
A full schedule is below.
Liga Mexicana de Beisbol Series de Campeonatos
* – If Necessary
Friday, August 23
10:30 p.m EDT – Game One – Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos at Sultanes de Monterrey – Estadio Exxon Mobil Super
Saturday, August 24
7 p.m. EDT – Game One – Guerreros de Oaxaca at Diablos Rojos del Mexico – Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu
8 p.m. EDT – Game Two – Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos at Sultanes de Monterrey – Estadio Exxon Mobil Super
Sunday, August 25
5 p.m. EDT – Game Two – Guerreros de Oaxaca at Diablos Rojos del Mexico – Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu
Monday, August 26
9 p.m. EDT – Game Three – Sultanes de Monterrey at Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos – Parque La Junta
Tuesday, August 27
8:30 p.m. EDT – Game Four – Sultanes de Monterrey at Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos – UniTrade Stadium
10 p.m. EDT – Game Three – Diablos Rojos del Mexico at Guerreros de Oaxaca – Estadio Eduardo Vasconcelos
Wednesday, August 28
8:30 p.m. EDT – Game Five* – Sultanes de Monterrey at Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos – UniTrade Stadium
10 p.m. EDT – Game Four – Diablos Rojos del Mexico at Guerreros de Oaxaca – Estadio Eduardo Vasconcelos
Friday, August 29
10 p.m. EDT – Game Five* – Diablos Rojos del Mexico at Guerreros de Oaxaca – Estadio Eduardo Vasconcelos
Saturday, August 30
10:30 p.m. EDT – Game Six* – Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos at Sultanes de Monterrey – Estadio Exxon Mobil Super
Sunday, August 31
7 p.m. EDT – Game Six* – Guerreros de Oaxaca at Diablos Rojos del Mexico – Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu
8 p.m. EDT – Game Seven* – Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos at Sultanes de Monterrey – Estadio Exxon Mobil Super
Monday, September 1
5 p.m. EDT – Game Seven* – Guerreros de Oaxaca at Diablos Rojos del Mexico – Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu
