The Diablos Rojos del Mexico will play for the Zaachila Cup for the second consecutive season.
With a 12-6 win at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu in Mexico City, the Diablos advanced to the Serie del Rey, the championship series of the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol, where they will face the Charros de Jalisco for the league title.
Powered by a four-RBI performance by Rio Ruiz, including a two-run homer in the fourth off Piratas’ starter Miller Hogan, and a three-RBI effort by Jose Marmolejos, the Diablos rallied from a 4-1 deficit.
Campeche grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first, getting an RBI single by Cal Mitchell that scored Connor Hollis and a sac fly from Chris Carter that got Jesus Fabela in to make it 2-0.
Robinson Cano’s RBI single in the bottom of the opening frame scored Carlos Sepulveda to make it 2-1.
The Piratas fired another two-run broadside in the second. With Christian Ibarra on third, Connor Hollis grounded out to first, allowing Ibarra to score. A two-out single by Fabela scored Raul Torres to make it 4-1 Campeche.
The Diablos took the wind out of the Piratas sails with three runs in both the fourth, then set their ship ablaze with a five-run sixth inning.
In the fourth, Jose Pirela’s RBI single scored Julian Ornelas, and then Ruiz followed with a two-run homer.
https://twitter.com/LigaMexBeis/status/1964468488782942436
An inning later, Ornelas doubled off the right field wall to score Sepulveda and give the Diablos a 5-4 lead, and Jose Marmolejos followed with a double to right that scored Ornelas and Robinson Cano to make it a 7-4 game.
The Piratas battled back, getting a two-run double in the sixth from Ibarra that scored Connor Panas and Brett Auerbach to cut the Diablos’ lead to a single run, but that is as close as the Piratas would get.
A bases-loaded walk to Ornelas pushed Sepulveda across the plate for the third time in the game, and then Marmolejos followed with a single that scored Allen Cordoba. Ruiz followed with a single that scored Ornelas and Marmolejos to make it 11-6, and a 6-3 ground out by Carlos Perez got Jose Pirela home to cap the big inning for Mexico.
https://twitter.com/LigaMexBeis/status/1964496606470033849
Diablos starter Brooks Hall went 4 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits with a walk and a strikeout, and five Reds relievers combined to allow two runs on three hits and a walk over the remaining 4 2/3 innings.
With the win, the Diablos will play the Charros de Jalisco in the Serie del Rey, with Mexico City hosting games one, two, six, and seven at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu, and the Charros hosting games three, four, and five at Estadio Panamericano in Zapopan, Jalisco, near Guadalajara.
2025 Serie del Rey Schedule
All times Eastern Daylight Time
* – If necessary
September 10
9 p.m. – Charros de Jalisco at Diablos Rojos del Mexico – Game 1
September 11
9 p.m. – Charros de Jalisco at Diablos Rojos del Mexico – Game 2
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: The Diablos Rojos del Mexico celebrate winning the 2025 Serie Campeonato and advancing to the Serie del Rey for the second year in a row. (Photo courtesy of the Diablos Rojos del Mexico)
