MEXICALI, Mexico – You’ve gotta give the home crowd what they want.
At El Nido de Las Aguilas Friday night, the near-sellout crowd wanted a Mexico win in their opener at the 2025 Caribbean Series, and they got their wishes fulfilled, as the Charros de Jalisco, a Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico rival of the Aguilas de Mexicali that call the ballpark home, defeated the Indios de Mayaguez 8-1.
The Charros got seven solid innings from starter David Reyes, who allowed one run on four hits, walking one and striking out four before handing the ball off to the bullpen, which shut down Puerto Rico, with Adrian Gusman and David Gutierrez each throwing a perfect inning.
Reyes joined the Charros as a reinforcement for the Caribbean Series after pitching for the Aguilas de Mexicali during the season, where he posted a 1.87 ERA over 87 innings spread over 14 starts in his 13th season in the LAMP and his seventh with Mexicali.
“David had a tremendous season, an excellent season. I think he pitched against us in the fifth game of the season,” said Charros manager Benji Gil. “it was easy to know his quality, but there were other candidates that could have proposed. And for his quality, and for knowing the stadium is why he deserved [the start].”
The Mexico pitchers stifled the Puerto Rico bats, handing them an 0-for-3 mark with with runners in scoring position and allowing just five batters to reach.
“The key was to attack,” Reyes said. “ I’ve been a pitcher that attacks a lot with the batters. And more so knowing the stadium, this is a large stadium, a stadium that is ready to pitch.”
In the first, Mateo Gil reached on a walk and got to third via a passed ball and a wild pitch, then scored on Jack Mayfield’s infield single to third to give the Charros a 1-0 lead.
Jalisco added two more in the fourth when Reynaldo Rodriguez and Donovan Casey scored on Japhet Amador’s double to right field to give Mexico a 3-0 lead.
The Indios got their only run of the game when Isan Diaz scored on a sac fly by Onix Vega in the top of the fifth.
“We had a good game. We had opportunities but we couldn’t capitalize on them,” said Indios manager Wilfredo Cordero.
Asked if there were any positive, Cordero said, “…there weren’t many. We didn’t have many runners. We just have to get ready to play on Sunday.”
Mexico tacked on another an inning later when Billy Hamilton created havoc on the basepaths, capitalizing on a walk to steal second and third and then score on a wild pitch to make it 4-1.
Puerto Rico never threatened after the fifth, and Mexico put the game out of reach in the eighth. Reynaldo Rodriguez reached on a one-out single, and the Japhet Amador drew a two-out walk and was replaced by pinch runner Rudy Martin. Carlos Mendevil singled to load the bases, and then Billy Hamilton drew a four-pitch walk to force Rodriguez home. Martin then scored on a passed ball, and Michael Wielansky singled to drive in Mendevil and Hamilton and make it 8-1.
Puerto Rico is off on Saturday, while Mexico will play against Venezuela’s Cardenales de Lara in tomorrow’s nightcap, which starts at 5:50 p.m. EST.
The game will be televised on MLB Network.
Photo: David Reyes delivers a pitch in Mexico’s 8-1 win against Puerto Rico. He threw seven innings, allowing one run on four hits to earn a win. (Photo Courtesy of CBPC)
