Don’t blame Zac Grotz.
After all, the Charros de Jalisco starter held the Diablos Rojos del Mexico to two runs on just four hits over 4 2/3 innings in game two of the Serie del Rey as EStadio Alfredo Harp Helu in Mexico City Thursday night.
It was the Jalisco bullpen, though, that couldn’t quench the Diablos’ flaming bats, allowing 10 runs over the final 4 1/3, with Mexico getting four in the seventh and six in the eighth, to take a 12-1 victory and a two-games-to-none lead in the series, which heads to Guadalajara for game three on Saturday.
“We haven’t done anything yet,” Diablos manager Lorenzo Bundy said following the game in Spanish, “because we have to win four games” to win the series.
The Diablos’ Allen Cordoba, who is making a solid case to be considered for Panama’s 2026 World Baseball Classic roster, went 4-for-5 with a solo homer in the fifth and a bases-clearing triple in the eighth, while Carlos Perez and Juan Carlos Gamboa each had three RBIs for Mexico in the rout.
“I go out to compete, I go out to give the maximum possible for my team, regardless of who the opponent is,” said Cordoba in Spanish following the game.
Robinson Cano got the Diablos on the board in the bottom of the third, doubling home Cordoba with a two-base hit into the right field corner.
The Charros tied the game on Donny Sands’ RBI single in the top of the fourth, which scored Mateo Gil to tie the game at one.
Cordoba’s homer to left center in the fifth gave the Diablos a 2-1 lead, and the Diablos loaded the bases after Cordoba’s homer, and Jalisco starter Zac Grotz yielded to Andrew Perez, who struck out Rio Ruiz to escape the jam.
¡Se rompe el empate! ⛓️????
Cuadrangular solitario cortesía de Allen Córdoba ???? para poner al frente a los locales. ???? #CienAñosSiendoElRey???? pic.twitter.com/9wKeWSWCdB
— Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (@LigaMexBeis) September 12, 2025
The Charros wouldn’t be so lucky in the seventh, when Ruiz started a four-running inning with a double to right that scored Jose Marmolejos for a 3-1 lead. Carlos Perez followed with a single to center that scored Ruiz and Jose Pirela, and a double to right by Juan Carlos Gamboa scored Perez to make it 6-1.