Staff Reports
World Baseball Network
The Naranjeros de Hermosillo and the Tomateros de Culiacan each closed out their first-round series in the Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico playoffs on Saturday night.
The Tomateros knocked off the Caneros de Los Mochis 6-2 to take the series in five games. Peter O’Brien’s two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth gave Culiacan the lead, and the Tomateros bullpen gave Los Mochis just one baserunner in the final three innings.
O’Brien went 1-for-3 with a walk and three RBI, while Joey Meneses went 2-for-3 with two RBI, a run scored, and a walk.
Down 7-5 after eight innings, the Naranjeros de Hermosillo exploded for five runs in the top of the ninth and held on to beat the Mayos de Navajoa 10-8.
After Mayos reliever Carlos Bustamante gave up a single to Irving Lopez and then walked the bases loaded, Bustamante walked Grant Witherspoon to send Lopez home with the first run of the inning. Denny Roman replaced Bustamante on the mound for Navajoa and promptly surrendered a two-run double to Agustin Murillo. Sac flies from Cesar Salazar and Andretty Cordero drove in the final two runs of the inning.
The Naranjeros and the Tomateros will wait for the conclusion of the other two first-round series for their next opponents.
Mazatlan 13, Jalisco 12 – Randy Romero and Niko Vasquez each went 2-for-6 with three RBI as the Venados de Mazatlan took a 3-2 series lead over the Charros de Jalisco.
The two teams combined for 26 hits and 25-of-34 runners who reached base in the game scored.
Game six between the Venados and the Charros is scheduled for 9 p.m. EST Monday.
Guasave 8, Mexicali 5 – Jesse Castillo’s three-run homer in the first got the Algodoneros de Guasave out to an early lead, and they held on to clip the Aguilas de Mexicali’s wings in game five.
Yadir Drake clubbed a solo homer to cap a 2-for-4 night at the plate.
Castillo went 1-for-3 with a walk and three RBI for the Algodoneros, who will face the Aguilas in game six on Monday at 8:30 p.m. EST.
Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico games can be streamed via Extrabase.tv for a fee.
Tiburones Remain Unbeaten In LVBP Round Robin – Wilson Garcia went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI as the Tiburones de La Guaira topped the Leones del Caracas 4-1 to improve to 4-0 in the Liga Venezolana Beisbol Profesional round robin.
Garcia had an RBI single in the bottom of the third and a solo homer in the eighth for La Guaira.
Carrying a batting average of .500 in the round robin, Garcia is 9-for-18 thus far and has two doubles, a triple, and a homer in his last two games with four runs scored and five RBI.
The Leones del Caracas fell to 2-2 with the loss. The teams meet again at 3 p.m. EST on Sunday.
Tigres de Aragua 6, Bravos de Margarita 1 – Alexi Amarista’s RBI double in the bottom of the eighth gave the Tigres the lead, and Jose Pirela punctuated the victory two batters later with a grand slam to left field.
Starter Guillermo Moscoso threw five scoreless innings for Aragua, allowing three hits and three walks.
The Tigres de Aragua will face the winless Cardenales de Lara on Sunday at 3 p.m. EST.
All LVBP games can be streamed via Beisbolplay.com with a paid subscription.