Friday, September 11, 2009

COTA BELTS 3 HOMERS IN WORLD CUP OPENING ROMP


Jesus Cota, who belted home runs for Saltillo in each of the first four games of Saltillo’s Mexican League Championship Series win over Quintana Roo, whacked three longballs in Mexico’s 8-0 whitewashing of Taiwan in the Baseball World Cup’s Pool A opener for both nations Thursday in the Czech Republic.

Mexico scored their first run on a groundout as Carlos Valencia’s bases-loaded fielder’s choice dribbler to short in the second brought Saul Soto in from third to put the Verde Grande up 1-0, but that was no indication of what lay ahead. Cota powered a two-out solo homer to right field in the third to make it 2-0, drilled another roundtripper to right in the sixth to put the score at 3-0, and then bashed a three-run bomb to key a five-run seventh inning outburst to give the Mexicans a 7-0 advantage. Edgar Quintero followed Cota with a rocket shot of his own to center to bring it to 8-0.

Starter Rafael Diaz, a teammate of Cota’s in Saltillo, tossed six scoreless innings for the win, allowing six hits and two walks for Mexico.


No comments: