Thursday, January 13, 2011

YAQUIS BLANK CANEROS, 2-0, TO TAKE TWO-GAME SEMI LEAD

Obregon starter Rolando Valdez hurled six superb innings while Elian Herrera and Carlos Valencia belted solo homers as the Yaquis shut out the Los Mochis Caneros, 2-0, Wednesday night at Estadio Tomas Oroz Gaytan in Obregon. The Yaquis now lead their Mexican Pacific League semifinal series, 2 games to 0.

Valdez matched up in a duel with Mochis’ Alberto Castillo as two of the Mex Pac’s top pitchers locked horns. Valdez got the better of it as he blanked the Caneros over his six frames of work. Castillo generally gave as good as he got over seven innings except for dishing up fatal homers to Herrera in the fourth and Valencia in the fifth. Four relievers combined to preserve Valdez’ lead the rest of the way as ex-MLBer Luis Ayala (pictured) silenced Mochis in the ninth inning for his fifth postseason save of the winter.

Further south in Culiacan, the host Tomateros doubled up on Guasave, 6-3, for their second win of the semifinal set. Culiacan starter Andres Meza left the contest after pitching five innings with a 2-2 tie, but was given the win after his teammates took the lead in the bottom of the fifth when Jorge Vazquez bashed a two-run homer to straightaway center off the first pitch of the game by Guasave reliever Adrian Ramirez.

All teams will rest Thursday before resuming their respective series in Mochis and Guasave Friday.

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