MADERA FINISHES AT .413 TO COP LMP BATTING TITLE

Although Los Mochis finished with the fewest points in the Mexican Pacific League, their first baseman provided the Caneros with at least one saving grace. Sandy Madera (pictured) ended up batting .413 over 60 games to win the LMP batting title for the season. Madera becomes the first .400 hitter in the Mex Pac since Hector Espino batted .415 for Hermosillo in 1971-72. Espino, who won 13 LMP batting titles between 1960 and 1981, also hit .402 for the Naranjeros in 1962-63. Madera hit 14 homers, finishing tied for second with Obregon’s Carlos Valencia behind the 23 of Hermosillo’s Luis Alfonso Garcia (who won his third home run crown in five winters). Valencia’s 63 RBIs topped the circuit.

Pablo Ortega of Mazatlan had a regular season to remember. Ortega led the Mex Pac in wins with an 8-2 record and ended on top of the ERA table at 2.43. Obregon’s Luis Mendoza was second in both wins and earned-run average by going 7-4 with a 2.89 ERA, respectively, and led the LMP with 79 strikeouts in 90 innings, 25 Ks ahead of Guasave’s Jim McGrane.