SULTANES, SARAPEROS SPLIT FIRST TWO LMB NORTH FINAL GAMES

Chris Roberson (pictured sliding into second base) stroked a three-run double as part of a five-run Monterrey uprising in the seventh inning Sunday night as the Sultanes went on to beat Saltillo, 5-2, in front of over 22,000 fans at Estadio Monterrey in Game Two of the Mexican League Zona Madero finals. Saltillo shut out Monterrey, 4-0, in Saturday’s opener as Hector Daniel Rodriguez threw six scoreless innings for the defending champion Saraperos on the heels of his no-hitter against Mexico City in the first round.

Saltillo overcame a 3-games-to-1 deficit against the Diablos Rojos by winning three straight contests (two in Mexico City), including an 11-4 pasting of the Diablos last Wednesday night. Monterrey had an easier time of it in the first round, beating Chihuahua in five games as Sultanes pitcher Edgar Gonzalez let in just one Dorados run in 14 innings over two starts.The Saraperos and Sultanes move to Saltillo for Game Three on Tuesday night.