MexPac Playoff Scoreboard: THURS, Jan. 7, 2016

Obregon and Navojoa have advanced to the Mexican Pacific League playoff semifinals after both pulled off tight first round series-closing wins Thursday night.  They'll join Mexicali, who swept their opening round series over Jalisco, and wildcard team Mazatlan, who had the best showing among the three losing sides by winning two games, as did Mochis, but posting a higher run percentage than the Caneros in their respective series as part of the LMP's tiebreaker formula.

Navojoa will play Mexicali in one semifinal series while Mazatlan meet Obregon in the other, with Final Four action beginning Sunday.

OBREGON 4-8-2, Los Mochis 3-6-1
W-Adr. C. Ramirez (1-0).  L-T. Solis (1-1).  T-3:19.  A-14,631.

Max Ramirez (pictured) ripped a two-run double in the bottom of the first inning to give Obregon an early lead and the Yaquis went on to beat Los Mochis, 4-3, to win their series in six games.  Los Mochis tied the encounter at 2-2 by scoring on errors by Yaquis' LF Leo Heras and SS Daniel Castro in a wild fifth inning, but Castro received a measure of absolution with an RBI single in the Yaquis' two-run sixth. Said Gutierrez scored on Justin Greene's sacrifice fly to right to make it a 4-2 Obregon lead.  The Caneros put one last run on the board in the top of the eighth when Antonio Lamas' two-out single to left drove in J.C. Linares from third, but that was the end of the scoring and ultimately the series for Mochis.  

Obregon starter David Reyes fared well, going 5.1 innings and allowing two runs on four safeties, but reliever Adrian Ramirez was credited with the win.  Tomas Solis took the loss after pitching 5.1 frames and giving up three earned runs.  The Yaquis finished with eight hits from eight different batsmen, four of them doubles.

Navojoa 5-13-1, MAZATLAN 4-11-1
W-de la O (1-0).  L-Barradas (0-1).  T-3:32.  A-11,023.

After falling behind by two runs after the first inning, Navojoa settled down and showed pluck by fighting back for a 5-4 win in Mazatlan to close out the Venados, 4 games to 2.  That first frame was tough for the Mayos defensively as Mazatlan scored on Cyle Hankerd's single, a bases-loaded walk to Erick Rodriguez and an infield single to deep short by Heber Gomez on a bang-bang play the Mayos appealed (and lost).

Navojoa fought back with single runs in the third, seventh, eighth and ninth innings, with Carlos Moncrief capping the Mayos' scoring with a solo homer to left. Jesus Castillo drove in Moncrief with up-the middle singles in the first AND eighth. Jeremias Pineda scored on a Hankerd single in the bottom of the ninth, but ex-MLBer Mike Jacobs struck out swinging on a 2-2 pitch by Mayos closer Daniel Moskos to end the game and series.  Luis de la O got the win as one of six relievers to limit Mazatlan to hold the fort after starter Edwin Salas survived the first and survive into the sixth.  Arturo Barradas allowed Castillo's go-ahead single in the eighth, earning the loss.