Hermosillo tops Culiacan 6-3 in Game 7, both to MexPac semis

Jason Bourgeois and Fernando Perez combined for six hits, three runs and three RBIs from the top two slots in the Hermosillo batting order to pace the Naranjeros' 6-3 win at Culiacan Monday night.  The victory gives the Orangemen a Game Seven win in the Mexican Pacific League first round series, but both clubs will advance to the LMP semifinals because Culiacan's three first-round wins topped Navojoa's two and Mazatlan's one to qualify the Tomateros for the fourth, or "lucky loser," Final Four berth.

Hermosillo 6-12-0, CULIACAN 3-6-0

An MLB outfielder for six teams from 2008 to 2015, Bourgeois (pictured) started the game off in the top of the first inning with a single off Culiacan starter Tony Cordova, then advanced to second on Efren Navarro's walk.  Both were then driven in when O'Koyea Dickson lashed a double past centerfielder Sebastian Elizalde to put the visitors up early. Perez gave Hermosillo a 3-0 lead in the top of the second by singling in Sergio Burruel from second.  The Tomateros got on the scoreboard when Iker Franco came in on Jose Manuel Orozco's groundout to short in the bottom of the third.  The two teams then swapped goose eggs until the top of the seventh, when Perez followed a Bourgeois double with a two-run homer to left center field off reliever Gerardo Sanchez to make it a 6-1 Hermosillo lead.  Culiacan cobbled together a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh as Jose Manuel Rodriguez scored on a groundout and Joey Meneses added a run on a sacrifice fly, but that was the last time either team would cross home plate.

Bourgeois and Perez led Hermosillo's 12-hit attack while no Culiacan player had more than one safety in the Tomateros' 6-hit night, although Alfredo Amezaga and Elizalde both doubled.  Juan Pablo Oramas came back from a shaky first start to put in four strong innings for the Naranjeros, giving up one run on two hits.  It was Wilmer Rios who got the win in relief, however, while Hector Galvan picked up his first postseason save.  Cordova took the loss for the Tomateros, playing in front of a playoff-high 18,938 fans at home, by allowing three runs on six hits and two walks over five innings. The home side only won twice over seven games in this series, with Hermosillo taking three of four games in Culiacan.

The semifinals will open Wednesday night when Hermosillo visits Mexicali and Los Mochis welcomes Culiacan.


FIRST ROUND RESULTS

Los Mochis defeated Mazatlan, 4 games to 1
Game 1: LOS MOCHIS 2, Mazatlan 1
Game 2: LOS MOCHIS 6, Mazatlan 4
Game 3: Los Mochis 3, MAZATLAN 0
Game 4: MAZATLAN 7 Los Mochis 6
Game 5: Los Mochis 4, Mazatlan 3 

Mexicali defeated Navojoa, 4 games to 2
Game 1: NAVOJOA 4, Mexicali 2
Game 2: Mexicali 7, NAVOJOA 6
Game 3: MEXICALI 3, Navojoa 2
Game 4: MEXICALI 14, Navojoa 1
Game 5: Navojoa 8, MEXICALI 6
Game 6: Mexcali 6, NAVOJOA 4

Hermosillo defeated Culiacan, 3 games to 2
Game 1: CULIACAN 6, Hermosillo 3
Game 2: Hermosillo 6, CULIACAN 4
Game 3: Culiacan 8, HERMOSILLO 7
Game 4: HERMOSILLO 8, Culiacan 4
Game 5: Culiacan 6, HERMOSILLO 2
Game 6: Hermosillo 5, CULIACAN 4
Game 7: Hermosillo 6, CULIACAN 3