Tobis stumble in 8th, lose 4-2 to Panama City in LAS

Juan Grijalva (pictured) gave the Acayucan Tobis a masterful seven-plus innings of pitching, but a four-run eighth inning for the Panama City Nacionals broke open a scoreless game as the Nacionals went on to beat the Tobis, 4-2, Wednesday at the Latin American Series in Managua, Nicaragua.

Grijalva and Nacionals starter Eliecer Navarro locked into a classic pitcher's duel as the game remained scoreless through seven frames, but after serving up a one-out Jorge Bishop double in the eighth, Grijalva was pulled in favor of former MLB hurler Manny Corpas (ironically a Pamananian).  Corpas gave up a single to Javier Dominguez that brought Bishop in with the first run of the contest, then walked Rodrigo Vigil and got Jean Carlos Rodriguez to hit a grounder that became the second out of the inning when Dominguez was forced out at third.  Rodrigo Orozco then singled to center field to bring in Vigil while an error on the play allowed Rodriguez to come in all the way from first with the third run of the inning.  Edward Thomas then singled in Orozco to make it a 4-0 game before the inning mercifully ended.

Acayucan came back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth, one on a Karim Garcia solo homer and the other on Jose Castaneda's RBI single, but Panama reliever Franquelis Osorio struck out Pedro Diaz to end the inning and the Tobis rally.  Osorio then pitched a scoreless ninth to nail down the win for the Nacionals.

Despite a superb outing in which he scattered three hits and charged with one run allowed while striking out six in 7.1 innings, Grijalva was saddled with the loss for the Tobis.  Navarro was even better for Panama, going seven shutout stanzas and giving up just two hits and one walk in picking up the win.  Osorio earned the save with 1.1 scoreless innings and three strikeouts.

With the win, Panama City went to 2-0 to clinch at least a berth in Saturday's semifinal with the possibility of a semi bye and a slot in Sunday's LAS championship game.  The Tobis are now tied with the Nicaraguan host Rivas Gigantes for second with 1-1 marks while Colombia's Barranquilla Caimanes bring up the rear at 0-2 after Rivas topped Colombian champ Barranquilla, 4-1, in Wednesday's nightcap.

Acayucan will wrap up their first stage schedule tonight when the Veracruz Winter League champs square off with the host Gigantes at 7:30PM ET in Rivas, as the LAS makes a preplanned one-day shift of venues before returning to Managua's Dennis Martinez National Baseball Stadium Saturday and Sunday.  Panama City and Barranquilla meet in the day's first game.

OLMECAS DEAL KARIM GARCIA TO SALTILLO

Former major league outfielder Karim Garcia has been traded to the Mexican League's Saltillo Saraperos by the Tabasco Olmecas.  A 40-year-old Obregon native, Garcia spent all or part of ten seasons in MLB playing for seven teams between 1995 and 2004, batting .279 with 66 homers for his career.  His best season was in 2002, when he hit .292 and whacked 16 roundtrippers in 53 games for Cleveland and the New York Yankees.  Garcia batted .286 for the Yanks in their 2003 World Series loss to the Florida Marlins.

After his MLB playing days ended, Garcia toiled for Japan's Orix Blue Wave and the Mexican League's Monterrey Sultanes before embarking on a four-year run in Korea from 2008 and 2011.  He hit .264 with 103 homers for the Lotte Giants and Hanwha Eagles, including a .283/30/111 campaign for Lotte in 2008.  Garcia has played the last four years in the LMB for Monterrey, Quintana Roo and Tabasco, batting .230 with 4 homers as a part-timer with the Tigres and Olmecas in 2015.

To bring the former KBO All-Star to Saltillo, the Saraperos parted with veteran first baseman and DH Refugio Cervantes.  After breaking into the Liga as a teen with Nuevo Laredo in 1997, the 37-year-old Cervantes has appeared in 19 seasons in the LMB, batting .295 with 195 homers and 749 RBIs for six teams.  He's had three stints in Saltillo, including an eight-year stretch between 2006 and 2013.  In 91 games with the Saraperos last summer, he posted a .258/10/42 slash line.

YAQUIS OPEN MEX PAC FINALS WITH 3-2 WIN OVER GUASAVE

The defending Caribbean Series champion Obregon Yaquis continued their march toward a second straight CS crown with a 3-2 win over the Guasave Algodoneros in the opening game of the Mexican Pacific League title series Saturday night in front of 13,976 fans at a jam-packed Estadio Tomas Oroz Gaytan.

Karim Garcia (pictured) crashed a two-out solo homer to center field off Cottoneers starter James Avery in the bottom of the first to draw first blood in the series, and a leadoff solo blast by Sergio Contreras off Avery in the third gave the Yaquis a 2-0 lead. Guasave fought back in the top of the fourth when Daryle Ward singled up the middle off Obregon opener Luis Mendoza to bring in Leo Heras from third and make it a one-run contest. After two scoreless innings, Algodoneros slugger Japhet Amador bashed a Mendoza delivery for a solo bomb over the center field wall to knot the game up at 2-2.

The Yaquis got the one more run they’d eventually need for the win in the bottom of the seventh. Adrian C. Ramirez, who pitched for the Yaquis in the CS last year, came on in relief for Guasave and gave up a leadoff single to Carlos Valencia. After inducing Conteras to bunt a pop-up to Cottoneers catcher Jose Felix, Ramirez let up an Agustin Murillo single before giving way to Mauricio Lara. Lara got Corey Wimberley to fly out to right to make it two gone, but then he walked Alfredo Amezaga, bringing up Garcia with the bases loaded.

Karim, who’s only been hitting .182 in the postseason for the Yaquis, watched one strike and swung for another to dig himself an 0-2 hole in the count, but Lara then threw four straight balls to walk Valencia in from third for the game-winner.

Mendoza got the win for Obregon after tossing seven innings of two-run ball while Luis Ayala earned his fifth playoff save with 1.1 frames of scoreless pitching. Ramirez absorbed the loss for Guasave.

The two teams play again Sunday night before the series shifts to Guasave for Game Three Tuesday.

KARIM GARCIA HEADS BACK TO KOREA

Monterrey Sultanes outfielder Karim Garcia has gone to Korea for another tour of duty. The former big leaguer signed a one-year contract last week with the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization for a reported $180,000.

The product of Sonora was an immediate fan favorite with the Lotte Giants of the KBO in 2008 by hitting .283, blasting 30 homers and driving in 111 runs while making the first of three All-Star Game appearances. However, his performance tailed off in 2010 as he hit .252 with 26 homers and 83 RBIs as his season reached its nadir in September when he was suspended seven games and fined $3,000 for arguing with an umpire during a game.

The incident more or less capped a year in which his father, former Mexican League star Pancho Garcia, died in January 2010, just before Karim got married a week later and took a quick honeymoon break from the Mexican Pacific League playoffs with eventual LMP champion Hermosillo. Last winter, Karim played sparingly for the Naranjeros, hitting .333 with 9 homers and 31 ribbies in just 22 games, but hit a disappointing .211 as Hermosillo got bounced in five opening round games.

The 35-year-old Garcia was a highly-touted Dodgers prospect in the mid-90’s before embarking on an MLB odyssey that saw him hit .241 with 66 homers for ten teams between 1995 and 2004. He also played in Japan before heading to Korea. In 53 games for Monterrey this season, Garcia was hitting .322 with 7 homers and 53 RBIs.

VAZQUEZ JOINED BY FOUR YAQUIS MATES ON CS ALL-STAR TEAM

Caribbean Series Most Valuable Player Jorge Vazquez was joined by four Obregon Yaquis teammates on the 2011 CS All-Star Team, announced shortly after the last game Monday night in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.

Vazquez, who batted .310 with 2 homers and 6 RBIs in six games, was named as the All-Star first baseman for the tournament won by the Yaquis, who posted a 4-2 record. Also selected were catcher Iker Franco, right fielder Karim Garcia and designated hitter Barbaro Canizares, while Obregon skipper Eddie Diaz got the nod as All-Star manager.

The Dominican champion Este Toros landed four players on the All-Star squad: third baseman Danny Richar, left fielder Ruddy Yan, center fielder Jose Constanza and starting pitcher Raul Valdes. The host Caguas Criollos placed second baseman Alex Cora and reliever Juan Padilla on the list, while Venezuela’s Anzoategui Caribes had just one representative named: shortstop Henry Rodriguez.

The 2012 Caribbean Series will be played in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

YAQUIS FALL TO CAGUAS, SLIP TO CS LEAD TIE

The Obregon Yaquis fell just short of becoming the first Mexican team in six years to win the Caribbean Series by losing, 7-6, to host Caguas Sunday night in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.

The Yaquis took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second when Criollos starter Joey Newby walked the first three batters he faced and two Obregon runners came in to score after Caguas shortstop Luis Figueroa threw away a Carlos Valencia grounder. The Puerto Ricans struck back with three more runs in the bottom of the second, featuring a two-run double from Figueroa to go up, 4-2.

The two teams traded goose eggs for two innings before the Mexicans struck for two runs in the fifth to tie the game at 4-4 with singles from Karim Garcia (pictured) and Barbaro Canizares, but Caguas matched that in the bottom of the inning to go back up by two. Garcia closed the gap to 6-5 with a solo homer in the seventh, but the Criollos added an insurance run in the eighth and a Gabriel Gutierrez RBI single in the ninth ended up being too little, too late for Obregon as Caguas stayed alive by matching Obregon's CS record at 3-and-2.

The Yaquis will wrap up their CS schedule Monday at 3PM ET against the 2-and-3 Anzoategui Caribes. The Venezuelan titlists shut out the 2-and-3 Este Toros, 3-0, on Sunday as Manny Avila and three relievers combined on the whitewash. A Yaquis win and a Caguas loss to Este would bring the CS title trophy to Mexico for the first time since Mazatlan won at home in 2005.

HE’S BAAAACK: KARIM COLLECTS 3 HRs, 9 RBIs IN SINGLE GAME

Any question as to whether Karim Garcia would take any time getting into a groove for Hermosillo after spending spring and summer playing in Korea was answered with an emphatic “NO!” Sunday in a 12-8 Naranjeros win at Navojoa’s Estadio Manuel “Ciclon” Echevarria.

Garcia became the 30th player in Mexican Pacific League history to belt three homers in a single game (and the first since Obregon’s Said Gutierrez in 2008) while joining Armando Murillo, Andy Dyes, Eduardo Jimenez and Tony Zuniga as the only players to ever drive in nine runs in a nine-inning contest. Garcia is now batting .485 with six homers and 19 RBIs in ten games.

Hermosillo has now won ten games in a row and have a 13-4 second-half record, three games ahead of 10-7 Los Mochis and four up on Culiacan and Mazatlan, who are tied for third at 9-7. Guasave and Obregon are both 8-9 and share fifth, Navojoa holds seventh at 6-11 and Mexicali is last at 5-12.

Also, the Mex Pac passed the one million mark in attendance for the season last week. Hermosillo leads the turnstile derby with an average of 6,611 fans per game. Seven LMP teams are averaging over 5,000, but Navojoa is struggling badly at the gate with just 1,185 per game.

GARCIA TO PLAY FOR NARANJEROS, CONSIDERING 2011 OPTIONS

Former major league outfielder Karim Garcia is back in the western hemisphere after a third summer with the Korea Baseball Organization’s Lotte Giants, preparing to spend the winter playing for Hermosillo in the Mexican Pacific League while contemplating where to play in 2011. Garcia is expected to be in uniform November 30 when the Naranjeros host Obregon, Garcia's hometown.

The 35-year-old Garcia hit .361 with a homer and 12 RBIs in 15 games for Hermosillo last winter before heading back to Korea, where he is known as the “Latino Bambino.” Garcia has achieved All-Star status in Korea but became disenchanted with the KBO after a seven-game suspension and $3,000 fine for arguing with an umpire during a September game, and says he’s considering playing for Monterrey in the Mexican League next year. He hit .374 with 20 homers in 76 games for the Sultanes in 2007.

Selected as The Sporting News Minor League Player of the Year in 1995, Garcia went on to bat .241 with 66 homers and 212 RBIs in 488 major league games between 1995 and 2004 (along with a .286 average for the Yankees in the 2003 World Series) and has played overseas in Japan as well as Korea.

GARCIA GOES 7-FOR-7 TO SET KOREAN LEAGUE RECORD

If Karim Garcia starts his Korean Baseball Organization season slowly because he’s “tired,” wait’ll he catches his breath. The Obregon native has reportedly endured some criticism among Korean fans and media for playing winter ball in the Mexican Pacific League because he’s worn out by the time he joins the Lotte Giants for the start of the KBO season, but judging by a 7-for-7 night at the plate in a 15-12, 12-inning loss to the Hanwha Eagles on April 9, he’ll be in good shape once he gets some rest.

Garcia had a homer, scored three runs, drove in six and mustered up enough energy to steal a pair of bases in the game, in which he broke the KBO record for hits in a game. He also threw out a baserunner at home plate from his outfield position for good measure.

The former major leaguer is in his third season of Korean ball, but got off to a slow start last year, drawing complaints that he was tired from playing in the MexPac. Garcia told the Puro Beisbol website, “In my career, I’ve always played winter ball after completing the summer league. It’s like giving back to the Mexican fans who can see me play,” adding that he was tired after playing for Mexico in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Garcia hit .361 in 15 regular games for Hermosillo last winter before batting .239 in 14 LMP playoff games and .231 for the Naranjeros in three Caribbean Series contests.

MEXICAN PLAYERS BEGIN SEASON OVERSEAS

A trio of Mexican ballplayers began their 2010 regular seasons in Asia. Former Padres second baseman Edgar Gonzalez made his debut with Tokyo’s Yomiuri Giants last week, drawing a walk and scoring a run in the Giants’ 4-1 Central League win over the Yakult Swallows in front of over 44,000 fans at the Tokyo Dome. Yomiuri is the defending league champion.

Two other Mexicans are playing in the Korea Baseball Organization. Karim Garcia, who has become a huge star in South Korea, blasted a homer for the Lotte Giants in a 3-2 opening day loss to the Nexen Heroes, while pitcher Edgar Gonzalez went five strong innings for the LG Twins in their 7-5 win in 11 innings over the Samsung Lions. Gonzalez left the game with a 4-2 lead.

FORMER LIGA STAR PANCHO GARCIA DIES AT 67

Francisco “Pancho” Garcia, who played for three different Mexican League champions and hit .271 with 114 homers for his 15-year Liga career, died January 12 in Obregon at age 67.

Garcia, the father of ex-major leaguer Karim Garcia, won titles with the Mexico City Tigres in 1965, Jalisco in 1967 and Cordoba in 1972. He led the LMB with 185 hits and 44 doubles for Union Laguna in 1970, and his career totals of 63 triples and 206 stolen bases are among the best in Mexican League history.

Garcia had one of the biggest hits in Mexican baseball history, blasting a game-ending grand slam homer off knuckleballer Eddie Fisher in a come-from-behind 7-5 Tigres win over the Chicago White Sox on March 15, 1963 in front of 25,000 screaming fans in Mexico City.Garcia, who was born on July 27, 1942 in Michoacan, was buried last week in Sonora.

Son Karim, who is playing for Hermosillo in the Mexican Pacific League finals, was able to go ahead with his wedding last week before rejoining his teammates in Mazatlan Friday.