LMB Division Championships results, highlights for Thursday, September 1

The Tijuana Toros registered their second win in as many nights, beating Monterrey, 2-1, to tie their North Division Championship Series with the Sultanes at two games apiece in Mexican League playoff action in the border city.  In the LMB South DCS, visiting Yucatan pulled away from Puebla, 5-1, at Estadio Hermanos Serdan to avoid being swept in their second-round series after posting the Liga's best regular season record at 77-33.

Game Five in both series are slated for Friday night in Tijuana and Puebla, respectively, before Saturday's travel day.

TIJUANA 2-6-0, Monterrey 1-12-0 (Series tied, 2 games to 2)
W-H. Ramirez. L-J. Solano. SV-Urquidez. HR-none. T-2:42. A-15,891.
Carlos Valencia (pictured) singled Juan Apodaca in with the tying run with two out in the fifth inning, then scored the go-ahead run on Edson Garcia's double as the Tijuana Toros topped Monterrey, 2-1, at Estadio Gasmart in front of 15.891 fans to tied their series at two games apiece.  It was a tough loss for Sultanes starter Javier Solano, who went the distance and scattered six Toros hits while striking out 12 batsmen in eight frames.  Ex-Atlanta hurler Horacio Ramirez got the win for Tijuana as Monterrey failed to help themselves, scoring just one run on 12 hits and a walk.

Yucatan 5-11-1, PUEBLA 1-5-0 (Puebla leads series, 3 games to 1)
W-J. Castellanos. L-H. Garcia. HR-Serrano. T-2:43. A-12,112.
Jonathan Castellanos pitched 6.1 innings of four-hit, one-run ball and Ricardo Serrano belted a two-run homer in the eighth for insurance as the Yucatan Leones staved off elimination with a 5-1 win at Puebla's Estadio Hermanos Serdan Thursday night.  Jesus Valdez' groundout scored Corey Wimberly in the top of the first with the game's first run for the Leones, who never looked back.  Wimberly and Kevin Flores each had three hits for Yucatan, who avoided the series sweep. Daric Barton had two hits for Puebla, who will try again tonight to clinch a berth in the Serie del Rey.

Friday's Schedule
Yucatan (Negrin) at Puebla (O. Lara) 8:00pm EDT
Monterrey (E. Gonalez) at Tijuana (Enright) 10:35pm EDT

LMB Division Semifinal results, highlights for Tuesday, August 16

Tijuana 5-11-0, MONCLOVA 3-11-0 (Tijuana leads series, 1 game to 0)
W-Serrano (1-0). L-Oyervides (0-1). HR-Rosario (T), Peguero (M). T-3:26. A-6,508.
Dustin Martin doubled twice, scored 3 runs and drove in 3 for Toros.

PUEBLA 9-14-1, Quintana Roo 0-2-1 (Puebla leads series, 1 game to 0)
W-Lara (1-0). L-Arballo (0-1). HR-Barton (P), Tapia (P). T-2:53. A-10,418.
Orlando Lara scattered 2 hits in 7 innings pitched, Cesar Tapia hit HR and drove in 3 for Pericos.

YUCATAN 4-8-0, Campeche 0-5-1 (Yucatan leaders series, 1 game to 0)
W-Negrin (1-0). L-Castillo (0-1). HR-none. T-2:39. A-10,982.
Kevin Flores singled, tripled and had 2 RBIs for Leones as Yoanner Negrin tossed 7 shutout innings.

MONTERREY 5, Laguna 1
Sultanes scored 5 runs in bottom of 4th before game was postponed by rain until Wednesday