GUASAVE ELIMINATES CULIACAN TO REACH FINALS AGAINST OBREGON

The Guasave Algodoneros defeated Culiacan, 8-2, Tuesday night to knock the Tomateros out of the Mexican Pacific League semifinals in six games and advance to the LMP championship series against the Obregon Yaquis (who swept Los Mochis in four straight games).

The Cottoneers pushed the first run of the game across the plate in the top of the second inning against Culiacan starter Andres Meza when Marshall McDougall scored from third base on a bases-loaded Gabriel Gutierrez groundout. Guasave added three more in the fifth on a Mario Valenzuela (pictured) leadoff homer, a Leo Heras RBI single and a run-scoring fielder’s choice grounder by Jose Rodriguez. Culiacan finally got on the scoreboard in the sixth when Amaury Cazana led off with a double and scored on Jorge Vazquez’ single against Guasave starter (and winner) Daniel Guerrero, but the Algodoneros put this one away in the seventh with four more runs, two coming in on a Yurendell de Caster double.

Guasave advances to the MexPac finals for the third time in team history. They defeated Culiacan for their only pennant in 1971 and lost to Mazatlan in 2006. The Algodoneros-Yaquis series will begin Friday night with the first of two games in Obregon before shifting to Guasave next Monday.

TIGRES GM VALENZUELA NAMED ASSOCIATE SCOUT FOR TAMPA BAY

Quintana Roo Tigres sports manager Mario Valenzuela has joined the Tampa Bay Rays staff as an associate scout. It’s Valenzuela’s second talent-searching stint for Tampa Bay, having done some scouting between 1999 and 2004. He also was a team scout for the Atlanta Braves from 1993 to 1996.

An offer was reportedly made to Valenzuela to return to work for the Rays last February, when Tampa Bay scouting chief Carlos Alfonso was in Cancun to take a look at fellow Cuban Leslie Anderson, one of 20 players who defected from the island nation on a boat to Mexico just prior to last year’s Baseball World Cup. The 28-year-old Anderson signed with the Rays for a reported $3.75 million.

Valenzuela, who will continue his duties with the Tigres, will be an associate under the Rays’ top scout in Mexico, Oaxaca Guerreros manager Eddy Diaz.