McDOUGALL, GUASAVE MATES ROUGH UP YAQUIS, 12-3

Import third baseman Marshall McDougall (pictured) battered Obregon pitchers for a homer and a double and scored three runs to lead the Guasave Algodoneros to a 12-3 trouncing of Obregon Monday night before a packed house of 8,000 fanaticos at Guasave’s Estadio Francisco Carranza Limon.

Guasave scored three runs in the second and were up 5-1 before adding six more runs in the seventh to put the game out of reach. Eduardo Arredondo and Yurendell de Caster combined for eight RBIs, including a three-run de Caster homer in the seventh off Obregon reliever Hugo Castellanos. In all, the Cottoneers pounded Yaquis starter Marco Quevedo, who’s arguably been the best pitcher in the MexPac playoffs, for five runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings. Castellanos took a fearful beating from Guasave batters, allowing five runs in just two-thirds of a frame. Algodoneros starter Daniel Guerrero won his third playoff game in superb fashion with five shutout innings of one-hit ball before tiring and giving up a run in the sixth.

The Algodoneros win cuts Obregon’s series lead to 2 games to 1 in the Mexican Pacific League title set. Game Four is set for Tuesday night in Guasave with Obregon’s Francisley Bueno pitching against the Cottoneers’ Roberto Novoa.

GUASAVE CLINGS TO ONE-GAME LEAD OVER MOCHIS IN LMP

The surprising Guasave Algodoneros have a 15-8 record to lead the Mexican Pacific League by one game over the equally-surprising 14-9 Los Mochis Caneros. Guasave, which was not one of the more potent teams in the Mex Pac last winter, are bashing the ball at a .315 clip this season. The Cottoneers’ Eduardo Arredondo is tied with Mochis’ Justin Christian at the top of the LMP batting races with .411 averages while Guasave third baseman Marshall McDougall is right behind at .409. Defending MVP Luis Alfonso Garcia leads the Mex Pac with 10 homers and 29 RBIs in 23 games.

While Guasave’s batting has put them on top, pitching has been Los Mochis’ strength. Ex-big leaguer Dan Serafini (pictured) is 2-0 and has the best ERA in the circuit at 1.72 after five strong starts, while 5-0 Alberto Castillo leads the LMP in wins and is third in ERA at 2.25, right behind another former MLBer, Hermosillo’s Travis Blackley (4-1, 2.16). Yet another pitcher with major league experience, Andy Sisco of Mexicali, has done well despite his 2-3 record. Sisco has a league-best 39 strikeouts in 29 innings and his 2.76 ERA is fifth.

REYNOSA IF McDOUGALL SIGNS WITH PENSACOLA

Reynosa Broncos third baseman Marshall McDougall has signed with the Pensacola Pelicans of the American Association for the remainder of the season. A former College World Series MVP and All-American at Florida State University, McDougall hit .286 for Reynosa this year with 20 homers, 20 doubles and 86 RBIs. The Jacksonville native signed with Pensacola three days after the Broncos were knocked out of the Mexican League playoffs in the first round by Saltillo in six games.

Following his collegiate career, McDougall was picked by Oakland in the ninth round of the 2000 June draft. He spent a number of years in the Rangers organization, hitting .341 with 11 homers for Oklahoma City bracketed around a brief June stint with Texas in 2005. McDougall was signed by Reynosa prior to the 2009 season.