MexPac Playoff Scoreboard: MON, Jan. 11, 2016

Precious little drama involved in the Mexican Pacific League semifinals Tuesday night as the Mazatlan Venados rang up an 8-4 win in Obregon, thanks in part to two-run homers by Agustin Murillo and Cyle Hankerd, while Mexicali pummeled Navojoa, 10-1, behind a superb performance by lefty Hector Rodriguez (pictured), who took a no-hitter into the fifth inning.  Rodriguez spent last summer as a middle reliever in Saltillo after spending two years as a starter in the Braves and Orioles system.

With their win, Mazatlan evened up their series with the Yaquis at a game apiece while Mexicali opened up a 2-0 series lead over the Mayos.  Tuesday will be an off day before play resumes Wednesday night with games in Mazatlan and Navojoa.

Mazatlan 8-14-0, OBREGON 4-7-0
W-Meza (1-1).  L-R. Valdez (1-1).  T-3:20.  A-10,381.
Things started well enough for the Yaquis, who scored twice in the bottom of the first when Max Ramirez doubled in Justin Greene and then scored on Dustin Martin's Texas League single to left to stake Obregon a 2-0 lead.  Mazatlan got one run back in the second when Olmo Rosario's single brought in Yunesky Sanchez, then went ahead in the third as Agustin Murillo scored on a single by Cyle Hankerd, who came around to score two batters later when Mike Jacobs whacked a two-out double. The Venados went up 7-2 in the fourth thanks to a pair of two-run homers by Murillo and Hankerd, and while Justin Greene scored on Alex Liddi's ground-out in the sixth for the Yaquis,  Esteban Quiroz' leadoff homer in the seventh padded the Venados lead and it was just a matter of time from that point, although Carlos Valencia did sock a two-out RBI double in the bottom of the ninth for Obregon.
Andres Meza got the win despite a mediocre start for the Venados, letting in three Obregon runs in 5.2 innings, but Mazatlan's 14-hit outburst might've meant a "W" for a batting tee as Mazatlan devoured servings from the Yaquis' Rolando Valdez for six runs on eight hits in 3.2 frames.

MEXICALI 10-11-0, Navojoa 1-5-2
W-H. Rodriguez (2-0).  L-Jo. Castillo (0-1).  T-2:49.  A-16,465.
With two out and nobody on in the bottom of the first, Mexicali put four on the board as C.J. Retherford stroked a two-run double and Ricky Alvarez and Xorge Carrillo added RBI singles.  The Aguilas batted around and pushed four more runs across in the fourth, keyed by Welington Dotel's two-run, bases-loaded single with two gone to make it an 8-0 Mexicali lead.  Navojoa's Jose Amador broke up Hector Rodriguez' no-hit bid by belting a leadoff homer in the top of the fifth, but the Ags scored one run in the bottom of the frame on Walter Ibarra's RBI single and another in the sixth when Yuniesky Betancourt slammed Miguel Ruiz' first pitch of the inning over the wall in left-center for a homer.
Rodriguez ended up going six innings and that Amador roundtripper was the only safety he gave up while striking out seven Mayos for his second playoff win.   Jorge Castillo started for the Mayos but got first dibs on the showers after lasting only two-thirds of an inning and giving up four runs.  The series now shifts to Navojoa after the two tilts in Mexicali drew 33,465 fans to Estadio B-Air.

MexPac Playoff Scoreboard: THURS, Jan. 7, 2016

Obregon and Navojoa have advanced to the Mexican Pacific League playoff semifinals after both pulled off tight first round series-closing wins Thursday night.  They'll join Mexicali, who swept their opening round series over Jalisco, and wildcard team Mazatlan, who had the best showing among the three losing sides by winning two games, as did Mochis, but posting a higher run percentage than the Caneros in their respective series as part of the LMP's tiebreaker formula.

Navojoa will play Mexicali in one semifinal series while Mazatlan meet Obregon in the other, with Final Four action beginning Sunday.

OBREGON 4-8-2, Los Mochis 3-6-1
W-Adr. C. Ramirez (1-0).  L-T. Solis (1-1).  T-3:19.  A-14,631.

Max Ramirez (pictured) ripped a two-run double in the bottom of the first inning to give Obregon an early lead and the Yaquis went on to beat Los Mochis, 4-3, to win their series in six games.  Los Mochis tied the encounter at 2-2 by scoring on errors by Yaquis' LF Leo Heras and SS Daniel Castro in a wild fifth inning, but Castro received a measure of absolution with an RBI single in the Yaquis' two-run sixth. Said Gutierrez scored on Justin Greene's sacrifice fly to right to make it a 4-2 Obregon lead.  The Caneros put one last run on the board in the top of the eighth when Antonio Lamas' two-out single to left drove in J.C. Linares from third, but that was the end of the scoring and ultimately the series for Mochis.  

Obregon starter David Reyes fared well, going 5.1 innings and allowing two runs on four safeties, but reliever Adrian Ramirez was credited with the win.  Tomas Solis took the loss after pitching 5.1 frames and giving up three earned runs.  The Yaquis finished with eight hits from eight different batsmen, four of them doubles.

Navojoa 5-13-1, MAZATLAN 4-11-1
W-de la O (1-0).  L-Barradas (0-1).  T-3:32.  A-11,023.

After falling behind by two runs after the first inning, Navojoa settled down and showed pluck by fighting back for a 5-4 win in Mazatlan to close out the Venados, 4 games to 2.  That first frame was tough for the Mayos defensively as Mazatlan scored on Cyle Hankerd's single, a bases-loaded walk to Erick Rodriguez and an infield single to deep short by Heber Gomez on a bang-bang play the Mayos appealed (and lost).

Navojoa fought back with single runs in the third, seventh, eighth and ninth innings, with Carlos Moncrief capping the Mayos' scoring with a solo homer to left. Jesus Castillo drove in Moncrief with up-the middle singles in the first AND eighth. Jeremias Pineda scored on a Hankerd single in the bottom of the ninth, but ex-MLBer Mike Jacobs struck out swinging on a 2-2 pitch by Mayos closer Daniel Moskos to end the game and series.  Luis de la O got the win as one of six relievers to limit Mazatlan to hold the fort after starter Edwin Salas survived the first and survive into the sixth.  Arturo Barradas allowed Castillo's go-ahead single in the eighth, earning the loss.