PAREDES SENT TO HERMOSILLO IN 4-PLAYER SWAP

Infielder Isaac Paredes dealt to Hermosillo

    Isaac Paredes is going home. With the first half of the Mexican Pacific League's 2022-23 season winding down, Mexicali and Hermosillo swung a big trade on Sunday with the Aguilas sending infielder Paredes, a Hermosillo native, to the first-place Naranjeros in exchange for three LMP veterans: outfielder Norberto Obeso, shortstop Walter Ibarra and lefty pitcher Marcelo Martinez.

    Paredes, 23, hit .205 with 20 homers with 45 RBIs while playing four positions over 111 games for the Tampa Bay Rays last summer. This is his sixth winter in the Mex Pac, where he's batted .304 with 15 homers and an even 100 RBIs for Obregon, Mazatlan and Mexicali. The 5'11 213-pounder has performed for the Naranjeros twice as a January playoff reinforcement and played for Mazatlan in the Caribbean Series two years ago. A former Cubs and Tigers prospect before arriving in Tampa Bay this season, Paredes was traded to Mexicali by the Venados last February in exchange for the rights to shortstop Daniel Castro and outfielder Fabricio Macias. Capable of playing three infield positions, Paredes seems to be best suited for third base to complete an infield with Jasson Atondo at shortstop, Jose Luis Cruz at second and Roberto Ramos at first.

    While Mexicali had to give up a top LMP player in Paredes, they'll add depth to their roster. Obeso has played eight seasons for Hermosillo in the LMP but used sparingly this winter, playing in only 12 of 28 Orangemen contests in 2022-23 and hitting just .167 for manager Juan Castro. Obeso's lifetime LMP numbers are much better: a .289 average with 209 hits and 79 RBIs in 219 games.The 27-year-old former Jays prospect can play all three outfield positions and hit .316 for Yucatan's Mexican League champs this year.

    Ibarra is a 14-year veteran of the winterball wars who spent four seasons in Mexicali between 2014 and 2018. The 35-year-old spent eight summers in the Yankees system and can play shortstop or second base with experience in the corners. Like Obeso, Ibarra struggled at the plate for Hermosillo this season (.191 in 13 games) but his career numbers of .247 with 72 doubles and 23 homers in 546 games are much better and he's been a .290 batter in seven Mexican League seasons, batting .257 for Yucatan this summer.

    The 26-year-old Martinez is a bit of an X factor for Aguilas manager Gil Velazquez. A Reynosa product, Martinez has pitched four years in the Kansas City organization, including two stints with AAA Omaha, primarily as a starter. His 24-26 record in the Royals system is so-so and his 4.68 ERA is nothing to write home about, but 440 strikeouts in 421.1 innings can't be ignored. Martinez has been a middle reliever in Mex Pac play, going 3-8 with a 2.29 ERA in 65 trips from the bullpen over six years for the Naranjeros.

    Hermosillo was doing well enough before trading for Paredes and currently lead the Mex Pac standings with an 18-11 record, one game ahead of 17-12 Guasave and two up on Los Mochis and Mazatlan at 16-13 each. Navojoa is fifth with a 15-14 ledger, one game ahead of 14-15 Mexicali, where impatient owner Dio Alberto Murillo may be ready to jettison manager Velazquez during the season for a second time. Obregon and Culiacan are tied for seventh at 13-16, defending champion Jalisco (12-17) is in ninth and Monterrey is 11-18 in last place in the ten-team loop.

    Los Mochis outfielder Yosmany Tomas continues to lead LMP batters with a .358 average, ahead of Roel Santos of Hermosillo (.354) and Monterrey's Roberto Valenzuela (.337). Mexicali's Anthony Giansanti homered against Culiacan last Wednesday to bring his season total to eight, two more than Sebastian Valle of Obregon. Four players are tied for third with five roundtrippers each. Christian Villanueva of Jalisco tops te RBI charts with 23 in 28 games; Obregon's Yadir Drake is second with 21 ribbies while Tomas and Niko Vasquez (Mexicali) are tied for third with 20 apiece. Hermosillo's Jose Cardona (14), Randy Romero of Mazatlan (11) and Santos (10) are the Mex Pac's top three basestealers thus far.

    Among pitchers, three starters are tied for the wins lead with four victories each: Jeff Kinley (Guasave), Juan Pablo Oramas (Hermosillo) and Juan Tellez (Mazatlan), the latter showing a 4-2 record for the Venados despite a 4.74 ERA. In that category, Los Mochis' Luis Miranda continues with a perfect 0.00 after five starts and 27 scoreless innings. Nico Tellache of Guasave is second at 1.45 while Oramas is third with a 1.67 ERA. Three hurlers are tied for the lead with 34 strikeouts: Arturo Lopez (Obregon), Matt Pobereyko (Guasave) and Touki Toussaint (Hermosillo), whose 34 K's have come in just 27 entradas. Arizona's first-round pick in the 2016 draft, Toussaint went 1-1 in eight outings for the Los Angeles Angels this summer. The saves co-leaders are Brandon Koch of Guasave and Mazatlan's Elkin Alcala with 10 each. Jake Sanchez of Mexali is third with eight salvados.

    With one week remaining in the first-half battle for playoff points, Hermosillo will try to hold onto first place (and the 10.0 points that accompany it) by taking on Culiacan in a three-game midweek road series before hosting Los Mochis next weekend. Second-place Guasave will be in Mexicali for games Tuesday through Thursday before welcoming Navojoa in a three-game set Friday through Sunday.


SALON DE LA FAMA HOLDS INDUCTION CEREMONY

Mexico president Lopez Obrador at SDF in 2019

    After a wait of two years, the Salon de la Fama in Monterrey held an induction ceremony last Friday night during which seven new members were enshrined in the hall of the immortals. Each had been voted in as members in 2020 but there were no ceremonies held last year due to ongoing Wuhan virus concerns.

    Among those in attendance were Mexico City Diablos and Oaxaca Guerreros owner Alfredo Harp Helu, who bankrolled construction of the facility in 2019 after the Salon and its contents were kept in storage for seven years when the Cuauhtemoc Brewery closed the former facility that had served as home from 1973 to 2012. One of Mexico's richest men, Harp is also president of the Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame Association

    Salon director Francisco Padilla Dávila, director of the Hall of Fame, gave a welcome message and the president of the Electoral Committee, Antonio de Valdés, gave a few words to the public and those enthroned. Before beginning with the awards ceremony, Agustín Castillo, who served as master of ceremonies, mentioned how the process of choosing immortals works. De Valdés then began with the delivery of SDF jerseys, rings and plaques.

    Here are profiles of the seven Salon de la Fama inductees from Friday night:

MATIAS CARRILLO
    Carrillo was born on February 24, 1963 in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, this remarkable hitter played 22 years in the Mexican League, beginning with his Rookie of the Year season in 1982 for Poza Rica. “El Coyote” played for the Tigres in Mexico City and Puebla from 1984 until the end of his career, playing 2,110 games with 2,531 hits for a .336 average (including 330 homers and 420 doubles), 1,535 runs scored, 1,554 RBIs and 276 stolen bases. He won home run and RBI titles in 1993 with 38 and 125, respectively, as well as the batting title in 1996 with a .368 mark, led in stolen bases in 1984 with 30 and hits in 1999 with 175.

VINICIO “VINNY” CASTILLA
    Born on July 4, 1967 in Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Castilla spent three seasons in the Mexican League with Saltillo and Monclova before becoming a Major League star, playing with six teams and reaching his peak in the 1990's with the Colorado Rockies. The formidable third baseman occupies a very special place among Mexican-born MLB players after hitting 320 homers in 16 seasons. In 1,854 games, he batted .296 (topping .300 five times) with 1,884 hits, 902 runs, 349 doubles and 1,105 RBIs. while earning Silver Slugger Awards in 1995, 1997 and 1998.

ISIDRO MARQUEZ
    Born May 15, 1965 in Navojoa, Sonora, Marquez is the king of Mexican baseball relievers after playing for eight teams over 22 seasons in the LMB. He participated in 850 games, achieving a 97-78 (.554) record with a 3.44 ERA and 301 saves, the Liga record. He made an important name for his serenity on the mound and his ability to come out ahead in the climactic moments of matches. He was the saves leader in 1997 with the Tigres (30) and in 2005 with Campeche (25). Marquez pitched seven games in relief for the Chicago White Sox in 1995, going 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA.

JOSE LUIS SANDOVAL
    Born on August 25, 1968 in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Sandoval shone defensively at shortstop but also was an impactful batter. He played 22 seasons with the Mxco City Diablos Rojos and one with Saltillo. In a record 2,219 games, “El Borrego” collected 2,263 hits, 435 doubles, 253 homers, 1,171 runs, 1,315 RBIs and a .293 batting average. A charismatic player, he soon became the great idol of the capital's fans. Sandoval holds several defensive records for shortstops, including most double plays ever for a shortstop with 1,731 and most double plays in a season with 128 twin-killings.

EDUARDO JIMENEZ
    Jimenez was born September 4, 1964 in Tijuana, BC and went on to become a notable outfielder and designated hitter. He played 21 years in the LMB with eight teams, taking part in 1,795 games an racking up 1,758 hits (including 351 homers and 297 doubles) for a career average of .301. Along the way he scored 1,142 runs and drove in 1,285 more.Jimenez was home run champion with Saltillo in 2000 and holds the record for the most times hitting two longballs in a single game seven times that same year. In addition, he ranks fifth in all-time home runs with 351 roundtrippers.

BONNIE “EL GRILLO” SERRELL
    Born March 9, 1922 in Dallas, Texas, Serrell played second base alongside Jackie Robinson with the Kansas City Monarchs before spending spent 10 seasons with five teams over two stints in the Mexican League from 1945-48 and 1952-57. The lefty batter joined the Tampico in 1945 with Tampico and helped win two pennants there, then was a big factor for Nuevo Laredo's champs in 1953 and 1954. He averaged .311 over his Liga career with 560 runs scored, 1,099 hits, 173 doubles, 66 triples, 44 home runs, 517 RBI, 90 stolen bases and posted six years over .300. Magnificent in the field as well.

JORGE MENENDEZ TORRE
    Born December 24, 1938 in Mérida, Yucatán, Menendez was one of the best journalists of his day. His career began in 1960 with the Yucatán Diario, where he was until 1968 when he founded the sports weekly La Crónica. He later wrote for Juzgue, Excelsior, Heraldo de México, Ovaciones, Sport Illustrated, Hit, and SuperHit magazines, as well as The Sporting News. He won four Writer of the Year awards from the Salon de la Fama and one Fray Nano National Award in 2000. In his last years, Menendez wrote in Mundo al Día and Novedades de Yucatán before dying in 2013 at age 74.

MEXICAN LEAGUE ADDS 19TH TEAM IN QUERETARO
 

   The Mexican League has awarded a nineteenth franchise to the state of Queretaro, contingent on construction of a new baseball stadium there. According to sources, a new facility will cost an estimated 400 to 500 million pesos (US$20.5-35.6 million) and be built with private funding. The team will be nicknamed the Conspiradores, or “Conspirators.”

    LMB president Horacio de la Vegas was present at the announcement and said, “It is a historic day, very important for baseball in our country. Baseball has grown significantly. We have had an important streak of growth.” De la Vega added that Liga income grew by nearly 1,000 percent from 2019 to 2022, leaguewide attendance went up from 1.9 million spectators in 2019 to 4.3 million this year and that the LMB had 24 television contracts with distribution in more than 20 countries in 2022 reaching more than 60 million viewers.

    The proposed ballpark is expected to be located between five and ten minutes from Queretaro International Airport, according to Conspiradores owner Francisco Orozco. The first stone for the 6,000-seat facility (which will include 144 private boxes, will be laid in January with completion due in March 2024. Orozco said advanced negotiations are underway the the property near Queretaro City in El Marquez.

    The state of Queretaro is located in in north central Mexico and lies north of Mexico City, south of San Luis Potosi and east of Guanajuato. One of the smallest states in the country, Queretaro is home to 2.4 million residents, 1.6 million in metropolitan Queretaro City, the state capital. The climate is relatively mild, with average high temperatures in the low to mid 80's during baeball season and annual rainfall of about 20 inches. Queretaro City is one of Mexico's fastest-growing and has become an industrial center with a per capita income of US$20,000, second only to Monterrey. The Conspiradores will be the city's first professional baseball club.

    Team director Gerardo Quezada expressed his belief that the Conspiradores will be a competitive team from the start. “This is a historic day: a franchise is born in the Mexican Baseball League,” he declared. “Baseball is a family sport. We will lead Querétaro to triumphs and victories in the future.”

    It's estimated that 60 to 70 percent of Queretaro's players in 2024 will be supplied by the 18 current LMB teams, with the remainder coming through other channels like free agency.

    A twentieth Mexican League franchise for 2024 is expected to be formally announced soon.

MONCLOVA, DIABLOS ADVANCE TO DIVISION FINALS

Monclova and Mexico City have both reached their respective Mexican League division finals for the Fall 2018 playoffs by copping first round wins in five games over Dos Laredos and Puebla, respectively.  The two teams clinched their division semifinals Sunday with home wins.  Being a host team has not been a guarantee of success thus far in the playoffs:  Of the 20 games played through Sunday, ten were won by the visiting team.  The most extreme example has come in the Yucatan-Oaxaca series, during which the visiting team won the first four games before the Guerreros topped the defending champion Leones, 5-1, Sunday in Oaxaca's Estadio Eduardo Vasconcelos.


LMB NORTH SEMIS: MONCLOVA 4, DOS LAREDOS 1

Monclova IF Danny Espinosa at bat

The Acereros won the first two games of the series at home before copping two of three games on the road at Estadio Nuevo Laredo to move on to the LMB North Championship Series.  Monclova opened last Monday by winning an 11-10 slugfest thriller in which the Acereros' Francisco Peguero launched a walkoff solo homer in the bottom of the tenth inning off Tecolotes reliever Tyson Perez.  Peguero, who finished seventh in the Liga's regular season batting derby with a .368 average, aided Monclova's cause earlier in the evening with a three-run double in the eighth.  The Acereros followed up last Tuesday by topping the Tecos, 7-4, as two-time MVP Jesse Castillo and former MLB infielder Danny Espinosa each belted two-run homers to pace Monclova's attack in Game Two.

The series shifted to the Mexico-Texas border for the next three games, with the Tecos winning Thursday's Game Three, 7-2, thanks in no small part to Josh Rodriguez' three-run homer in the second inning.  Former Phillies outfielder Domonic Brown (who cracked 27 homers for Philadelphia in 2013) aided the Dos Laredos cause by going 3-for-5 with two doubles, two runs scored and another counter driven in.  Monclova came back Friday after trailing 4-2 through the fourth inning to score six unanswered runs in an 8-4 Game Five victory.  Castillo pounded a three-run longball in the fifth to put the Acereros ahead while Chad Gotta and Espinosa both added homers in the sixth and seventh frames respectively.  After Game Five in Nuevo Laredo was rained out Saturday, the Acereros closed out the series with a 3-1 triumph.  Ace Josh Lowey, who finished 6-3 in the regular season, held the Tecos to one run on four hits over 7.2 innings to earn the win as Espinosa capped a solid first round performance by going 2-for-3 with a double, run and RBI while Juan Perez socked a two-run homer.

The Acereros will next play the winner of the Tijuana-Monterrey series in the North finals, beginning later this week.


LMB NORTH SEMIS: MONTERREY 3, TIJUANA 2

Monterrey IFs Agustin Murillo and Ramiro Pena

The teams split the first two games of the set in Tijuana, with the visiting Sultanes using four solo homers to beat the Toros, 7-4, last Monday.  Ex-Yankee infielder Ramiro Pena, a Monterrey native in his first LMB season, was joined by veterans Chris Roberson, Agustin Murillo and Jose Amador in going deep in the Sultanes' Game One win.  The Toros bounced back Tuesday with a 6-3 Game Two win behind Fernando Perez' three-run home run.  Shortstop Jose Guadalupe Chavez chipped in with a pair of hits, a run and an RBI  as TJ evened the series at a game apiece.

The two teams moved to Monterrey for the next three games.  Game Three on Thursday at Estadio Monterrey saw the Toros take the lead in the series with a second straight 6-3 triumph.  Longtime Cuban National Team star Frederich Cepeda and former MLB infielder Jorge Cantu each socked two run homers for the winners and Chavez added three hits.  The Sultanes knotted the series up at 2-2 by taking a 4-3 Game Four win Friday.  This one came down to the bottom of the ninth, when Murillo followed a Pena triple with a two-run walkoff homer off Toros closer Daniel Moskos to send 13,423 Monterrey fans home happy.  Sultanes starter Dallas Marinez, a Yankees minor leaguer who pitched in the All-Star Game between seasons while on loan to Leon before the cash-strapped Bravos shipped him north, had a strong outing by hurling 5.2 shutout innings and allowing just two hits.  The Sultanes took Saturday's Game Five by a 10-4 count in a contest that was closer than the final score indicated until the hosts put eight runs on the scoreboard in the seventh inning, keyed by a Roberson three-run homer.  Amador contributed three hits and two RBIs to the Monterrey attack.

After Sunday's travel day, Game Six is scheduled for Monday night in Tijuana.  Should the Toros win, the deciding contest is slated for Tuesday night.


LMB SOUTH SEMIS: MEXICO CITY 4, PUEBLA 1

Mexico City P Luis Mendoza

The Mexico City Diablos Rojos won the final two of three games in Puebla to finish their series with the Pericos and move on to the South Division Championship Series.  The first two contests were played at Estadio Fray Nano in the nation's capital, with the Diablos winning both, starting with last Tuesday's 8-4 Game One victory.  Newcomer Michael Choice, a former Rangers outfielder who joined Mexico City as a free agent on August 16, had a great night with a two-run homer, a pair of doubles and five RBIs for the winners.  Game Two also went the Diablos' way, 12-4, with Mexico City posting a nine-run seventh inning.  The Red Devils sent 15 men to the plate during that outburst, with speedster Carlos Figueroa singling, doubling, scoring twice and driving in two runs during the frame.

The series shifted to Puebla for the next three games, with the Pericos picking up their only win in Game Three, 7-6, last Friday.  Puebla benefitted from a Bernardo Heras solo homer during a three-run sixth inning during which the Parrots overcame a 6-4 deficit.  That would be the Pericos' last gasp of 2018 as the Diablos came back to win the next two contests at Estadio Hermanos Serdan.  Game Four began on Saturday before rain pushed its conclusion to Sunday, ending with a 7-3 Mexico City conquest.  Outfielder Yeison Asencio, who hit .386 in the regular season, contributed a single and double, scoring one run and adding two ribbies to negate Delmon Young of Puebla, who went 4-for-4 with an RBI.  Former MLB and NPB pitcher Luis Mendoza (who was MVP for the Pacific Coast League in 2011 and the Caribbean Series in 2013) got the win after allowing a single run in 6.2 innings while scattering seven hits while Diablos first baseman Luis Jimenez collected three of Mexico City's five hits, including a three-run homer off Puebla starter Josh Outman in the third.

The Diablos will await the winner of the Yucatan-Oaxaca series to learn who they'll be playing in the LMB South Championship Series later this week.


LMB SOUTH SEMIS: OAXACA 3, YUCATAN 2

Oaxaca P Alex Delgado

Of the four first round playoff series in the Mexican League's second season, this one has been the most surprising.  The Oaxaca Guerreros have won one LMB pennant (in 1998, two years after their inaugural season) and are rarely a factor in the rare times they advance to the postseason.  Thus expectations were low after the Warriors beat a reeling Leon team in a one-game wild card contest after a 26-30 regular season to qualify for a first-round series with defending LMB champion Yucatan.  Instead, new manager Sergio Gastelum has taken the Guerreros to within a game of meeting Mexico City in the division finals. 

Oaxaca won the first two games of the series in Merida, starting last Monday with a 4-1 Game One triumph behind the solid work of Guerreros starter Alex Delgado.  A Mexicali native in his seventh Liga season at the tender age of 23, Delgado limited the Leones to one run in three hits in seven innings of work, striking out nine and walking none.  Older brother Irwin Delgado followed Alex to the mound one night later in Oaxaca's 6-3 Game Two win at Parque Kukulcan, tossing six frames of one-run ball with seven whiffs before serving up a leadoff homer to Eric Aguilera in the bottom of the seventh.  Ex-Seattle shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt, who was second in the LMB with a .406 batting average during the regular season, had a pair of singles for the Guerreros and drove in two runs.

The series then shifted to Oaxaca, where Yucatan won twice to give the road team victories for the first four games of the set.  After a Thursday rainout, the Leones took Game Three, 3-1, Friday as starter Cesar Valdez went seven innings and scattered six hits in a one-run outing.  Yucatan catcher Sebastian Valle, a big-game player, contributed a run-scoring double while shortstop Walter Ibarra added an RBI single.  The Leones evened the series at two games each on Saturday by doubling up the Guerreros, 10-5, in Game Four.  Oaxaca was leading 5-4 after six innings before Yucatan scored two runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth frames to pull away.  Ibarra and Leo Heras powered homers for the Leones and Humberto Sosa had three hits with as many RBIs as a combined 17 pitchers took the hill in the marathon contest, which took 4 hours, 21 minutes to complete nine innings.  The Guerreros took their last home game of the series Sunday with a 5-1 Game Five victory.  Once again, Alex Delgado was sterling on the mound for the winners by allowing one run on three hits in six innings, striking out eight.  Henry Urrutia knocked out a two-run homer in the first inning as the Guerreros were up 5-0 after two entradas and coasted to the win.

The series moves back to Yucatan for Game Six Tuesday night at Parque Kukulcan, where Game Seven (if needed) would be played to determine who'll face Mexico City for the LMB South title.

Aguilas slip past Caneros, 7-6, in MexPac season opener

Mexicali shortstop Walter Ibarra

Walter Ibarra's grand slam keyed a five-run second inning as defending champion Mexicali went on to sneak by visiting Los Mochis, 7-6, Tuesday in a seesaw Mexican Pacific League season opener in front of 17,000 fans in sold-out Estadio B'Air.

The Caneros scored right off the bat in the top of the first when Leandro Castro singled off Aguilas starter Javier Solano to drive in Ramon Urias with the game’s first run before the Eagles flew into a four-run lead in the bottom of the second, with Ibarra’s four-run, four-bagger off Mochis opener Akeem Bostick providing the key blow en route to a 5-1 lead.

Los Mochis closed the gap to 5-3 in the fourth via Sebastian Valle’s two-run homer and another two-run blast by Mitch Walding followed by Valle’s second homer of the night (both off Aguilas reliever Marco Quevedo) two innings later to give the Caneros a 6-5 lead.

Mexicali came back to knot the game up in the bottom of the six after Daniel Castro scored when Yuniesky Betancourt grounded to third for a double play and then took the lead for good in the eighth as C.J. Retherford singled to right to bring Castro in from third to go up, 7-6.  Aguilas manager Roberto Vizcarra sent Ryan Kussmaul in to save the win and Kussmaul responded by retiring Mochis in order with one strikeout in seven pitches.

Reliever Cody Wisniarski got the win for Mexicali after walking the bases loaded in the eighth but escaping without being scored upon.  Manuel Rodriguez was tagged with the loss for the Caneros after allowing Daniel Castro to lead off the eighth with a bunt single, putting the winning run on base.  It was Mochis’ third pitcher of the entrada, D.J. Johnson, who gave up Retherford’s go-ahead single.  Ibarra, Betancourt, Yordanys Linares and Josh Romanski each had two hits for the winners.  Valle finished with his two longballs and three RBIs for the Caneros with Walding walking three times and scoring twice to go with his homer.

The Aguilas and Caneros will take Wednesday night off as the MexPac’s six other teams open their seasons as Jalisco plays at Mazatlan, Navojoa visits Culiacan and Obregon travels to Hermosillo.  Teams will swap venues Friday night to conclude each two-game series.

Sultanes, Pericos advance; Rieleros tie series with Toros

Monterrey IF Agustin Murillo, during his 2015 stay in Japan

The Monterrey Sultanes and Puebla Pericos completed four-game sweeps of their respective Mexican League division semifinal playoff series Thursday night, the Yucatan Leones took the lead after Game Three of their tilt following Wednesday's rainout in Leon and the fourth-seed Aguascalientes Rieleros tied their series with LMB North champion Tijuana with a big win at home in Estadio Alberto Romo Chavez.

Agustin Murillo's two run single in the sixth inning paced Monterrey's 6-3 series-clinching win in Monclova as the Sultanes advanced to the LMB North championship series, Andres Meza and three relievers combined to blank Quintana Roo, 2-0, as the Pericos scored twice in the ninth to break up a scoreless contest in Cancun, Jose Aguilar's two-run homer highlighted a three-run second in Yucatan's 5-1 win at Leon to take a 3-to-0 lead in that set and a two-run Jose Vargas double was the centerpiece of Aguascalientes' go-ahead, three-run sixth in a series-knotting 3-2 win over the Toros.

With two opening-round series concluded, two games are on the schedule Friday night as Yucatan plays at Leon while Tijuana concludes their three-game visit to Aguascalientes.

Monterrey 6-12-0, MONCLOVA 3-7-0
W-J. Reyes (1-0).  L-M. Lara (0-1).  Sv-Obispo (2).  A-8,500.  T-3:25.
The Sultanes and Acereros were in a 1-1 deadlock until the top of the sixth inning, when Monterrey scored three times to take the lead for good en route to a 6-3 win.  Walter Ibarra singled in Jesus Montero in the second to give the visitors the first run of the game, but Monclova tied it up in the fourth when Carlos Quentin came in from third on Tim Torres' two-out safety.  Veteran infielder Agustin Murillo broke the game open with a two-run single up the middle in the top of the sixth for Monterrey, with Ibarra adding another run-scoring single to post the Sultanes a 4-1 advantage.  The Acereros made it a one-run game in the bottom of the frame when Jose Amador's tripled plated one score and a Torres single brought in another, but that's as close as Monclova got.  Daniel Mayora had two singles and a double to drive in two runs and score another for Monterrey, who completed a four-game sweep.  Jorge Reyes gave up three runs in 5.2 innings for the win.  Mauricio Lara (5.2 IP, 4 ER) took the loss for the Acereros.

AGUASCALIENTES 3-7-2, Tijuana 2-6-1
W-Romero (1-0).  L-M. Serrano (0-1).  Sv-E. Salas (1).  A-5,899.  T-3:02.
The surprising Rieleros, who lost 7 of 9 games to Tijuana during the regular season (including two series sweeps), evened up their division semi set with the Toros with a 3-2 Game Four win at home.  Starters Horacio Ramirez of Tijuana and Aguascalientes' Francisco Moreno traded zeros through four innings before the Toros' Jose Guadalupe Chavez singled in Juan Apodaca with the game's first run in the top of the fifth.  The Railroaders took the lead in the sixth when Jose Vargas' double brought in two runs and a Cristhian Presichi single scored Vargas from second, giving the hosts a 3-1 lead.  Cyle Hankerd's two-out solo homer in the eighth brought Tijuana within a run.  The Toros had two runners on base in the ninth with one down when Roberto Lopez belted what looked to be a sure homer until Dave Sappelt made a leaping catch at the right field wall for the second out.  Edwin Salas then got Oscar Robles to hit a game-ending groundout to second.  Presichi singled twice to lead the Rieleros' seven-hit attack while Apodaca and Corey Brown both hit two singles for Tijuana.  Moreno gave up one run in five innings to earn the win.

Puebla 2-10-0, QUINTANA ROO 0-8-2
W-J. Felix (1-0).  L-Barron (0-1).  Sv-Heath (2).  A-5,306.  T-3:07.
The Pericos closed out their sweep of the Tigres with a 2-0 Game Four shutout during which Puebla starter Andres Meza blanked Quintana Roo on six hits over 5.1 innings and relievers Mario Morales, Julio Felix and Deunte Heath carried the whitewash to its conclusion.  For his part, Tigres hurler Misael Siverio threw six scoreless innings, allowing six hits.  The scorer was unbothered until the top of the ninth, when Puebla's Hector Garanzuay singled in the game's first run and Cesar Tapia came in from third on Sergio Perez' fielder's choice groundout to Tigres reliever Raul Barron.  Heath retired the hosts in order with two strikeouts on 19 pitches to seal the win for the Pericos.  The series sweep serves as delicious irony for Puebla fans who saw 20+ members of their 2016 pennant winners transferred to Monclova in the offseason after owner Gerardo Benavides bought the Acereros, who were founded in 1974 by Benavides' grandfather.  The loaded Steelers ended up getting swept by Monterrey while manager Tim Johnson's scrappy Pericos move on to the LMB South title series.

Yucatan 5-8-0, LEON 1-3-0
W-Samayoa (1-0).  L-Lively (0-1).  A-6,238.  T-2:25.
One night after Wednesday's rainout in Leon, Yucatan built a 4-0 third inning lead and went on the top the Bravos, 5-1, to take a 3-games-to-0 lead in their LMB South semifinal series.  The Leones went up 3-0 in the top of the second inning when Yuniesky Betancourt's run-scoring sacrifice fly was followed by a two-out, two-run homer by Jose Aguilar off Leon starter Mitch Lively.  Yucatan's Leo Heras led off the third with a double, then came in on Diego Madera's single to put the Lions up four runs.  The Bravos' lone tally came in the bottom of the fifth when Niko Vasquez doubled off Yucatan starter Jose Samayoa and scored one out later on a Miguel Torrero single.  Ricky Alvarez' solo homer in the ninth provided the Leones their final margin of victory.  Samayoa carried a no-hitter into the sixth to earn the win as the righty combined with three relievers to limit Leon to three hits on the night.  Lively gave up four runs on seven hits in 6.2 frames to absorb the loss.  The Liga's regular season RBI champ Alvarez homered and doubled, scoring twice for the Leones.

FRIDAY'S SCHEDULE
Yucatan (Castellanos, 7-5, 4.73) at Leon (Silva, 8-9, 3.07)
Tijuana (C. Hernandez, 10-2, 2.67) at Aguascalientes (del Rosario, 4-6, 3.71)
Stats are from regular season. Matchups provided by Puro Beisbol.

Monterrey closing gap on Monclova in LMB North; Diablos' Alfonzo average at .420

The Monterrey Sultanes have won three straight games to bring their Mexican League record up to 23-14, coming to within a game-and-a-half of North Division-leading Monclova, who fell to 25-13 after dropping two of three at home to Laguna.

The Sultanes outscored the Broncos, 5-2, in eleven innings Friday in Reynosa as 2,848 spectators at Estadio Adolfo Lopez Mateos looked on.  Monterrey starter Javier Solano put in eight strong innings on the mound, allowing two runs on five hits over eight innings while walking none, but the righty left the game trailing 2-1 as the Monterrey offense couldn't get untracked against Broncos hurler Ivan Maldonado, who gave up two hits (including a Luis Flores solo homer) in six frames.  The Sultanes knotted the score in the top of the ninth and took a 5-2 lead in the eleventh on RBI singles by Ramon Rios and Humberto Cota and a run-scoring triple from hot-hitting Walter Ibarra, who'd doubled earlier.  It was then left to reliever Marcos Rivas to close out the win with his first save of the year.  The win went to Wirfin Obispo, who pitched the ninth and tenth.  Jesus Duenas allowed all three Sultanes runs in the eleventh and took the loss.  The two teams were washed out both Saturday and Sunday, and a twinbill was scheduled Monday in Reynosa as makeup games.

Meanwhile in the LMB South, Puebla took all three games of a weekend home series against Tabasco, capped by a 9-4 triumph Sunday over the Olmecas in front of 4,715 at Eastadio Hermanos Serdan.  The game was scoreless through the top of the fourth the Pericos plated three runs in the bottom of the stanza and tacked on five more in the fifth to give starter Hector Galvan some breathing room.  The Monterrey native scattered two runs and eight hits over seven innings to bring his record to 4-1, not bad for a guy with a 5.70 ERA after his eighth start of the year and proving that when you pitch for a team scoring 6.37 runs per game, you can afford to be generous.  Nyjer Morgan had an RBI single in the fourth inning and a two-run double in the fifth to bring his average to .342 on the season.  The win was Puebla's fourth straight and 15th in their past 16 games, giving the Pericos a Liga-best 27-11 record, four games better than 23-15 Quintana Roo in the South.

Also over the weekend, the Oaxaca Guerreros snapped a five game losing skid with a win at Tabasco Thursday and a three-game battering of Veracruz at home, outscoring the Rojo Aguilas by a composite 35-12 over the set.  Yancarlo Angula had four hits of the Guerreros' 16 safeties during Sunday's 16-8 rout of Veracruz with 1,240 warm bodies in the seats at Estadio Eduardo Vasconcelos.  Oaxaca broke the contest open early with eight second-inning scores as 13 Warriors came to the plate, starting with Brett Harper's homer to right on Remberto Romo's second pitch of the inning.  The Guerreros still have a long way to go to overcome their 0-11 start to the season, but new manager Houston Jimenez may be starting to turn things around.  A team ERA of 5.52 won't get it done, however.

Mexico City catcher Eliezer Alfonzo (pictured above) has taken over the LMB batting race with a .420 average over 28 games.  The 37-year-old Alfonzo missed all of last season and didn't appear in a game this year until being signed by the Diablos Rojos as a free agent April 15.  The former Giants receiver went 5-for-5 at Saltillo on May 5 and turned in a 4-for-6 night Saturday at Tijuana.  Never a gazelle, Alfonzo has two stolen bases this year after recording just 26 swipes over 19 seasons as a pro.  Monterrey's Ibarra is second at .394 while Puebla's Cesar Tapia is tied for third with the Tigres' Esteban Quiroz at .390.

Aguascalientes shortstop Diory Hernandez whacked two homers last week to increase his season total to 12, an incredible number for a guy who'd previously hit a total of 46 longballs in 13 minor league seasons.  Quintana Roo teammates Quiroz and Alex Liddi each have 10 dingers to tie for second place.  Hernandez also still leads the LMB in runs batted in with 49 in 39 games, ten more than Quiroz' 39.  Mario Lisson of Saltillo is third in RBI's with 37.  Lisson's Seraperos teammate, Justin Greene, tops the loop with 15 steals, two more than Puebla's Morgan.

Although the LMB has been considered a "hitter's league" for decades, there've been some strong pitching performances over the first six weeks of the 2016 campaign.  Tijuana's Hector Ambriz' 0.96 ERA leads all starters after seven starts (he's 3-1 for the Toros), but it's hard to find anyone who's looked better on the hill than Josh Lowey, who's 6-2 for Monclova.  The 31-year-old Floridian, who kicked around the U.S. independent leagues for six years before signing with the Acereros in 2014, is tied for the LMB lead with 6 wins, matching teammate Jose Oyervides and Mexico City's David Reyes, his 62 strikeouts leads Oyervides by 15 whiffs in that category and his 2.09 ERA ranks fifth.

Then again, Oyervides could stake a claim as the best pitcher in the league because his 6-1 record and 47 strikeouts over 41 frames comes with a 1.32 ERA, second to Ambriz.  Yet another Monclova pitcher, closer Arcenio Leon, has 16 saves in 18 opportunities.  The 12th-year pro had never saved more than 8 games prior to the current season.

LMB STANDINGS
NORTH: Monclova 25-13, Monterrey 23-14, Tijuana 22-17, Aguascalientes 20-19, Laguna 20-19, Mexico City 20-19, Saltillo 19-20, Reynosa 12-23
SOUTH: Puebla 27-11, Quintana Roo 23-15, Yucatan 22-16, Campeche 20-18, Tabasco 15-24, Carmen 13-26, Veracruz 13-26, Oaxaca 12-26

Monclova leads LMB North by 3 Games

Josh Lowey turned in six dominant innings to lead the Monclova Acereros to a 7-1 win over the Tijuana Toros Sunday as 14,120 watched at Tijuana's Estadio Gasmart.  Lowey allowed no runs on two hits with nine strikeouts to register his fifth win in six starts.  Denis Phipps doubled and tripled to drive in five runs for Monclova, who now lead the Mexican League's North Division by three games over Monterrey with a 19-7 record, best in the Liga.

Also on Sunday, Willy Taveras hit a bases-loaded triple to key Puebla's 5-4 win over Yucatan while Esteban Quiroz went 3 for 4 with three ribbies to pace Quintana Roo to a 7-1 victory against Oaxaca to create a three-way tie for the LMB South lead between the Pericos, Leones and Tigres (each with 16-10 records).  For their part, Oaxaca parted ways with manager Enrique "Che" Reyes last week after the Guerreros stumbled to an 0-11 record out the gate.  The team's performance has leveled off since then, but their awful start had apparently sealed Reyes' fate.

Monterrey shortstop Walter Ibarra leads the LMB with a .430 batting average, forty points ahead of Diory Hernandez of Aguascalientes.  Hernandez had a strong week and now leads the circuit with 9 homers and 33 RBI's.  Monclova's Jose Amador, Alex Liddi of Quintana Roo and Campeche's Dave Sappelt are tied for second in homers with 7 apiece; Mario Lisson of Saltillo trails Hernandez in RBI's with 29.  Monclova's Lowey tops LMB pitchers with 5 wins and 48 strikeouts with Hector Ambriz heading the ERA table at 0.80.

Monclova will host Monterrey in a three-game series starting Tuesday, while Tabasco is at Puebla, Quintana Roo visits Carmen and Yucatan takes on Campeche in Villahermosa.