All-star Japhet Amador hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 12th inning and the Charros de Jalisco left the Tomateros de Culiacán on the field to escape with a 2-1 victory on Friday in a dramatic game and get ahead in the start of the Final Series to the best of seven games that will define the champion of the Mexican Pacific League.
Amador himself had put the Charros ahead in the first inning thanks to a single that drove in José Aguilar, who had reached base with a double. But the Tomateros tied the score in the top of the seventh inning on José Guadalupe Chávez’s single that drove in Stevie Wilkerson.
Esteban Quiroz, taken as a backup after the semifinals, opened the bottom of the 12th inning with a single, advanced to third on a hit by Missael Rivera, and took advantage of Amador’s sacrifice fly to score and give the victory to the Charros.
Manuel Flores (1-0) retired two-thirds of an inning without allowing runs for the win, and Santiago Gutierrez (0-1) lost after allowing a run in a no-out relay.
DOMINICAN
The Eastern Stars maintained their triumphant pace by beating the Gigantes del Cibao 3-2 on Friday to spin off their sixth consecutive victory in the round of all against all that defines the finalists of the Dominican Baseball League.
The experienced Junior Lake went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, while Yamaico Navarro went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
Daniel Duarte (1-0) completed a shutout inning in relief to earn the win. The defeat went to Elián Leyva (0-1), after conceding three runs and four hits in four and two-thirds innings.
The Tigres del Licey exploded with a four-run attack in the seventh episode, and kept their chances of advancing to the final valid, beating the Águilas Cibaeñas 8-2, becoming the first team eliminated in the all-against-all round .
Yermín Mercedes was once again the figure in the Tigers’ offense, going 3-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs, while another player with Major League experience, Nomar Mazara, went 2-for-4 with two RBIs to the cause of the Tigers.
Frank Garcés (1-0) got the victory with an effective two innings of relief without allowing runs. Wandy Peralta lost (1-1), punished with three runs and three hits without getting out in his relief.
With only three games remaining in the round robin, Estrellas and Gigantes share the lead with a record of 9-6, followed by Tigres with 7-8, and Águilas, already out with 5-10.
VENEZUELA
Yohander Méndez had a brilliant start and the Navegantes del Magallanes offense hit four home runs to earn a valuable 6-0 victory over Caribes de Anzoátegui in their penultimate round-robin match.
The Navegantes have secured at least one extra game on Monday for a place in the final of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. They close their participation on Sunday and need to defeat the Leones del Caracas, already eliminated, to ensure their place in the final of the circuit.
Méndez (2-0), covered five blank chapters with just one hit and four strikeouts to win the match. Henry Centeno fell (2-2), punished with four runs and four hits in just one inning and two thirds.
Leonardo Reginatto hit two solo home runs, Ángel Reyes chipped in a solo homer and Arturo Nieto also knocked it out of the park with no baserunners to stand out in the Navegantes’ offense.
In Maracay, the Leones del Caracas relied on a brilliant opening by Aliangel López to beat the Tigres de Aragua 3-1 in a duel between two teams with no chance of reaching the final.
Lopez (1-1) pitched seven powerful shutout innings, allowing just two hits with six strikeouts to earn the win. The disaster was for Elih Villanueva (0-2), after conceding two runs and four hits in five chapters.
On offense, Wilfredo Tovar stood out, 5-2 with two RBIs, and Romer Cuadrado with a solo home run.
In the final stretch of the round of all against all that defines the two finalists of the tournament, the Caribes de Anzoátegui remain on top with a 9-5 mark, followed by Navegantes (9-6) and Cardenales (8-6). ) struggling to access the final. They are escorted by Leones (5-9) and Tigres (5-10) already eliminated.
