The Guerreros de Oaxaca (2-1) defeated the Bravos de León (1-2) 17-3 at Estadio Domingo Santana in León on March 25.
These two teams played 14 innings the previous night, with the Guerreros winning 4-3. This game was close for only two innings. With two out in the bottom of the first, SS Yuniesky Betancourt hit a single. 3B Hector Gomez followed with a double, then 1B Luis Alfonso Garcia sent both of them home with a single.
Bravos starter LHP Orlando Lara should have gotten out of the second inning without any damage, but Bravos SS Amadeo Zazueta bobbled a double-play ball, and LF Raymundo Torres scored. Cedric Hunter made a great catch in right field to end the inning.
The Bravos got on the board with an RBI single by Zazueta in the bottom of the third. Lara was replaced by RHP Andrew Gutierrez (West Covina, CA, college ball at Indiana State) in the top of the fourth, and all hell broke loose. He didn't make it through the inning. He walked 2B Jaime Brena, who then stole second, went to third on a ground out, and scored on a balk. Bravos Manager Luis Rivera objected to the call, and was ejected. The Guerreros followed with two singles, an RBI single by Garcia, another RBI single by C Carlos Paulino, and a two-RBI triple by Torres. Felix Pie ran into the center field fence attempting to field the ball hit by Torres, was injured, and had to leave the game. The Guerreros finished the inning with five runs, and led 8-1.
The Bravos got their second run in the bottom of the fourth in an RBI single by C Omar Renteria. The Guerreros answered with a run in the top of the fifth on the second error of the game by Zazueta. (It seemed like every ball hit in his direction was an adventure, but he did start a double play in the top of the sixth.)
The Bravos fans got something to cheer about in the seventh. The Bravos turned a double play in the top of the inning when 2B Luis Medina snagged a line drive, then threw to first to catch the runner off the base. (Medina entered the game in the bottom of the sixth, when Niko Vasquez was also ejected, for protesting a called third strike.) Then, 1B Dan Johnson hit a home run to right field. The next batter, LF Quincy Latimore, hit a triple, but he was stranded. That was the end of the Bravos' scoring, and the Guerreros led 9-3.
The Guerreros proceeded to add seven runs in the eighth, and one more in the ninth. The Guerreros started the eighth inning with six straight hits and a walk. Brena grounded out, but still got an RBI when Paulino scored. RF Samar Leyva and Betancourt each got two hits in the inning. Pinch-hitter Alan Sanchez hit an RBI single in the ninth to complete the scoring.
Torres finished the game 4-for-5 with a triple, a double, and 3 RBI. Betancourt went 4-for-6 with an RBI and 3 runs scored. Brandon Macias, who entered the game in the sixth inning for the Bravos, went 2-for-2. Starter Patrick Johnson got the win; he went five innings, allowed two runs on six hits. Lara got the loss.
Attendance: 2,625
Betancourt (Santa Clara, Cuba) left Cuba on a speedboat in December, 2003. he played in the Major Leagues for eight seasons, with the Mariners, Royals, and Brewers. His career numbers were .261, 80 home runs, and 457 RBI. This is his third season in the Mexican League. Gomez (San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic) played 83 games in the Major Leagues, mostly with the Brewers. His career average was .183. Paulino (Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic) spent ten years in the Twins, Pirates, and Marlins organizations, much of it at the AAA level.
The Guerreros also have RHP Josh Judy (Morgantown, WV), who was an NAIA All-American in 2007 at Indiana Tech. He was drafted by the Indians, and made 12 appearances for them in 2011, recorded ten strikeouts in 14 innings pitched. He pitched 1 1/3 perfect innings in the 14-inning marathon the previous night.
Rivera pitched a total of 7 1/3 innings for the Braves and Orioles in 2000. He played six seasons in the Mexican League 2005-10. Pie (La Romana, Dominican Republic) played six seasons in the Major Leagues with the Cubs, Orioles, and Pirates. His career average was .246, and he hit 17 home runs. Vasquez (Oxnard, CA) was drafted in the third round by the Cardinals in 2008, spent six seasons in the Cardinals and Reds organizations. Latimore (Raleigh, NC) was taken by the Pirates in the fourth round of the 2007 draft, played 11 seasons in the Pirates, Indians, Nationals, Orioles, and Tigers organizations. Hunter (Decatur, GA) was drafted in the third round of the 2006 draft by the Padres. He played a total of 19 games for the Padres and Phillies. Macias (Flagstaff, AZ) played college ball at Kansas, spent six seasons in the Brewers organization. Johnson (Coon Rapids, MN) played college ball at Nebraska, and ten seasons in the Major Leagues, with the A's, Rays, White Sox, and Cardinals. He played a total of 443 games, had a career average of .234, with 57 home runs.
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