The Leones de Yucatán (Mérida) (45-60, first place in South Division) defeated the Bravos de León (63-42) 5-1 at Estadio Domingo Santana in León on August 17. The win gives the Leones a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven first round playoff series.
Four Leones pitchers, RHP Jose Samayoa, RHP Jesus Barraza, RHP Pedro Rodriguez, and RHP Ronald Belisario, held the Bravos to three hits. The starter, Samayoa, didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning. That was a double by SS Niko Vasquez, who scored the Bravos’ only run of the game on a single by 3B Miguel Torrero. The Bravos didn’t get another hit until the bottom of the ninth, a double by CF Junior Lake. Lake was stranded on third base when the game ended.
Bravos starter RHP Mitch Lively went 6 2/3 innings, and allowed only seven hits, but one of them was a two-run rum run in the second inning by RF Jose Aguilar, which was the winning run. Aguilar’s home run (one of those where the center fielder just watched it leave) was preceded by a sacrifice fly by 3B Yuniesky Betancourt, and the Leones added a run on an RBI single by 2B Diego Madero in the third, which gave the Leones a 4-0 lead. Lively got out of the inning with a double play and a ground out. He allowed only one hit over the next three innings, with some help by 3B Miguel Torrero, who made a great catch of a ground ball followed by a great throw to second to get the force out and end the inning. The Leones didn’t score again until the to of the ninth, when 1B Ricky Alvarez hit a solo home run off RHP Gerardo Sanchez.
Samayoa got the win, went six innings, allowed two hits, struck out three, walked a batter, and hit a batter. Lively got the loss. Alvarez finished 2-for-4.
Attendance: 6,238
Lively (Susanville, CA) had a regular season record of 7-2, a team-best 2.41 ERA, and a team-best 60 strikeouts. Sanchez (Las Cruces, NM) was in the Astros organization 2012-13.
Samayoa played for Lee University, was drafted in the ninth round of the 2013 draft by the Rangers, but he played for only one season in that organization. Barraza was in the Pirates organization 2009-11. Rodriguez (Venezuela) was in the Red Sox organization 2005-06, and the Giants organization 2015-16. Belisario (Venezuela) played the the Dodgers 2009-13, the White Sox 2014, and the Rays 2015; his career record was 24-20 (all appearances in relief), 3.85 ERA. Betancourt (Cuba) played for Villa Clara in the Cuban National Series. He defected in 2003, then played for the Mariners 2005-09, the Rotals 2009-10 and 2012, the Brewers 2011 and 2013. He hit 80 Major League home runs, had a career average of .261. Alvarez was in the Mets and Angels organizations 2007-11.
Bravos official site
Leones de Yucatán official site
