Alazanes de Cuba defeat Tomateros in Serie del Caribe Guadalajara 2018
The timely hitting of Alazanes de Cuba and the doubts of the Tomateros relievers combined for the second defeat of the Sinaloa team in the Serie del Caribe Guadalajara 2018.
A game full of emotions and comebacks, but in the end, silence took over the athletics stadium in Zapopan. With two runs in the seventh and one more in the eighth, the Alazanes, playing small ball, won the game with a score of 5-4. The losing pitcher was Casey Coleman and the winner was Alain Sánchez for the Cuban team.
Tomateros struck first. Greene reached base thanks to a hit, then with Noel batting, Greene stole second and with a run-scoring single from Noel, the first run for the Sinaloa team came in. A minimal advantage, but they left a man in scoring position and Yoenis Yera escaped with minimal damage in the first inning.
In the bottom of the first, Héctor Daniel retired his opponents in order, showing mastery of his pitches.
In the top of the second, Walter Ibarra reached first with an infield hit, then Greene received a walk and Noel had the chance to bring in the second run with two outs. Noel also received a walk and Tomateros filled the bases against Yoenis. With the bases loaded, Sebastián Elizalde hit a routine ground ball and the story ended, just two innings and Mexico had already left three men in scoring position.
In the bottom of the third, as the old saying goes, tragedies happen with two outs. Héctor Daniel Rodriguez gave up three hits and the manager Gil came out of the dugout to ask for the ball, and the left-hander left the game with the score tied and a man on base. Jesús Adrián Castillo gave up another hit and Cuba took the lead.
In the top of the fourth, Yera found himself in troubled waters, with men on second and first and no outs. The Cuban manager made a pitching change and Greene bunted and advanced the runners, then Noel executed a perfect bunt to bring Ibarra home. Later, Elizalde hit a single to bring in the third run of the night and Tomateros regained the lead 3-2 with one out and runners on the corners. The nightmare didn't end for Cuba, and with Meneses hitting a ground ball that looked like a double play, Mexico scored its fourth run. A brave reaction from the national team to turn the game around.
In the bottom of the sixth, Aldo Montes found himself in big trouble, with men on the corners and two outs. The third run for the Alazanes was just 90 feet away from home plate. Montes fought back and with a ground ball to second, he escaped the jam and put up a vital zero.
In the bottom of the seventh, Raúl González hit a solo home run that put the nerves on edge. Cuba dangerously closed the gap in the score. The bases were loaded for the Alazanes and Benji Gil brought in his ace to the mound. Left-hander Daniel Moskos got two outs, but in between, the fourth run for the Cubans came in with a sacrifice fly by Cespedes. The game was tied in the fateful seventh inning. In the bottom of the eighth, with a sacrifice fly, Raúl González brought Cespedes home for Cuba's fifth run. Tomateros in intensive care, once again, the bullpen failed.
In the top of the ninth, the artillery failed the Sinaloa team and they left another man in scoring position, resulting in their second consecutive defeat.