Padres Breeze Past Tijuana Toros In First of Two Games Between Border City Teams This Spring
Peoria, Arizona
The San Diego Padres achieved a dominant 12-4 win against the Tijuana Toros this Monday as the two teams faced off at the Peoria Sports Complex.
The two teams represent a region of the world and two contrasting sides, only 24 miles separate Petco Park from the Estadio Gasmart, along with a border wall that separates two countries.
The Toros are the current LMB champions and have made the last two Mexican Baseball League finals, while the Padres look like an exciting team on the rise in the middle of a rebuilding process.
3️⃣⬆️Roletazo dentro del cuadro de Isaac Rodríguez y Justin Greene anota la segunda carrera.
🐃🏆Toros de Tijuana 2
🔵@LosPadres 1#TorosImponentes🐃🏆#SpringTraining🌵⚾️ pic.twitter.com/VCw7qCLINy— Toros De Tijuana 🐃 (@TorosDeTijuana) March 12, 2018
There were familiar faces all around, with former Friars’ player Jorge Cantu starting at first for Tijuana and current Padres’ coach and former Tijuana Toros’ player Alfredo Amezaga present as well.
The Mexican team opted to play most of its notable players as former major leaguers like Jorge Cantu and Corey Brown received the start in the game. The Friars also had a game against the Kansas City Royals and were made up of minor league players within the organization trying to stand out and catch the attention of the major league ball club.
¡Así saltaremos al terreno en Peoria para enfrentar a los Padres! #TorosImponentes🐃🏆#SpringTraining🌵⚾️ pic.twitter.com/KdcdcGfZa4
— Toros De Tijuana 🐃 (@TorosDeTijuana) March 12, 2018
The game was very exciting as it was tied at three runs each by the end of the fifth inning. After that fifth inning, San Diego kept on adding to its lead as it was a 6-3 ballgame by the beginning of the eighth. Josh Rodriguez hit a solo home run that gave the Toros some hope and made it a 6-4 encounter heading into the bottom of the eighth.
The Padres’ offense exploded after that, generating six more runs and making it a 12-4 score by the end of the game. Carlos Hernandez started the game on the mound for Tijuana as he allowed two runs in three innings of work, Raul Valdes then took over and allowed two runs in three innings, Rafael Diaz, Fabian Williamson, and Jesus Pirela closed out the encounter as they all pitched an inning each. For the Padres, Walker Lockett was the man who started the encounter.
PIZARRA FINAL en Peoria:
🐃🏆Toros de Tijuana 4
🔵@LosPadres 12#TorosImponentes🐃🏆#SpringTraining🌵⚾️ pic.twitter.com/rcvNifG2hu— Toros De Tijuana 🐃 (@TorosDeTijuana) March 12, 2018
The game was the Toros’ ninth in spring this year as the team prepares for the LMB season opener against Acereros de Monclova on March 22. The Toros put in a solid effort, but were outdone by the neighboring major league team. They will have a chance for redemption as the two teams will play each other again this Tuesday at Peoria Sports Complex.
Francisco, 26, Chula Vista/Tijuana. I have been a Padres fan all my life, did most of the series previews and recaps in the Padres’ 2016 season for EVT. Now I focus more on the local soccer scene. Tijuana Xolos, San Diego Loyal, San Diego Wave.