Tijuana Toros Recap: Border City Bulls Lose Series to Second-Worst Team in LMB
Credit: Diego Perez
Tijuana, Mexico
The Tijuana Toros wrapped up a brief three-game homestand against Algodoneros de Union Laguna at the Estadio Gasmart before heading back out on the road for a three-game series against Saltillo.
The series was set to be a simple one, but was anything but that as Pedro Mere’s team fell 4-3 in the final game of the series and lost the series two games to one.
The game started off promising for the home team with a groundout by Dustin Martin that drove in Isaac Rodriguez. Union Laguna then turned the tide of the game with a two-RBI single by Ciro Norzagaray in the third inning and an RBI single by Kristian Delgado in the fourth inning.
Juan Apodaca did pull one back in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI double that drove in Jorge Cantu and made it a 3-2 scoreline. Barbaro Canizarez then put the final blow to the score for Algodoneros with a sacrifice fly that made it a 4-2 game in the fifth inning.
The Toros then struggled to generate much offense up until the eighth inning of the encounter. With Maikel Cleto on the mound and two outs, the Dominican pitcher walked the bases loaded to make it a 4-3 game. Jio Mier then had an opportunity with the bases loaded, but could not handle Cleto’s heat as he struck out to end the inning.
The Border city side had an uneventful ninth inning as Maikel Cleto picked up his seventh save of the season to seal the 4-3 score and the series win for Union Laguna.
Maikel Cleto strikes out Jio Mier with the bases loaded to get out of the jam in the eighth inning. Union Laguna atill has a slim 4-3 lead over Tijuana heading into the ninth. #LMB #MiLB #MLB #Toros #Algodoneros pic.twitter.com/a8iZ1c3RSR
— Mexican Baseball (@mexbaseball) April 27, 2018
Miguel Pena, who had yet to pitch a quality start this season, was the man on the mound for the Toros while Alejandro Martinez, who was undefeated, was on the mound for Los Laguneros. Both pitchers stayed consistent as Pena allowed four runs on seven hits through four and a third innings. Martinez only allowed two runs in six innings and stayed undefeated as he improved to a 4-0 mark.
The loss was highly disappointing for the Tijuana Toros as Union Laguna had the second-worst record in the LMB heading into this encounter. The Border City Bulls now have a 17-3 record and will now go on the road for a three-game series to face Sultanes de Saltillo and then will head back home for a nine-game homestand.
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.