LAMP: With Six Games Remaining, Playoff Race Tightens; No Action Until Christmas Day

The Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico will not play each of the next two days as the league takes a two-day break before returning to action with a full slate of games on Christmas Day.

At the top of the standings, the Naranjeros de Hermosillo’s magic number for the second half is three, meaning three wins combined with three Jalisco losses will clinch them a share of first place, and they’d win a potential tiebreaker against Jalisco. The two teams face off in a three-game series that begins on Christmas Day.

Second through seventh place in the second half standings are separated by just four games, and while Jalisco has been hot in the second half, they’ll face first-place Hermosillo for three games and travel to Mexicali for three games to finish the regular season.

Los Mochis, which is tied with Mexicali for third place at 15-12 in the second half, will host Obregon for three games and travel to Culiacan to close the regular season, while the Aguilas visit last-place Monterrey and host Hermosillo.

In the full-season standings, the Sultanes de Monterrey (20-42) are one loss and a Navojoa win away from clinching last place, though their playoff hopes remain alive (but on life support). If the Sultanes can win their last six games, they have a very remote chance of finishing in a tie for fifth, which might be enough (provided most of the teams ahead of them collapse) to get them the final playoff spot.

Naranjeros de Hermosillo 2, Algodoneros de Guasave 1 – Jose Cardona hit a solo homer in the third and Alex Dickerson hit a sac fly to drive in the winning run two batters later as Hermosillo moved closer to clinching the second half title. Naranjeros closer Ricky Karcher flirted with disaster, walking three in the ninth to load the bases with two outs, but managed to escape when Alexis Wilson grounded it back to the mound and Karcher tossed over to first for the final out.

Tomateros de Culiacan 6, Sultanes de Monterrey 0 – Esteban Quiroz drew four walks and scored a run, and Cristian Santana went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored as the Tomateros breezed by Monterrey.

Aguilas de Mexicali 6, Venados de Mazatlan 2 – Jeremy Rhoades allowed two runs on four hits over six innings for Mexicali, striking out eight and walking two. The Aguilas bullpen allowed one hit over the final three innings to close out the win, which assured that Mazatlan could finish no better than second in the second half, though they’d need to sweep their remaining six games and get a lot of help from the rest of the league to do so.

Mayos de Navojoa 2, Caneros de Los Mochis 1 – Yasmany Tomas hit his league-leading 13th homer, but the second inning solo shot wasn’t enough to get Los Mochis the win. In the bottom of the inning, Ramon Mendoza’s sac fly and Gilberto Vizcarra’s RBI single gave the Mayos all the offense they’d need. Navojoa “bullpened” the game, with six pitchers combining to allow one run on six hits and two walks.

Yaquis de Obregon 5, Charros de Jalisco 1 – Jonathan Aranda hit a triple and a two-run homer, scoring two runs and going 2-for-3 in the Obregon win.

Christmas Day in the LAMP
All times Eastern Standard Time
7 p.m. – Hermosillo at Jalisco
7 p.m. – Navojoa at Mazatlan
7 p.m. – Mexicali at Monterrey
8 p.m. – Obregon at Los Mochis
9:30 p.m. – Culiacan at Guasave