The Tomateros de Culiacán rallied to secure a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Charros de Jalisco, leveling the Liga Mexicana del Pacífico (LMP) Final Series at 2-2 during Game 4 held at the Estadio Panamericano. The game was marked by tight competition and dramatic moments, pushing the series back to Culiacán for at least one more game.
The contest had Charros making the first strike, with Billy Hamilton drawing a walk to open the game. Seizing the opportunity, he moved to third base on an errant pick-off attempt by Tomateros pitcher Édgar Arredondo, before scoring on Michael Wielansky's single, giving Charros an early 1-0 lead.
Tomateros responded swiftly, equalizing the score thanks to Dwight Smith Jr.'s efforts. After being singled to base, he was sent home by a wild pitch from Charros pitcher Alemao Hernández, making it 1-1 by the second inning.
The offenses were relentless, with Tomateros gaining control of the match through consecutive doubles from Rudy Martin and Ramón Ríos, which put them up 2-1 by the third inning. They extended their lead to 3-1 on another score resulting from another pass ball after Luis Verdugo’s plate appearance.
Charros refused to back down, as Jack Mayfield delivered with a clutch double, allowing Julián Ornelas to cross the plate, narrowing Tomateros' lead to 3-2.
Despite their efforts, Tomateros struck again with César Mendoza's single, driving home Joey Meneses later in the fifth to restore the advantage to 4-2. But Charros continued to fight, and their persistence paid off when Mayfield brought home Hamilton with another timely hit, bringing the score to 4-3 by the eighth inning.
Throughout the late innings, tensions ran high as Charros searched for the equalizer. They loaded the bases without any outs during the eighth but were thwarted by the strong relief pitching from Tomateros, especially with David Gutiérrez earning the save after sealing the victory.
Pitching was also significant, with José Torres earning the win for Tomateros after pitching 1.1 scoreless innings. The loss fell on Hernández, who only navigated 2.2 innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs.
The final stretch is set with Game 5 scheduled for Sunday at 5:00 PM CDMX time, featuring repeat matchups from Game 1. The stakes are high as both teams seek the pivotal win to push their title ambitions forward.