Sixth straight defeat for the Yucatan Lions at the Kukulcan

The Yucatán Lions had the chance to finish off the Diablos and end their losing streak . They didn't do it, and against a rival like the Pingos, that's unforgivable.

Mexico once again showed that it has the measure of Yucatán and, coming from behind, won a great baseball duel, 5-4 in 11 innings, a game that unfortunately got out of hand for the long-haired team.

And so, Yucatán extended its losing streak to six and didn't remain in seventh place in the South Zone just because the Bravos de León fell at the last minute to the hotly contested Conspiradores de Querétaro.

It was sad to see the Lions waste opportunities. Once again, the relief pitching didn't hold up, but it must be said that the batting left much to be desired. The big hit was missing at the key moment. The Lions left 14 men on base and went 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

After wasting opportunity after opportunity, the Lions were left watching as what they couldn't do, due to a lack of aptitude and perhaps attitude, they did with ease.

In the eleventh inning, off Jake Miednik, José Pirela reached on an infield single and stole second. From there, he came home on a line drive by Carlos Sepúlveda, beating Norberto Obeso's fair throw. Catcher Gilberto Vizcarra waited for the throw behind the plate, and Pirela slid into the field to reach and touch the plate.

Yucatán still had one more. Against "Emperor" Tomohiro Anraku, Yangervis Solarte led off with a single, and Henry Ramos was ordered to bunt. Yadir Drake walked, but Carlos Figueroa, a former Devil, struck out, and Luis Felipe Juárez fouled out to end the game.

In the tenth inning, the Wildcats had a chance to put the game away. Webster Rivas singled to center (Héctor Mora ran for him) and Wilmer Difó swiped first base. Antonio Piñero attempted a sacrifice bunt, but failed: first baseman José Marmolejo almost caught the tag, and Difó was forced at second. With men on the corners and one out, Obeso was ordered to commit a suicidal squeeze play, but he couldn't execute it, and Mora was caught between third and home plate, thwarting everything. Head down, demoralized, Obeso ended up striking out.

That was the reading of practically the entire game.

Lions starter Tommy Doyle pitched four innings in fine fashion, but was removed with two outs, remaining a third of the way through the fifth. A frog-like touch was used to prevent the relievers from entering early. He was charged with three runs, and Trevor Kelley tied the game in the ninth, forcing extra innings.

That's one thing. And on the other, the offense faltered. Four runs are nothing these days with the pitching as battered as it looks, and that's true against any opponent.

The Devils tied the game in the ninth inning because they bunted the ball to first base. The Lions didn't score any more because they didn't bunt or hit at the right time.

In the seventh they loaded the bases with one out, but Luis Juárez struck out and Webster Rivas grounded out to third to end the rally, and in the eighth, Difó anchored at third with one out (hit, sacrifice and balk), but Obeso and Solarte failed.

Back at the leadoff spot, Norberto Obeso opened the scoring in the first at-bat for the Lions, with a blast into the center field. And in the second, Art Charles led off with a sweeping shot to right field, followed by a double by Difó, driving in another, and another on the wild pitch.

But that was all the Lions could muster. Starter Wilmer Font went off with seven hits and four runs, but against the relievers, the Lions managed only four hits.

The Lions also had a defense that was very much up to the task, in the third, fourth, and sixth innings.

For example, first it was Robinson Canó, who hit a difficult line drive to left field, where Henry Ramos dove to the side to make the catch. Fielding with the lights positioned is tricky at Kukulcán.

In the fifth, with hell really burning, as the pingos closed to 4-3, Julián Ornelas hit a short fly ball to right, where Yadir Drake reached for a shoelace to make the connection and keep the score that way.

In the sixth, Wilmer Difó made a great jump, diving to his left to stop a ground ball from Moisés Gutiérrez that was going to center, passing the ball with his glove to shortstop Antonio Piñero, who with enough time threw to first to complete the double play.