Union Laguna cotton growers snatch victory from Caliente de Durango

The Unión Laguna Cotton Growers won the series against Caliente de Durango after splitting victories yesterday at Francisco Villa Stadium in Durango, giving the Guinda team its third consecutive series win at the dawn of the 2025 season in the Mexican Baseball League (LMB).

The Guinda team has a record of 6 wins and 3 losses, the second best in the Northern Zone.

FIRST GAME

A strong outing by Jake Thompson led Caliente de Durango to a 5-3 victory over the Algodoneros del Unión Laguna in the second game of the series and the first of the doubleheader. Durango took the lead in the third inning, with starter Omar Araujo on the mound and runners on the corners. Leo Cabrera hit a difficult line drive to shortstop that hit Didi Gregorius in the face with a rough bounce, resulting in an RBI double.

Cabrera also reached home with a single by Manuel Boscán to make it 3-0. Laguna responded in the fourth inning: with one out on the board, Albert Lara broke up Durango starter Jake Thompson's perfect game with a single, and behind him, Nick Torres hit his third home run of the season to make it 2-3.

Caliente scored two more runs in the fifth inning: with Matt Tenuta on the mound, Nick Williams and Manuel Boscán drove in a run each with a pair of singles, finding runners on first and second base in their respective at-bats.

Jake Thompson earned the win, pitching five innings of three-hit, two-run ball with three strikeouts. In the sixth inning, he was relieved by Tyler Duffey, who allowed one run: Albert Lara doubled off him and scored on Nick Torres' single. Hector Perez retired the ninth inning to earn the save, sealing Durango's victory and tying the series.

SECOND GAME

Jaime Barría pitched five scoreless innings and the Algodoneros put together a seven-run first inning to beat Caliente 10-2 in the second game of a doubleheader, giving the Laguna team their third series of the season.

The Algodoneros' attack began in the first inning with a single by Josh Stowers and a double by Nick Torres to move into third and second base, then Jonathan Villar hit a ground ball and in his attempt to get the out at home, pitcher Félix Doubront's throw was bad, so the first two runs scored with the error. With runners on third and second base after a double steal, Isan Díaz singled to drive in both runs, then in the same inning, with two men on base and still facing Doubront's pitches, Albert Lara hit his first home run of the year to drive in three and put the scoreboard 7-0 in favor of Laguna.

In the second inning, the Algodoneros struck again: with Braden Webb on the mound and runners on third and second, Isan Díaz again drove in a pair of runs with a single. Unión Laguna starter Jaime Barría earned his second win of the season by pitching five complete innings of four hits without allowing a run, issuing one walk, and striking out four of the 19 batters he faced. The loss was taken by Félix Doubront, who worked the first inning, allowing six hits and seven runs.

The visitors' tenth run was driven in by Adrián Tovalín in the sixth inning with a grounder to shortstop, Frank Schwindel scored after hitting a double and reaching third on a single by Ramón Mora.