Diablos Rojos and Leñadores to compete for Baseball Champions League Americas title

The defending Mexican Baseball League (LMB) champions, Mexico City Diablos Rojos, and the 63rd Cuba's Serie Nacional winners, Las Tunas Leñadores, will compete for the Baseball Champions League Americas 2025 title. In the semifinals at the Alfredo Harp Helù Stadium in Mexico City on Saturday, the Diablos Rojos outscored and outhit the Santa Maria Pirates of the Curaçao Double-A League, and the Leñadores defeated the American Association's Kane County Cougars in a slugfest.

The Results

Leñadores-Cougars 17-10
Diablos Rojos-Pirates 17-8

Leñadores-Cougars

The two teams combined 37 hits and seven errors. Las Tunas set the tone with an eight-run third at-bat on their way to the final.

The Cougars took a 2-1 lead into the third, when the Leñadores rallied with eight runs, setting the course to the win. Starter Landen Bourassa could get only one out. He allowed six hits, including Yosvany Alarcon's three-run homer.

Kane County stayed in the game thanks to home runs by Dayson Croes off starter Tadian Martinez and Thomas Dillon against reliever Dariel Gongora. The Cougars scored three runs in the bottom of the third, rallying for four in the bottom of the fifth.

The Cuban lineup dominated through the end, combining 23 hits. Luis Mateo had four, and Rafal Viñales had three, including a home run. Alarcon had a four-RBI day.

Reliever Frank Medina limited the Cougars to three hits in 4.2 innings of work and picked up the win.

BOX SCORE

Diablos Rojos-Pirates

The Diablos Rojos dominated from the start, scoring four runs in the first and five in the second. They extended their lead to 17-1, before the Pirates made the gap less wide with a seven-run eighth to set the final score on 17-8,

Santa Maria's starter Scott Prins walked the first two batters he faced, then gave up three consecutive one-out base hits, including Julian Ornelas' triple and José Rondon's double. Aristides Aquino got to Prins with a three-run homer in the bottom of the third. The Dutch National Team right-hander left after allowing nine earned runs.

Mexico City's bats combined 20 hits. Designated hitter Robinson Cano had four while seven of the starting lineup enjoyed a multi-hit night.

The Diablos Rojos starter Zac Grotz left after pitching three scoreless innings. Mexico City used six relievers. Andrelton Simmons, Juremi Profar and Reyhan Facunda homered off Richard Karcher in the seven-run eighth.

BOX SCORE

The Final

Sunday, April 13 - 14:00 (local time) Diablos Rojos (starting pitcher Jose Bravo)-Leñadores (Andy Vargas)