Fargo Moorhead RedHawks defeated Yucatan Leones, 2-1, and earned their first win in the inaugural Baseball Champions League Americas.

Relevier Mitchell Verburg shut out the host in a 5.1 solid effort, allowing only two hits and a walk.

“I think Colten [Davis] did really a good job setting up the first four innings. I inherited it. Fastball won and so did command,” said the WBSC Player of the Day after the game.

Davis has been a starter all year in the American Association.
“I was supposed to start tomorrow, but I told the manager that if he needed me, I was ready to come out of the bullpen,” he added. “I’ve been a reliever my whole life. Also, I believe pitching is pitching. You have to throw strikes and get batters out if you start or close the game.”

“Verburg is just a good pitcher,” added RedHawks manager Chris Coste. “Before this game, he told me he was willing to pitch today. As a manager, it’s what you want to hear. When I told him I wanted to finish the game, I think he was surprised but still did a great job.”

The local media asked Verburg if he had ever experienced an atmosphere close to what he saw at the Kukulkan Alamo Park.
“Not even close. I believe the passion for the game here is amazing. I loved it.”

Barranquilla Caimanes won the afternoon game against Granma Alazanes, 7-3.

The live blog as it happened

The RedHawks handed the ball to Colten Davis, one of the top prospects in the American Association.

The 23-year right-hander needed 25 pitches to get out of the top of the first. He retired Luis Juarez on a pop to second base with the bases loaded and a full count.

Wilmer Rios, a Mexican Baseball League veteran, took the mound for the hosts.
Dillon Thomas and Roy Morales hit back-to-back singles to lead off the bottom of the first, then Rios retired the side in order.

The RedHawks took the lead in the bottom of the second. Centre fielder Alec Olund hit a two-out double in the bottom of the second. Shortstop Sam Dexter followed with a line drive to left field to make it 1-0. Left fielder Dillon Thomas hit an RBI single but became the third out trying to turn it into a double.

Yucatan cut the gap in the top of the fourth. Right-fielder Yadir Drake turned the first pitch he saw into a solo home run.

Davis allowed a two-out single to Marco Jaime and left for Mitchell Verburg, who used three pitches to retire Norberto Obeso and get out of the inning.

Faustino Carrera took the mound for Yucatan in the bottom of the fourth.

Second baseman Manny Boscan singled off reliever Samuel Zazueta, the third Leones pitcher, to lead off the bottom of the seventh. Pinch hitter Max Murphy reached on a slow chopper to shortstop. Olund failed to execute the sacrifice bunt and popped out to third base.

Yucatan handed the ball to hard-throwing right-hander Enrique Burgos, who got Sam Dexter to ground into a double play and got out of the jam.

Verbirg didn’t allow the Leones scoring chances and completed his winning effort with 58 pitches, 37 for strikes.

Prospects
Patrick Ebert – September 29, 2023

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