Baseball Champions League Americas: Fargo beat Barranquilla to tie for first place

The Fargo-Moorhead Red Hawks defeated the Barranquilla Caimanes, 10-6, to open Day 3 of the Baseball Champions League Americas. The two teams are now tied in first place at 2-1.

An eight-run first RedHawks at-bat set the tone for the game.

"The first inning was the big thing. They had their momentum. They came back, fought each inning, and it was taxing on our pitchers," commented after the game Fargo's manager Chris Coste. "We were able to do some good pitches in the middle innings to prevent the big damage."

At the end of the day, Barranquilla matched the 11 Fargo hits.

"We allowed 11 hits and nine walks," said Coste."This tells you how our pitchers didn't make the good pitch when they needed it...11 hits and nine walks, they should have scored 12 to 15, but our pitchers prevented the damage."

The RedHawks' leadoff hitter, Dillon Thomas, batted twice in the first inning. He struck out against Santiago Florez first, then got to Carlos Ocampo with a three-RBI double in his second.

"Florez made a really good pitch on a 3-2 count. Honestly, I didn't expect a 3-2 slider on the game's first hitter. The next at-bat, I was looking for a good pitch to hit, and I got one down the middle of the plate with two strikes. I didn't try to do too much. I tried to put a good swing on it, and it worked out."

Thomas also spoke of his experience in the Baseball Champions League Americas.

"The event exceeded my expectations. I played in the LMB earlier this season [32 games with Oaxaca]. I knew the atmosphere. Some of my teammates have never been to Mexico, and I've been talking to them all week about what to expect. I think the WBSC has done a great job setting up this event. After witnessing the opening night, in a sense, I felt like I was playing in the World Baseball Classic. It's been a great event, and I've enjoyed every second."

The hosts Yucatan Leones (0-2) will face Granma Alazanes (1-1) in the night game

Leones are eliminated but would promote Caimanes and RedHaws to the final with a win. If Granma wins, the round-robin will finish with three teams tied at 2-1.

The WBSC Team Quality Balance (TQB) will serve as the tie-breaker. It is calculated as runs scored per innings played on offence minus runs allowed per innings played on defence.

Live blog - Game as it happened

Fargo handed the ball to former Major League Baseball (MLB) reliever Ashton Goudeau.

Barranquilla started 23-year-old right-hander Santiago Florez, who spent the 2023 season at the A level with MLB's Pittsburgh Pirates.

Fargo took a quick lead. First baseman Roy Morales hit a one-out single in the bottom of the first and advanced on a walk. With two outs, second baseman Manny Boscan hit an RBI single to right field to put the RedHawks ahead.

Florez allowed the second run on back-to-back walks and left for Carlos Ocampo. Centre fielder Alec Olund singled on his first pitch to extend Fargo's lead to 4-0.

Ocampo hit Sam Dexter to load the bases again. Left fielder Dillon Thomas, the tenth Fargo batter of the frame, cleared the bases with a double to the gap in right-centre.

Morales added a base hit to make it 8-0.

Barranquilla reached base in the top of the third as Goudeau allowed back-to-back two-out walks. The right-hander retired Carlos Arroyo on a fly to centre to end the game.

Chris Herrmann homered to lead off the bottom of the third and extend Fargo's lead to 9-0.

Left-hander Oddy Nuňez replaced Ocampo on Barranquilla's mound with two outs in the bottom of the third.

Third baseman Darwin Pomare got the first Caimanes hit in the top of the fourth. With runners at first and second, catcher Pabel Manzanero drove Goudeau's fifth pitch over the left field wall and put Barranquilla on the scoreboard.

The RedHawks got out of the inning thanks to a double play.

In the botton half of the frame Barranquilla got out of a bases loaded jam. Nuňez struck out Herrmann and left for Jesus Fandiňo, who got Alec Olund swinging to end the at-bat.

Barranquilla cut the gap in the fifth. Goudeau walked the first batter of the inning. Leadoff hitter Demetrius Sims reached on a swinging bunt, and both runners advanced on a passed ball. Second baseman Carlos Arroyo singled to cut the gap to 9-4.

Fargo called right-hander Charles Hasty from the bullpen, and designated hitter Jesus Valdez singled on his first pitch to make it 9-5.

With a runner at second, Murphy turned a deep fly to right by Demetrius Sims into the third out of th top of the sixth with a fine running catch

Fabian Cota took the mound for Barranquilla in the bottom of the sixth.

Hasty failed to get out of the seventh when the video review reversed a double-play call. He left for Grant Gavin with runners at second and first.

The right-hander walked Manzanero to load the bases, then retired left fielder Jesus Marriaga on a pop to second base.

The game was delayed by rain in the bottom of the seventh with runners at second and first and no one out.

As play resumed after approximately 40 minutes, Barranquilla sent veteran Pedro Rodriguez to the mound. The right-hander got the first out on strikes, then walked the bases loaded. Designated hitter Dayson Croes hit an RBI single. Rodriguez got cleanup hitter Max Murphy to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Barranquilla loaded the bases with no one out in the top of the eighth but scored only one run as Edwin Garcia grounded into a double play.

Left-hander DJ Snelten took the mound for Fargo in the top of the ninth. First baseman Osman Marval hit a leadoff single. Snelten got Derwin Pomare to ground into a double play and struck out Pabel Manzanero to end the game.

• Fargo wins first to close Day 2
• Barranquilla beats Granma, earns second win
• Barranquilla overcome Leones to end Day 1
• Granma beats Fargo in opener
• Meet the four managers
• WBSC, LMB reveal Baseball Champions League Americas Trophy
• How to watch the Baseball Champions League Americas
• WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari: "A new era begins for International Baseball"