The Jalisco Charros defeated the Culiacán Tomateros 12-11 in a dramatic 10-inning game to win their first Caribbean Series championship on Saturday night in Guadalajara, Mexico. Two wild pitches in the bottom of the 10th inning sealed the victory for the home team, marking Mexico's 10th title in the tournament. The all-Mexico final was necessitated by Venezuela's absence due to political issues.
The 68th Caribbean Series concluded with an unprecedented all-Mexico championship game at Guadalajara's Estadio Panamericano de Béisbol. Managed by Benji Gil, the Charros de Jalisco -- representing Mexico Red -- overcame a late comeback by the Tomateros de Culiacán (Mexico Green) to secure the win.
The game started strongly for the Charros, who scored three runs in the first inning, four in the second, and two more in the fourth, building a 9-1 lead off Tomateros starter Wilmer Ríos and reliever Odrisamer Despaigne. Culiacán responded with a six-run fifth inning against Jalisco starter Luis Ernesto Rodríguez and relievers Miguel Aguilar and Jesús Cruz, narrowing the gap to 9-7. The teams traded runs in the seventh, keeping the contest close.
Tension peaked in the top of the ninth when Tomateros first baseman Víctor Mendoza hit a two-run home run -- his second of the game -- off closer Trevor Clifton, tying the score at 10-10 and forcing extra innings. In the top of the 10th, catcher Alí Solís delivered a sacrifice fly to give Culiacán an 11-10 advantage under manager Lorenzo Bundy.
But the bottom of the 10th turned chaotic. With the ghost runner rule in play, the Charros loaded the bases with two outs. Reliever Lupe Chávez -- also known as Guadalupe Chávez -- threw a wild pitch that allowed the tying run to score, making it 11-11. He then walked third baseman Mateo Gil, Benji Gil's son, reloading the bases. Facing outfielder Bligh Madris, Chávez unleashed another wild pitch, enabling series MVP Michael Wielanski to score the winning run.
This victory marked the Charros' first Caribbean Series title after two straight Mexican Pacific League championships and avenged losses to the Tomateros in recent LMP finals. For Gil, it was his first Series win as a manager in six attempts, despite prior success with Culiacán as a player and skipper. Mexico's last title came in 2016 with the Mazatlán Venados.
The tournament, originally slated for Venezuela, was relocated to Guadalajara amid political turmoil, leading to Mexico fielding two teams while Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico initially opted out of the Venezuelan hosting. Looking ahead, the 2027 Series returns to Mexico in Hermosillo, followed by three years in Miami's loanDepot park starting in 2028. Caribbean Confederation president Juan Francisco Puello Herrera praised the Miami venue: “It’s always an attractive venue... Miami is a kind of hub.”
