Sultanes win Game 7, dethrone Leones

The Sultanes de Monterrey rode the arm of Walter Silva and the bat of Karim Garcia to a 2-1 triumph over the Leones de Yucatan on Friday in the seventh game of the Mexican League championship series.

It was the ninth Mexican League title for Monterrey and its first since winning back-to-back crowns in 1995-96. The Sultanes won the first- and second-half division titles and finished the regular season with a 68-38 overall record.

Silva (2-0) limited the defending champion Leones to four hits and five walks while fanning eight over 5 1/3 shutout innings. Maximo De La Rosa survived a two-out solo homer in the ninth, getting Fernando Alejos to pop up for the final out before a crowd of 27,000.

Monterrey took a 1-0 lead in the first when Garcia singled and scored on Mendy Lopez's two-out base hit to center field. Garcia also led off the third with his third playoff homer.

Garcia, who spent parts of 11 seasons in the Major Leagues, ranked fifth in the Mexican League with a .374 average during the season. He collected 20 homers and 63 RBIs in 76 games.

Quincy Forster homered off De La Rosa in the ninth for Yucatan's lone run. The Leones threatened against Silva in the sixth when Willie Romero, Jesus Castillo and Izzy Alcantara walked to load the bases with two outs. But Said Gutierrez skied to left to end the inning.

Yucatan starter Oscar Rivera (2-3) threw 113 pitchesover six innings, allowing two runs on six hits while walking three and striking out six.