Meneses posts hat trick in Mexican playoffs

Joey Meneses is no stranger to milestone performances. He made history again on Friday night.
The former Braves prospect tied the Culiacan record for homers in a game, smacking three solo shots as the Tomateros dropped a 7-6, 12-inning decision to the Charros de Jalisco in Game 4 of the Mexican Pacific League opening-round playoff series.

Meneses got going in the fourth inning, belting a two-out homer off Charros starter Octavio Acosta to get the Tomateros within 3-1. The 25-year-old first baseman forged a 4-4 tie and capped a three-run sixth with a one-out blast off reliever Manuel Flores. He connected off Ivan Salas with one out in the 11th to give Culiacan its first lead of the night, equaling the team record set by former Major Leaguer Andres Mora on Sept. 11, 1979. 

The Charros scored twice in the bottom of the 11th to tie it again, 6-6, then squared the best-of-7 series at 2-2 on Edson Garcia's sacrifice fly in the 12th.
Meneses became a free agent in November after seven seasons in the Braves system. He was a Southern League midseason All-Star and tied for fifth on the circuit in batting in 2017, putting up a .292/.360/.403 slash line with nine homers and 45 RBIs in 108 games with Double-A Mississippi. 
A native of Culiacan, Meneses hit for the cycle for Class A Rome on May 10, 2014. He became the second player in team history to accomplish the feat, completing it with a solo homer in the seventh.