1964: el año de Diablos y Tomás Herrera
México, D.F. (Tomás Morales) 29 de mayo.- Al igual que un año antes, Diablos Rojos y Pericos de Puebla pelearon por el primer lugar toda la temporada de 1964 y para el 31 de julio comenzó ya en las postrimerías de la campaña una serie decisiva de tres juegos entre Pericos y Rojos en el Parque del Seguro Social cuando los Diablos tenían solo un juego de ventaja sobre los verdes de Tony Castaño. Tomás Herrera estaba apenas en su segundo año de manager con el equipo de la capital.
Los Diablos ganaron los dos primeros de esa importantísima serie por blanqueadas de Ramón Arano y Alfredo Ortiz para aumentar la ventaja a tres juegos. Y el domingo dos de agosto hubo un lleno para ver si los Diablos barrían en la serie y aumentaban a cuatro juegos. Para el juego final lanzó Alberto Joachín por los Diablos quien aceptó una carrera en la primera entrada y luego escapó de problemas para poner cero tras cero. Por Pericos estaba lanzando en gran forma como acostumbraba el cubano Andrés Ayón un de los mejores de su tiempo en nuestra liga, y mantuvo la ventaja hasta la sexta entrada cuando ya con dos outs vino un hit de Leo Rodríguez y un tremendo jonrón de Miguel Fernández sobre la barda derecha para poner adelante 2-1 a los Rojos ante el entusiasmo general.
En la novena los Pericos amenazaron y Tomás Herrera trajo del bullpen a Ramón Arano para tratar de acabar y el famoso derecho ponchó a dos bateadores y dominó al último en línea al central. Los Diablos ya tenían cuatro juegos de ventaja con la campaña cerca del final.
Finalmente fue el 13 de agosto de 1964 el día de la coronación en el mismo Parque del Seguro y contra el gran enemigo Tigres. Este fue un juego de alto voltaje que llegó hasta la décima entrada, con los felinos tratando de evitar que se coronaran a sus costillas. Los Tigres le habían ganado tres juegos seguidos al Diablos y en el último de la serie los felinos iban ganando 6-1 con pitcheo de Horacio Solano. Desde tres días antes era uno el número mágico para que se coronaran los Rojos, pero habían perdido tres partidos seguidos ante sus grandes rivales.
Los Rojos vinieron de atrás en el cuarto juego de la serie y un triple con la casa llena de Leo Rodríguez los acercó 5-6. Pero llegó la novena y el juego seguía igual, con el zurdo Jesús Robles relevando por Tigres, y cuando ya parecía venir la derrota roja vino un dramático y oportuno cuadrangular del mismo Miguel Fernández, este por el lado izquierdo y bateando de derecho, para empatar a seis ante el rugido de los fanáticos rojos.
El encuentro se fue a la décima entrada con los Diablos como equipo visitante y David García, el veterano torpedero, dio doblete y llegó a tercera en sencillo de Agustín Enríquez. Otra vez vino el formidable Leo Rodríguez y conectó una línea al jardín izquierdo en la cual anotó David García en pisa y corre con los Diablos ganando ya 7-6.
En el cierre del décimo lanzó Aarón Flores, que ya había puesto un cero en el cierre del noveno, y comenzó dominando al emergente Ernesto Cruz en rola por tercera manejada por Leo Rodríguez para el primer out. Siguió Fernando "Pulpo" Remes con rola por segunda que Enríquez pifió pero se recuperó a tiempo para hacer el out en primera en jugada cerrada. Dos outs. El manager felino, "Chito" García, mandó de emergente a Gregorio Luque por Rubén Esquivias y dio una rola por tercera donde el Guante de Oro de Leo Rodríguez atrapó y con un perfecto tiro a William Berzunza en primera los Rojos ya eran campeones. La celebración total con los aficionados cargando en hombros a Berzunza, Flores, al manager Herrera. ¡La locura!
FOTO: Tomás Herrera y 'Toche' Peláez, de Diablos Rojos del México.
La siguiente noche los Diablos celebraron el que fue su segundo campeonato en Liga Mexicana con una cena de gala en el centro nocturno "Los Globos" de insurgentes Sur con Ana Berta Lepe y Manuel "Loco" Valdés como atracciones en el show.
El gerente Arnulfo Rodríguez logró contrataciones espectaculares para formar este campeón rojo que tuvo a Rudy Sandoval de catcher, Berzunza en primera base, Agustín Enríquez en segunda, David García en el short y Leo Rodríguez en tercera. El jardín con Miguel Fernández en el izquierdo, Andy "Avestruz" Rivera en el central y el único extranjero en el club, Harry "Petacas" Simpson, quien tuvo su año de despedida en dos muy buenas campañas con el equipo escarlata tras una larga carrera en Ligas Mayores, en el derecho.
Ramón Arano y Aarón Flores ganaron 16 juegos cada uno, con 15 de Alfredo Ortiz, nueve de Joachín y de Rafael Fabela mientras Mario "Toche" Peláez apareció en 40 juegos como relevo de lujo.
Leo Rodríguez fue el mejor bateador con .320 mientras Simpson dijo adiós con .306 y 14 jonrones. Migue Fernández fue líder del club en cuadrangulares con 21 y en empujadas con 95, bateando .294. Berzunza dio 12 cuadrangulares y Agustín Enríquez 14 con 80 impulsadas. Andy Rivera fue segundo en jonrones con 19 y segundo en empujadas con 90 así como brillantísimo fildeo en la pradera central.
Un año pintado de rojo.
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