En 1981, séptimo campeonato escarlata
En la Serie de Campeonato del Sur derrotaron en siete desafíos a Piratas de Campeche. Entre tanto, en el Norte, Bravos de Reynosa barrió en cuatro juegos a Saraperos de Saltillo y posteriormente ganó en cinco encuentros a Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo.
La Serie Final de 1981 entró al libro de los récords luego de que ningún de los equipos ganó en su casa. Diablos triunfó en los cuatro juegos celebrados en Reynosa, mientras que Bravos ganó los tres en el parque del Seguro Social.
El 1º de septiembre, en el parque Adolfo López Mateos de Reynosa comenzó la serie por el título absoluto con una victoria escarlata 6-3. Llenas, actuando como jugador-manager, conectó par de cuadrangulares (tercera y sexta entradas) con tres remolcadas y buen relevo del ganador Ramón Arano. El cubano Diego Seguí fue el derrotado.
Diablos logró su segunda victoria el 2 de septiembre, ahora 3-2 con pitcheo combinado del ganador Maximino León y Salomé Barojas. Fueron apoyados por el bateo de Jerry Hairston quien también entró al libro de récords al conectar dos triples en un juego y el de más triples consecutivos (sexta y octava entradas) en un juego.
El jardinero central escarlata agregó un doble en el primer episodio y Diablos tomó ventaja definitiva en el sexto episodio con dos anotaciones por bases a Roberto Rodríguez y Fernando González más triple de Hairston.
Natanel Alvarado conectó otro triple en el séptimo para ser impulsado por hit de Sergio Robles. El batazo de Alvarado fue para otro récord, ahora el de Más Triples (3) conectados por un equipo en un juego. Héctor Ríos fue el derrotado.
La serie se trasladó al parque del Seguro Social el 4 de septiembre con triunfo de 5-1 de Reynosa, combinando pitcheo del ganador Carlos Ibarra y Julio César Divison. Bravos ganó desde la primera entrada con dos anotadas cuando Ted Ford conecta hit para impulsar a Eduardo Muñoz y Juan Francisco Rodríguez ante los lanzamientos del derrotado Guadalupe Salinas.
Otro par en el tercero por jonrón de Alvin Moore, encontrándose en las bases a Ford. En el cierre del sexto, Fernando González remolcó a Winston llenas para la única carrera escarlata. Willie Norwood remachó la victoria visitante con hit en el noveno episodio.
El 5 de septiembre los Bravos empataron la serie 2-2 al ganar 7-4 con dos decisivas en el octavo episodio. Salomé Barojas (derrotado) admitió hit de Norberto Burke y Jorge Sánchez entró a correr de emergente para anotar por jonrón de Eduardo Muñoz. Diego Seguí lanzó las 9 entradas por los fronterizos con 12 hits, 1 bases y 6 ponches.
Para el 6 de septiembre, Reynosa toma ventaja de 3-2 en la serie luego de su triunfo de 12-9, asegurando la victoria con dos en la sexta e impulsadas por hits de Clemente Rosas y Gener Rivero. Héctor Ríos fue el ganador y perdió Herminio Domínguez, ambos en labor de relevo.
De regreso a la frontera, el 8 de septiembre y Diablos empareja la serie 3-3 al ganar 4-0 con pitcheo de Lupe Salinas que admitió 4 hits, 3 bases y 4 ponchados. Los capitalinos anotaron dos en la quinta entrada por infielhit de Roberto Rodríguez más toque sacrificio de Félix Millán. Jerry Hairston se embasa en error del incialista Gabriel Lugo y en la jugada anotó Rodríguez. Winston Llenas remacha con triple.
Un error del catcher Clemente Rosas y hit de Marco Antonio Guzmán propiciaron las dos últimas carreras del juego en la octava frente al derrotado Carlos Ibarra.
LA CORONACION
El séptimo y decisivo encuentro se celebró el 9 de septiembre. Bravos toma delantera en la primera entrada por hit de Norwood para remolcar a Juan Francisco Rodríguez. En el tercero, otra sobre el pitcheo del ganador Ramón Arano cuando Willie se embasa en error del antesalista Manny Alvarez y se roba la segunda, así como la tercera para luego anotar en mal tiro a la antesala del catcher Guzmán.
Diablos se fue adelante 3-2 en el cuarto inning. Base a Hairston y hit de Winston Llenas, y tras ser dominado Manny Alvarez. Llenas es out en segunda por rodado a las paradas cortas de Fernando González. En la jugada, el intermediarista Francisco Rodríguez busca el dobleplay, pero tiró mal a la inicial para que anotara Hairston; luego vinieron hits remolcadores de Natanael Alvarado y Marco Antonio Guzmán.
La carrera que aseguró el título cayó en el fatídico episodio por sencillo de Natanael Alvarado contra el derrotado Diego Seguí. Guzmán adelantó al corredor con toque de sacrificio y Luis Alvarado impulsa con imparable.
Bravos atacó por última vez en el cierre del octavo inning cuando Ted Ford es dominado vía 6-3 por Ramón Arano, quien admite sencillo de Alvin Moore y doble de Gabriel Lugo. Maximino León entró al relevo por Arano.
Rodado a la intermedia de Clemente Rosas impulsó a Moore, pero Humberto García es el tercer out con elevado al izquierdo. León retiró en orden el noveno inning al dominar al emergente Guadalupe Leal con elevado al central; Juan Francisco Rodríguez fly al izquierdo y Eduardo Muñoz a la inicial por el out 27.
Para obtener el séptimo campeonato de su historia, Diablos tuvo que ganar 12 de 19 juegos en ese 1981.
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