By Lewis Rubman

March 17, 2016.

MEXICALI BC MEXICO–In a surprisingly close game, the powerful Mexican entry in the World Baseball Classic qualifying game tonight just managed to hang on and beat the team from the Czech Republic, 2-1. The highest level at which a member of the Czech team appeared last season was AAA, where Mike Cervenka played for the Toledo Mud Hens of the InternationalLeague. Two others played rookie ball , and another two toiled in the independent American Association.  They battled down to the wire a Mexican team that included Los Angeles Dodger first baseman Adrián González and Washington Nationals pitcher Oliver Pérez and fourteen more players for MLB-affiliated teams.  So it was something of a moral victory for the Czech Republic’s team of unknowns to come within an eyelash of beating the powerful Mexican squad.

Mexico opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with a single by designated hItter Jesse Castillo that  brought in left fielder Esteban Quiroz, who had drawn a walk and advanced to second on a walk to González.  González, in turn, advanced to third on Castillo’s single and scored on Agustin Murillo’s sacrifice fly to left.

Mexico’s pitcher mowed down the Czech’s hopeless batters systematically.  Alejandro Soto allowed only one man to reach base, Jakub Malik, who walked on a 3-2 count to open the second inning. Soto struck out  seven batters in his three innings of pitching.  Mark Serrano held the Czechs scoreless for the next three frames, although he allowed three hits and a walk. Armando Aguilar relieved him and pitched a scoreless seventh. Jack Sánchez seemed ready to retire the side in order in the top of the seventh when Matej Hejma tagged him for a  two-out homer to right-center field by Matej Hejma in the top of the eighth.  Pérez shut the Czechs down in the ninths without allowing a base runner.

After the Czech Republic’s starter, Marek Cervenka, surrendered his two runs in the top of the first, he settled down and set  the Mexicans down in order in the second. Jan Novak followed him, holding Mexico scoreless on no hits and two walks, while striking out three in three and two-thirds innings.  He was followed by Eric Sogard’s brother Alex of the Sioux City Explores, who came in with two on and two outs in Mexico’s half of the eighth and, after walking González, pitched an inning and a third of perfect  ball, striking out one and keeping Mexico off the board.

Each team got four hits, and Mexico’s second baseman, Walter Ibarra, made the game’s only error.

The Czechs will face NIcaragua tomorrow at 12:30 Pacific Time, and Mexico will play Germany at 7:30.