The Charros de Jalisco bounced back from an opening day defeat to tie the two-game series against the Tomateros de Culiacan with a 6-4 victory Saturday evening at the Pan American Baseball Stadium in Zapopan.

The Mexican Pacific League (LMP) kicked off its 2015-16 season in Culiacan Friday with last year’s finalists going head to head.

Defending champions Culiacan got off to a flying start with Nick Buss connecting with a homer in the first inning.  The game turned into a tight pitching battle with the Tomateros edging a 2-0 win.

The next morning, the two teams flew back to Guadalajara where an excited capacity crowd of 12,000 packed the Telmex Stadium for the Charros’ home opener.

Two runs for Culiacan in the first innings looked an ominous sign but the Charros struck back in the fifth with three runs. Japhet Amador ended the evening with three hits and one RBI, and Jesus Valdez with one hit and two RBIs.

Marco Tovar threw five innings for the Charros giving up seven hits and two runs, while Brian Broderick – last year’s LMP Relief Pitcher of the Year – picked up the save.

Juan Francisco Puello, the president of the Caribbean Baseball Confederation, had the honor of throwing the ceremonial first pitch of the new Charros’ season.

The Charros travel to Hermosillo for a three-game series Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. They return to Guadalajara to face the Tomateros once again on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.