VENADOS WIN TIJUANA BEISBOL FEST

Trailing 2-1 in the top of the ninth inning, the Mazatlan Venados rang up four runs and went on to defeat the Obregon Yaquis, 5-2, Sunday afternoon to clinch the third annual Tijuana Beisbol Fest title at Estadio Cerro Colorado in the border city. It was Mazatlan's first appearance at the four-team preseason tournament.

Oswaldo Morejon (pictured), Lorenzo Buelna and Brandon Sing each singled to open the ninth for the Deer, with Sing’s singleton driving in Morejon with the tying run. Hector Paez then sliced yet another single to plate pinch-runner Jose Bernardo Lopez with the eventual game-winner.
Said Gutierrez gave the Yaquis a 2-0 lead in the fifth with a two-run homer to left, but Christian Quintero made it a 2-1 game in the seventh with an RBI single for the Venados to set up the ninth inning explosion. Mazatlan finished with a 2-0-1 record, Culiacan came in at 2-1, Obregon was 1-2 and Mexicali went 0-2-1 over the three-day, round-robin format.

On Saturday, a Home Run Derby was held with one contestant from each team: Mexican League home run champ Jorge Guzman for Mexicali, Refugio Cervantes from Culiacan, Iker Franco of Obregon and Sing for Mazatlan. Cervantes won the Derby with eight homers, while Guzman was runner-up with six.