MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- It turns out the Tomateros de California can win the close games, too.
Going into the championship game of the 10-and-under division in the first-ever National Youth Baseball Championships, the Tomateros had outscored their opponents, 54-10, in their previous four contests. In the finale on Saturday night, they found themselves down early, but the Tomateros rallied back and held on late in a 7-6 win over the Chet Lemon Juice 10s, which earned them the trophy.
Down, 2-0, heading into the bottom of the fourth, the Tomateros started the inning with four straight hits and ended up with five runs thanks to RBIs by Bryan Duenas, Isaak Gutierrez, Jose Ruiz, Gabriel Anaya and Henry Martinez.
The Juice 10s (4-1), from Orlando, Fla., cut the deficit to one thanks to a two-run, opposite-field homer by Juan Hillman. But the Tomateros (5-0), from Paramount, Calif., flexed their muscles once again with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. In the sixth, after the Juice 10s cut it to one with an RBI double by Andrew Baker and a two-out RBI single by Chase Cheek, Gutierrez struck out the final batter with the tying run in scoring position to clinch it.
Duenas earned the win by giving up four runs in the first five innings. After the game, he went on to win the MVP, hitting over .700 with a home run and nine RBIs.
"It feels great [to win it all] -- like we have new life," said Tomateros head coach Joe Ruiz, whose team was the No. 2 10-and-under squad in the nation according to Travel Ball Select, mostly because they lost in the championship game of the Elite 24. "Sometimes, your offense comes out lagging, and it takes a little bit to get it going, and they were able to do that [in the fourth inning]."
The NYBC, held at Gameday Baseball's First Tennessee Fields, brings together eight teams in each of the two age groups -- 10-and-under and 12-and-under. The teams earn the right to compete in the four-day tournament by winning their respective youth baseball organization. The Tomateros represented the USSSA, and the Juice 10s were champions of the Amateur Athletic Union.
On Sunday, at 6 p.m. CT, the champion of the 12-and-under division will be crowned.
"This tournament is great," Ruiz said. "The fields are good, the people are really nice and everybody is really excited.
"I think it's going to be really good [in the future]."
