Brewers storm back for victory
Montebello team scores three runs in the last inning to capture tournament title in Hawaii.
By MARK A. PEINADO

     The Montebello Brewers 12-year-old team overcame sand, sun, ocean and five other teams to capture the Baseball in Paradise tournament on Aug. 13.
     The Brewers had to rebound from a stinging defeat at the hands of Hawaii-Kai. Kai pounded Montebello, 15-4, so manager Alfred Lopez laid it down short and sweet: no more swimming.
     "The swimming was taking a lot of energy out of them so, after the loss, I didn't let the kids swim," Lopez said.
     That strategy paid off in the tournament title game as the Brewers scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to pull out a 5-4 win over Kai and capture the tournament title.
     "The kids got together with no coaches around and rallied themselves. They got pumped up," Lopez said. "They were excited to win the tournament."
     Trailing 4-2, the Brewers' Kirby Flores got the rally going with a single. Jose Camarena walked. Daniel Almeida laid a bunt down the third base line to load the bases. Mark Ramos' infield single brought the Brewers within one, and when Dominic Lopez was hit by a pitch, the Brewers had tied it up.
     Joshua Cortez hit into a fielder's choice to bring in the go-ahead run.
     All that was left was getting the side out in the bottom of the seventh.
     Lopez made a diving catch in right-center field for the first out of the inning. Michael Velasco, the Brewers starter, induced two more groundouts to complete the 1-2-3 inning.
     Velasco pitched a complete game, giving up three hits and striking out four to pick up the victory.
     Despite the loss, Hawaii-Kai showed great sportsmanship as their families invited the Brewers to a barbecue afterward.
     In fact, Lopez said, the entire trip the Brewers were treated to great hospitality.
     "Everywhere we went (the pilot on the airplane, restaurants, the Polynesian Center, and the Pearl Harbor Memorial), they'd announce who we were," Lopez said. "The people were real nice out there."
     The Brewers next tournament is at the Big League Dreams Complex in Riverside on Sept. 23.

Copyright 2000 Times Community News