Kino Stadium will host a pair of Mexican Pacific League teams for a three-game baseball series starting Nov. 11.
The International Series between the Yaquis de Obregon and Aguilas de Mexicali will mark the first time in the history of the Mexican Pacific League that two teams will play a regular-season series stateside.
The event will be put on by Vamos a Tucson Mexican Baseball Fiesta, the same group that puts on the series of Mexican Pacific League exhibitions at Kino Stadium every October. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Nov. 11, a Friday; Saturday and Sunday’s game will start at 5:10 p.m. Tickets go on sale Tuesday at MexicanBaseballFiesta.com.; prices start at $15, with discounts available for children, seniors and the military. All three games will be televised in Mexico via pay-per-view.
Mike Feder and his Mexican Baseball Fiesta partner, former Mexican Pacific League pitcher Francisco Gamez, had been working to get a regular-season series in Tucson for a number of years. The Yaquis club always seemed like a possible partner, Feder said. Their owner, Rene Rodriguez, attends the Mexican Baseball Fiesta at Kino Stadium every October. When Gamez and Rodriguez talked recently, the Yaquis owner indicated he was open to moving a home series from Ciudad Obregon to the United States. Organizers discussed holding the event in either Tucson or Mesa before choosing Kino Stadium.
“Rene really believes in the future of the league, with the possibility that expansion could occur in the United States,” Feder said. Which is why “there’s a lot of eyeballs on this,” Feder said.
Including those of Gamez. His son, Luis, a Cienega High School graduate, is a starting pitcher for the Yaquis. Obregon’s roster also includes former Arizona Wildcat Jared Oliva, who spent part of the 2020 and 2021 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and former big-leaguers Arturo Lopez and Allen Cordoba. The Aguilas’ roster includes ex-big-leaguers Scott Schebler and Chris Roberson as well as Seth Blair, a former first-round pick out of Arizona State.
“People (in the United States) don’t understand: The Mexican Winter League’s got good talent,” Feder said.
The series is already being promoted heavily in Mexico, Feder said, with a push to fill the stands coming to Tucson soon. The Mexican Baseball Fiesta drew 5,000 and 7,000 fans to Kino Stadium on back-to-back nights earlier this month. A similar showing could put Tucson in the running for an expansion franchise, should the league ever push north of the border.
“We just want this to work,” Feder said.
Photos: 2022 Mexican Baseball Fiesta
Mexicali's Oliver Carrillo dives past the tag from the Obregon catcher with what should have been the winning run in last inning of their 2-2 game during day one of the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Tucson, Ariz., October 6, 2022. Carrillo was called out on the play.
Arizona's starter TJ Nichols deals to Hermosillo's Cesar Salazar in the second inning of their game during day one of the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Tucson, Ariz., October 6, 2022. The game ended in a 6-6 tie, the second tie of the night.
Arizona's third baseman Tony Bullard has to throw over Hermosillo baserunner Julian Francisco Leon Camacho after fielding a grounder in the eighth inning of their game during day one of the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Tucson, Ariz., October 6, 2022. Bullard's throw pulled the first baseman off the bag and put runners on the corners.
Arizona's first baseman Kiko Romero gets the easy grounder to force Hermosillo's Norberto Obeso Gonzalez at first in the third inning of their game during day one of the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Tucson, Ariz., October 6, 2022.
Hermosillo's starting catcher and former Wildcat Cesar Salazar gloves a strike as he faces his old Arizona team during day one of the Mexican Baseball Fiesta on Oct. 6, 2022, at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Arizona's Tyler Casagrande tosses his bat after lacing a single up the middle against Hermosillo during day one of the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Tucson, Ariz., October 6, 2022.
Arizona's center fielder Mac Bingham runs in to get to a short fly by Hermosillo's Jasson Abelardo Atondo Diarte for the second out in the fourth inning of their game during day one of the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Tucson, Ariz., October 6, 2022.
Arizona's second baseman Garen Caulfield sprawls out to snare a grounder in the gap and end Hermosillo's half of the fourth inning of their game during day one of the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Tucson, Ariz., October 6, 2022.
Arizona's shortstop Nik McClaughry loses the handle on a grounder up the middle by Hermosillo's Roberto Ramos Vallestros letting run in and putting runners at first and second in the fifth inning of their game during day one of the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Tucson, Ariz., October 6, 2022.
Arizona's Kiko Romero shatters his bat grounding out and ending the Wildcat sixth against Hermosillo in the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Tucson, Ariz., October 6, 2022.
Hermosillo's shortstop Marcelo Martinez Salinas fires to first but can't get Arizona's Nik McClaughry on a slow roller in the seventh inning of their game during day one of the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Tucson, Ariz., October 6, 2022.
Hermosillo's centerfielder Luis Alberto Millan Denton makes the grab on a twisting fly from Arizona's Chase Davis in the ninth inning of their game during day one of the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Tucson, Ariz., October 6, 2022.
Arizona coach Chip Hale talks to his Wildcats just before first pitch against Hermosillo at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium on Oct. 6, 2022.
Mexicali's shortstop leaps to make the stop on a wicked bounce from Obregon grounder for the third out in the sixth inning of their game during day one of the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Tucson, Ariz., October 6, 2022.
Obregon's third baseman can't get the tag as Mexicali's baserunner swipes third at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Tucson, Ariz., October 6, 2022.
Mexicali's first baseman scrambles into the foul territory to snare a shot looping foul ball off an Obregon bat in the first game of the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Tucson, Ariz., October 6, 2022.
Mexicali's shortstop Berny Heras lays the tag on an Obergon baserunner caught in a rundown at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Tucson, Ariz., October 6, 2022.
