Six teams from six nations arrived in Mexico City last week with one goal: Becoming the champion of the Americas. In the second iteration of the Baseball Champions League Americas tournament -- the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks of the American Association won in 2023 -- the hosts, the Diablos Rojos del México, emerged victorious with a 6-1 victory over Cuba's Las Tunas Leñadores.
Powered by eight-time MLB All-Star Robinson Canó, the Diablos Rojos took an early lead and never looked back. Showing off the power which made him the 2011 Home Run Derby champion, Canó took Leñadores starter Andy Vargas deep in the first inning for an early 1-0 lead. The star infielder finished the day 4-for-5, picking up MVP Award honors for his effort.
José Rondón, who played for four MLB teams from 2016-21, tacked on another run with his own solo shot in the second, with fellow former MLBers José Marmolejos and Aristedes Aquino and former Mariners prospect Luis Liberato, providing the rest of the runs in Mexico City's victory. Conner Menez, who played for the Giants and Cubs from 2019-22, got the victory after pitching two innings of relief.
Holding Las Tunas to just one run was quite an accomplishment for Mexico City: Cuba's Serie Nacional champions had been an offensive juggernaut in the tournament: They defeated Curaçao's Santa María Pirates, 31-7; lost to the Kane County Cougars in the round robin, 19-15; took down Puerto Rico's Titanes de Florida, 11-6; and then defeated the Cougars in the semifinal rematch, 17-10.
The plan is now for the Champions League Americas to return next year, eventually pairing the champions of this tournament against the top teams from the Baseball Champions League in Asia and Europe.