Masen Ruiz’s 3-run triple keys Birmingham’s City baseball title
Call it destiny or destiny.
In the bottom of the fifth inning Saturday at Dodger Stadium in the City Section Open Division championship game, pinch hitter Masen Ruiz took over for Birmingham with two outs and the bases loaded in a tie game against El Camino Real.
A few months ago, Ruiz left Chatsworth for Birmingham after the resignation of coach Marcus Alvarado, his uncle. He was one of Chatsworth’s best players as a junior outfielder, but he played off the bench for much of Birmingham’s season.
Called upon in the most pressurized situations, Ruiz hit the ball over the head of El Camino Real right fielder Ryan Glassman for a three-run triple that gave Birmingham a 4-2 victory. It was Birmingham City’s ninth baseball title and the first time in manager Matt Mowry’s 20 seasons that he won a city title and a West Valley League title in the same season.
Standing at third base, as the Birmingham crowd roared, Ruiz said, “I honestly didn’t know what was happening. I passed out.”
Ruiz, the grandson of former Granada Hills Kennedy coach Manny Alvarado, has been told by people to be patient and be ready when an opportunity presents itself. He hadn’t hit since May 7 against Cleveland. And he delivered with a drive that rolled to the right-field fence past pitcher Hudson in December and finally gave the Patriots some breathing room.
“If my name was called, I was going to do anything to win,” Ruiz said.
Nathan Soto reached the sixth inning for Birmingham before closer Aidan Martinez and his 92 mph fastball were called up from the bullpen. He struck out two batters while El Camino Real had runners on second and third. Then he struck out two more in the seventh.
Martinez missed last season because of Tommy John surgery, but returned to be one of the Patriots’ most important two-way players.
“It’s been a long road back,” Martinez said. “I just wanted to come back.”
El Camino Real scored in the first inning on a throwing error. Birmingham tied the score on an RBI single by Martinez.
After some initial nervousness in the first inning, both teams settled in to play good defense in support of their pitchers. Shortstop JuJu Monroe-Truitt made two one-on-one plays with forced outs by throwing the ball to third baseman Sebastian Valadez to help Soto. El Camino Real’s outfielders were busy keeping December out of trouble for four innings despite three hit batters and two walks. Birmingham had runners on board in the second, third and fourth innings.
Birmingham players charged the pitch and threw water during their celebration. Ruiz ran from right field to reach. It was a day he was waiting for and he lived it.
South Section Division 1
Saint John Bosco 5, La Mirada 2: Defending Division 1 champion St. John Bosco is in the semifinals after 13 strikeouts from Julian Garcia and two homers from James Clark. St. John Bosco will host Harvard-Westlake on Tuesday. The other semifinal will have Sherman Oaks Notre Dame at Norco.
