Mexican baseball takes over Chukchansi Park

The Mexican Independence Day fiesta festivities at Chukchansi Park will continue with a pair of games between Mexico’s Naranjeros de Hermosillo and Aguilas de Mexicali.

The “Mexican Baseball Fiesta” begins with a game at 7 p.m. Saturday at Chukchansi Park. The teams will play again at 5 p.m. Sunday.

The game is part of a preseason tour for the Mexican Pacific League, which is also hosting fiestas in Arizona and Texas. The season begins Oct. 11.

The Naranjeros are historically the best team in the Mexican Pacific League, winning a record 16 league titles, including most recently in the 2013-14 season, the same year they claimed their second Caribbean Series championship.

The Aguilas are three-time league champs and coming off a runner-up finish last season.

Former major league stars Mike Piazza and John Kruk along with current big-leaguers Jeff Samardzija of the Giants and Matt Joyce of the Pirates have suited up for Mexicali, while star Mexican pitcher Fernando Valenzuela played for both the Aguilas and Naranjeros.

Tickets for the Mexican Baseball Fiesta start at $10 and can be purchased at the Grizzlies ticket office at Chukchansi Park or online at www.FresnoGrizzlies.com.

This story was originally published September 16, 2016 at 4:49 PM with the headline "Mexican baseball takes over Chukchansi Park."