May 18, 2010 > Cortez slam lifts Dodgers over Reds Cortez slam lifts Dodgers over Reds By Giovanni Albanese Jr. Photos By William Mancebo Fremont National Youth Baseball's (FNYB) Major division Dodgers (11- to 13-year-olds) were lifted to victory by Xavier Cortez, who blasted a grand slam to down the Reds in league play on May 6. Cortez, affectionately known as "X" to his teammates was at the plate with the bases loaded and nobody out in the second inning, with his club already leading 1-0. After letting two pitches whiz by him for a 0-2 count, Cortez did his magic. After taking a deep breath between pitches, Cortez stepped into the box and delivered a shot over the centerfield fence to give his team a 5-0 lead. And, his shot was contagious, as the Dodgers exploded for 17 runs in a 17-6 blowout. Jacob Autrey had a blast of his own, to go along with a double and single; Max Reyna scored two runs; Jackson Farren went 2-3 with a double and single; and on the hill, Jonus Bueno pitched three no-hit innings, striking out eight batters.