PITTSBURGH ¨C Two years ago, Pirates catcher Elias Diaz met and shook hands with the Little Leaguers from Venezuela¡¯s Luz-Maracaibo team. He was impressed by their ability and focus, but more so their determination and drive to reach the Little League World Series despite everything they were going through back home.

They were in awe of the big leaguer standing in front of them -- a native of Maracaibo, Venezuela, just like them.

¡°They can¡¯t believe we have a Major League player,¡± Diaz said then.

On Sunday, Diaz will get to meet another group of players from his hometown when the Pirates return to Williamsport for the Little League Classic presented by GEICO. The Latin American Region Champion in this year¡¯s Little League World Series is Cacique Mara Little League from Maracaibo.

When Diaz takes the field Sunday night at BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field, he¡¯ll represent two cities while wearing one special jersey. The first is ¡°The Burgh,¡± his baseball home, spelled out on the front. The other is in the nickname above his No. 32 on the back: ¡°El Maracucho,¡± a boy from Maracaibo.

¡°It means a lot to have the opportunity to be around the big league players, because when I was a kid, that was my dream,¡± Diaz said on Saturday morning. ¡°They have the opportunity right now. I¡¯m so excited for that group. They¡¯ve been working hard in the Little League. The situation they¡¯re in in the country is tough. They¡¯ve been working with everything they have.

¡°It¡¯s hard. When they travel, they don¡¯t have money. They don¡¯t have uniforms. Everybody has to ask ¡­ to make their dreams come true. That¡¯s why I¡¯m so excited for that group, because they¡¯ve been working hard.¡±

Diaz had a few examples like that from when he was growing up. He thought of Wilson Alvarez, a fellow native of Maracaibo who pitched in the Majors for 14 seasons. He thought of Eddie Perez, the catcher who spent 10 years in the Majors and a native of nearby Ciudad Ojeda, Venezuela.

There are a number of current big leaguers from Maracaibo. Rays pitcher Jose Alvarado, Rangers infielder Rougned Odor, Braves outfielder Ender Inciarte, Red Sox catcher Sandy Leon and Brewers pitcher Jhoulys Chacin were all born there as well.

And Diaz won¡¯t be the only Venezuelan player excited to meet the Cacique Mara Little League squad. The Pirates¡¯ Jose Osuna and Felipe Vazquez are from Venezuela, as is bullpen catcher Herberto Andrade. Two years ago, they all -- along with rehabbing catcher Francisco Cervelli and a handful of Cardinals players -- gathered around the Luz-Maracaibo team¡¯s dugout to talk and take pictures.

Expect a similar scene to play out Sunday afternoon, with Diaz right in the middle of it.

¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m going to tell them, but I know I¡¯m going to be around,¡± Diaz said. ¡°I¡¯m so excited to shake their hands.¡±