CHULA VISTA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) -- Young baseball players in Imperial Beach are fed up with foul air and canceled games. They say a longstanding sewage crisis is ruining their Little League season — and they want lawmakers on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border to act. The issue stems from to xic sewage flowing from the Tijuana River Valley into the Pacific Ocean, just miles from where children play baseball. On a rare clear day, the Swinging Friar, mascot of the San Diego Padres, visited the Imperial Beach Little League fields. But while the visit brought smiles, players say the underlying problem remains. EPA Chief Lee Zeldin to visit US-Mexico border, examine Tijuana sewage crisis “It smells really bad. It smells like poop,” said one young player. Another added, “Since I have asthma, with the polluted air it’s kind of hard to breathe sometimes.” Players and parents say the odor is sometimes so severe, they don’t even want to be outside. “Seventy-five percent of the time, it’s very, very bad,” said one player. “It’s like making you not want to play because of how bad it smells.” Algae blooms off California coast could be worsened by Tijuana River pollution Angelica Ramirez, a local parent, said families have tried to raise awareness for years. “We try to tag all the congressmen, the White House,” she said. “Something needs to get done. It’s affecting all the families, all the kids, even businesses.” Ramirez and others point fingers at Mexico for diverting toxic sewage waste into the U.S., where it eventually contaminates the Pacific Ocean. The stench has forced the cancellation of several games over the years. Free air purifiers available for South Bay residents: Here’s how to apply “Our entire park smells several months out of the year, at least minimum, like a sewer,” said Zachary Garland, president of Imperial Beach Little League. “Last year, it got so bad with the air quality, we had to close our fields down for practices and games.” Garland, a lifelong resident, said the problem is especially bad at the end of summer. “Our kids can’t go to the beach because it’s polluted 365 days a year. With the beach being closed, this is really the main thing that the kids have. When it's so bad that the air quality is poisonous to them, it’s demoralizing for somebody who is trying to run a fun program for all of our kids.” EPA chief addresses Tijuana River sewage crisis in San Diego County The players, parents and organizers are calling on lawmakers and environmental agencies in both the U.S. and Mexico to increase funding and take immediate action to fix the crisis. “If they put more money into it, and the politicians in Mexico and the U.S. helped out, that would be amazing,” said one player. “It would help clean up our ocean and stop the stink.” ...read more read less