Little League Series: Vancouver Beats N.H.
W I L L I A M S P O R T, Pa. -- Call it “TJ” magic.
With their inspirational leader watching, Vancouver, Wash.,recorded the first triple-play in Little League World Serieshistory, and rallied from a 4-0 deficit.
“TJ,” the letters stitched into Vancouver’s hats, stands for Tyler Jacobs, a 6-year-old who underwent surgery in mid-June toremove a benign brain tumor. He has become the team’sinspirational leader.
Tyler was on hand — after a long cross-country flight — asVancouver rallied back for a 6-4, 7-inning win over Goffstown, N.H., today.
Likely to Compete in U.S. Pool Game
Dustin Corl completed the comeback with a two-run homer over theleft-center field wall.
Vancouver improved to 2-0 and all but mathematically clinched aberth in Thursday’s U.S. Pool championship game. Goffstown fell to0-3 but did manage to score its first runs of the Series.
The dramatics all began when Jay Ponciano hit a three-run homerto cut Goffstown’s lead to 4-3 in the fifth.
Then Vancouver made what is believed to be a first in Serieshistory in the top of the sixth.
With Goffstown runners at first and second, Ben Bradley groundedto Jackson Evans at third. Evans tagged out the lead runner, butoverthrew second base. Right fielder Jesse McLean threw home wherecatcher Dustin Corl tagged out Ben Collins.
Corl then threw to third where Evans completed the triple-play,tagging out Bradley.
Score it: 5-9-2-5.
First Triple Play Ever for Event
Although not all scorebooks have been kept throughout the years,a Series official said it’s believed to have been the first Tripleplay in the event’s 54-year history.
Vancouver then tied the game in the sixth as McLean scored onKorey Dunkel’s two-out grounder to third. Goffstown third basemanAlex Sobolov’s throw pulled McLean off the bag at first.
The win went to Dunham who allowed a run on two hits inthree-plus innings of relief. Corl finished with three hits, whilePonciano had two.
Ben Collins took the loss in relief of starter Tom French.
Two other games were scheduled today. Dhahran, SaudiArabia (0-1) played Tokyo (2-0); and Bellaire, Texas (1-1), metDavenport, Iowa (1-0).
Venezuelan Team Victorious
Earlier, Ali Castillo hit a two-run, two-out single in thebottom of the sixth, lifting Maracaibo, Venezuela, to a 5-4 victoryover Toronto.
Maracaibo (2-1) needs Dhahran to lose one of its two final gamesto clinch a berth in Thursday’s International Pool final.
Toronto (0-2) squandered 3-0 and 4-3 leads, and has beeneliminated from the playoffs with one game remaining.
Trailing 4-3, Maracaibo’s Roy Refungal reached base on a singleand Junior Valero on a fielder’s choice. Both advanced on LarryGonzalez’s sacrifice fly to right — the inning’s second out.
Up stepped Castillo, the No. 9 hitter, who hit Ozzie Diaz’s 1-1pitch to center. The ball sailed just out of the reach of Torontocenter fielder Greg Chong, who tried to make an over-the-headcatch.
“He just prayed a little prayer to God. God helped me. Godhelped me keep calm. God helped me see the ball,” Castillo said.
While still concerned about the lack of production from the meatof his batting order, Maracaibo Manager Eduvino Quevedo couldn’tsay enough about Castillo.
“He’s a small boy with a big heart,” Quevedo said through aninterpreter.
Junior Valero, in relief of starter Manuel Castellano, got thewin, giving up one unearned run while striking out five over fourinnings.
Ruben Mavarez hit a two-run homer and Juan Figueroa had a soloshot for Maracaibo.
It was more heartbreak for Toronto, coming off Monday’s 9-8 lossto Tokyo in which the Canadians’ six-run, sixth-inning rally felljust short.
“There isn’t any one player who can take the blame todaybecause there is no blame,” Toronto Manager David Trimble said.“It was a team effort that got us here. It was a team efforttoday, and that’s the game of baseball.”
Aaron Cabral had a two-run homer and scored twice for Toronto.
Toronto didn’t help its cause when it stranded runners at secondand third in both the second and third innings.