U.S. Central wins, keeps hopes alive

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BANGOR – Oscar Sanchez did exactly as he was asked – just save the game and give the U.S. Central champions new life in the Senior League World Series.

Sanchez got the strikeout he needed as Humboldt Park Little League of Chicago held off U.S. Southwest representative Greater Helotes Little League of San Antonio, Texas, 6-4 Wednesday evening at Mansfield Stadium.

Chicago’s win clarified the Pool B picture a bit, lifting the 3-0 U.S. East team to a berth in Friday’s semifinal round.

The other spot will come down to the U.S. Southwest (2-2), Latin America (2-1) and the Central squad (1-2), which could still be in the race depending on how it fares Thursday. Chicago will face Europe-Middle East-Africa’s Rotterdam, The Netherlands, which lost to Venezuela 21-0 Wednesday.

If Chicago beats The Netherlands and Latin America loses to the East team, there would be three teams at 2-2. The first tiebreaker for second place is head-to-head record and the second tiebreaker is runs allowed.

“On that basis we’d still be in it,” Chicago manager Bob Giller said. “If we can shut out those guys tomorrow we might be in that runs allowed pool. I don’t know. I just want to get out of here with two wins. We’ve worked too hard and too long not to.

Chicago had control of Wednesday’s game from the outset, scoring three runs in the top of the second and another in the third for a 4-0 lead. San Antonio came back with two runs in the bottom of the fourth.

The Central team piled on two more runs in the sixth. Again, the Southwest answered with two in the bottom of the inning, but thanks to Chicago’s relief pitching, couldn’t get any closer.

San Antonio stranded 10 baserunners, leaving the bases loaded in the fourth and runners at first and second in the sixth.

The bases were also loaded in the seventh after Chicago starter Pete Sparacino started to tire.

Sparacino picked up his fifth strikeout to lead off the inning but hit Austin Cunningham and gave up a single to Ricky Mendoza that sent Cunningham to third.

Giller pulled Sparacino in favor of righty William Davila, who walked Damon Ayon to load the bases. Davila did get Adrian Coronado to fly out for the second out of the inning.

Giller then signaled for lefthander Sanchez to come in from right. He struck out lefty Justin Martinez on five pitches to end the threat and the game.

“The coaches are confident in me and all I had to do was throw strikes, outside corner, and I knew I could do it,” Sanchez said. “I’m dominant against lefty batters and I’m confident enough to strike them out.”

Giller was also thinking ahead to the matchup against The Netherlands. Sanchez and Davila each pitched only one-third of an inning, so they can both go again Thursday.

“We wanted to give them a little bit of work but also we wanted to match up righty against Willie and lefty against Oscar,” Giller said.

Chicago’s Gabriel Perez hit three singles and drove in two runs, including one in the sixth. Raphael Garcia also had an RBI single in the sixth to provide Chicago’s insurance runs. San Antonio had two errors in that inning.

San Antonio’s Shawn Nichols and Adrian Coronado each had an RBI single in the sixth. Sparacino walked both of the runners, who eventually scored in that inning.

Chicago played error-free defense for the first time in the World Series.

U.S. CENTRAL 6, U.S. SOUTHWEST 4

Chicago, Ill. (1-2) San Antonio, Texas (2-2)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Garcia, ss 4 0 3 2 Zapata, 2b-3b 2 0 0

Melecio, lf-cf 3 0 0 0 Coronado, 2b 2 1

Giller, c 4 1 2 0 Muhleman, lf 4 1 1

Yopchick, 1b-lf 4 0 0 0 Treiber, 1b-2b 2 0

Sparacino, p-3b 4 0 0 0 Navarro, 1b 2 1

Davila, cf-p 4 1 2 1 Cunningham, cf 3 0 0

O. Sanchez, rf-p 2 2 1 0 Mendoza, p-1b 3 0

Cotton, rf 1 0 0 0 Ayon, c 2 0 0 0

M. Sanchez, 2b 3 2 1 1 Noland, 3b-ss 4 0

Perez, 3b-1b 3 0 2 2 Martinez, rf 2 2 0

Hanson, rf 0 0 0 0

Nichols, ss-p 2 0 1 1

Saathoff, 3b 0 0 0 0

Totals 32 6 11 6 Totals 28 4 9 4

U.S. Central 031 002 0 ? 6

U.S. Southwest 002 002 0 ? 4

E?Zapata 2, Hanson; LOB?Central 6, Southwest 10; 2B?Navarro; S?Melecio, Ayon; SB?Davila 2

U.S. Central IP H R ER BB SO

Sparacino (W,1-0) 6 1/3 9 4 4 4 6

Davila 1/3 0 0 0 1 0

O. Sanchez (S,1) 1/3 0 0 0 0 1

U.S. Southwest IP H R ER BB SO

Mendoza (L,1-1) 5 1/3 11 6 2 0 6

Nichols 1 2/3 0 0 0 0 1

HBP?Cunningham by Sparacino; WP?Sparacino; PB?Ayon; T?2:08; ATT?600 (est.)