BANGOR – Bangor righthander Ian Edwards performed well enough to win his Senior League World Series pitching debut Monday night.

But Derwin Aguon of Agana, Guam, proved just a bit craftier, and catcher Alejandro Diaz provided the offensive difference as the Asia-Pacific champions earned a 4-2 victory at Mansfield Stadium.

Both teams are now 1-1 in Pool A play. Bangor is idle until facing U.S. South champion Clarkesville, Ga. at 8 p.m. Wednesday. Guam faces Clarkesville, Ga. today at 5 p.m.

Aguon pitched a three-hitter while striking out seven, walking four and allowing no earned runs. Pivotal to Aguon’s success was his ability to induce Bangor to hit the ball on the ground – the Maine District 3 champions had just one fly-ball out, the final out of the game.

“I just threw a curveball and fastball throughout the whole game, that’s all I have,” said Aguon, whose cousin played for the 2003 Guam team that dropped all four of its games in pool play.

“You’ve got to give credit to that pitcher,” added Bangor manager Tyler Jellison. “His fastball was right there, and he mixed it up well enough to keep our hitters off-balance.”

Diaz, meanwhile, fell just a triple short of hitting for the cycle. He finished the night 3-for-4, including the first home run of the tournament with two outs in the top of the first to give Guam a 2-0 lead.

There was no doubt about the blast, which came one pitch after Bangor’s Tom Crews robbed Aguon of extra bases with a diving catch in left-center field.

Diaz got a first-pitch fastball and lined it hard over the left-field fence more than 350 feet from home plate.

“I saw the fastball coming and just swung,” said Diaz of his home run, only the ninth hit in SLWS play since the tournament was moved to Bangor in 2002. “You can’t explain how it is, you just hit it. It comes naturally, and you feel it when you hit it well.”

Edwards then held Guam scoreless long enough for Bangor to tie the game in the fourth inning. The hosts pieced together Gordon Webb’s leadoff single, Guam’s only two errors of the night, a sacrifice by Tyler McDade and an RBI fielder’s choice by Edwards to make it a 2-2 game. Aguon escaped further damage as Shane Walton hit the ball sharply but lined into an inning-ending double play.

Guam immediately countered with two runs in the top of the fifth to regain the lead, this time permanently. Aguon was hit by a pitch to open the inning and went to third as Diaz doubled to deep left. Aguon scored on a sacrifice fly by Kurt Diaz, and Alejandro Diaz scored on the play when the relay throw went into the Guam dugout.

Edwards finished with a seven-hitter that included six strikeouts and three walks.

“Ian did a great job,” said Jellison. “They had that home run in the first inning but he settled down and pitched great the rest of the game.

ASIA-PACIFIC 4, BANGOR 2

(Pool B)

Asia-Pacific (1-1) Bangor (1-1)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Sanchez, cf-lf 3 1 1 0 K. Gallant, ss 3 0

Dazo, lf 2 0 1 0 Vanidestine, 2b 2 0 0

Cepeda, ph/rf 2 0 0 0 Webb, c 2 1 0

Aguon, p 2 1 0 0 A. Gallant, 1b 2 1 0

A. Diaz, c 4 2 3 2 Russell, lf-3b 2 0 0

K. Diaz, ss 3 0 0 1 McDade, ph/rf 0 0 0

Barcinas, 3b 3 0 0 0 Edwards, p 3 0 1

Peredo, 1b 2 0 0 0 Walton, 3b 2 0 0

Bautista, 1b 2 0 1 0 Batchelder, lf 0 0 0

Quichocho, rf 2 0 1 0 Jellison, rf 1 0

Kaneshiro, cf 1 0 0 0 Brookings, lf 1 0

Daga, 2b 3 0 0 0 LaRochelle, rf 1 0 0

Crews, cf 2 0 0 0

Martinez, cf 1 0 0 0

Totals 29 4 7 3 Totals 22 2 3 1

Asia-Pacific 200 020 0 – 4

Bangor 000 200 0 – 2

E-Aguon, Barcinas; K. Gallant, Crews; LOB-Asia-Pacific 9, Bangor 5; 2B-A. Diaz; HR-A. Diaz; DP-Aguon-Barcinas-Peredo, Daga-Bautista; S-McDade; SF-K. Diaz

Asia-Pacific IP H R ER BB SO

Aguon (W, 1-0) 7 3 2 0 4 7

Bangor IP H R ER BB SO

Edwards (L, 0-1) 7 7 4 4 3 6

HBP-Aguon (by Edwards); WP-Aguon; Edwards; PB-Webb; T-1:59; ATT-1,500