Toms River goes home on up note, beating Dhahran
Kevin Blum homered, tripled twice and struck out eight to lead Toms River, N.J., to a 10-0 win yesterday over Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, in a Little League World Series consolation game, in South Williamsport.
Kevin Blum homered, tripled twice and struck out eight to lead Toms River, N.J., to a 10-0 win yesterday over Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, in a Little League World Series consolation game, in South Williamsport.
Russell Petranto, Patrick Marinaccio and Joey Rose also homered to give New Jersey its first World Series win.
Blum was sharp on the mound against the Saudi Arabia squad comprised mainly of children of Americans living abroad that finished 0-3. The 13-year-old righty allowed just a single each to Braden Barnett and Julian Kinney over five innings before Anthony Deceglie finished the shutout.
"We knew the bus ride home would be a lot [more fun] with a win," the 12-year-old Marinaccio said.
While the games were fun, the players said they would also remember the friendships they made with the Japan team, who lived next door in the dorms. Blum and Russell Petranto both proudly said they beat Japan players in table tennis.
"And I always want to remember running out on the field the first time at the Little League World Series," the 13-year-old Petranto said.
In other games:
* Kaname Shinozaki's solo homer in the fourth inning broke a tie, and Tokyo, Japan, clinched a spot in the Little League World Series international finals with a 3-2 win that ousted Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.
* Luis Bazan struck out nine and Chitre, Panama, took advantage of sloppy fielding by Vancouver, British Columbia, to win, 4-2, and stay alive. After an opening-day loss to Canada, Panama won the rematch and advanced to play Taiwan tonight.
* Kobie Buglioli's homer highlighted a three-run first and Troy Gilliland struck out six to lead unbeaten Columbus, Ga., past Hamilton, Ohio, 6-0. Ohio will meet Hawaii in an elimination game today.
* Reliever Isaiah Hatch got Auburn, Wash., out of a fifth-inning jam, then homered in the sixth to help the Northwest champ to a 9-5 win over Fairfield, Conn., which was eliminated.
