Mendez powers White Sox to victory over D-backs

Michael Mendez’s three-run home run in the first inning got the White

Sox off and running on their way to a 7-3 victory over the Diamondbacks

in Huntington Valley Little League Majors Division play last weekend.

Michael Bogard singled, doubled, tripled, walked and finished with

three RBIs, Anthony Vidal doubled twice, Kyle Shibel singled twice, and

Josh Herrera had a triple to further the White Sox cause.

Justin Thompson and Bogard split pitching duties with Bogard striking

out six without allowing a run over the final three innings.

Andy Scott Webster’s two singles led the Diamondbacks on offense, and

pitchers Chase Barnes and Jenna Balester recorded 11 strikeouts.

IN OTHER GAMES:

* Rangers 1, Angels 0

Rangers’ pitcher Trevor Briggs struck out six without allowing a run

in a complete-game effort, Brian Giannone doubled and scored on a wild

pitch in the first inning for the game’s lone run, and Adam Sciarillo

singled.

Michael Jacinto doubled to highlight a six-hit Angels attack, and

starting pitcher Daris Douty struck out six and gave up a run and one hit

in four innings.

* Mariners 1, A’s 0

In a battle featuring two teams in contention for the first half

title, Peter Bryson singled and scored on a passed ball in the fourth

inning to lift the Mariners. Bryson also singled in the sixth inning to

account for the last of two hits by the Mariners, and also collected the

pitching win by shutting down the A’s for the first four innings.

A’s pitcher Alex Barnes gave up one hit and one run while striking out

nine in five innings. Danny Watts singled and Pablo McBeth walked in the

sixth inning to put the tying and winning runs on base, but Mariners

relief pitcher Austin Ray held on and shut down the A’s the rest of the

inning.

MINOR A DIVISION

* Cardinals 4, Dodgers 2

The Cardinals clinched the first half championship as Tim Higgins hit

a two-RBI double and pitched four innings in relief to hold off the

Dodgers. Nick Mazzone started on the mound and struck out four.

Huntington Hardesty went 3 for 3 with a double and pitcher Stuart

Chenier held the Cardinals to just four hits overall.

* Cardinals 9, Mets 4

Nick Gialenes went 3 for 3 with a double and two RBIs, Nick Mazzone

went 3 for 3, Ryan Little singled and doubled, Dave Folger had two

singles, Aaron Schiller and Tim Higgins both doubled, and Mazzone and

Little combined to strike out 10 for the Cardinals.

Conner Rottier doubled for the Mets.

* Marlins 4, Dodgers 2

Marlins’ pitchers Tanner Phillips and Bennett Allen combined to strike

out 10, and Phillips also singled. For the Dodgers, Dylan McDiarmid

tripled, Travis Hanley singled and doubled, and pitchers’ Christian

Slaton (three strikeouts) and McDiarmid (six strikeouts) combined to

no-hit the Marlins.

MINOR B DIVISION

* Marlins 13, White Sox 2

Nick Hanson had three singles and two RBIs, Richard Varalla singled

twice with three RBIs, Alan Shideler and Ryan Christopher singled twice

with an RBI, and pitchers’ Shideler and Hanson (no hits) combined to

strike out 12 to lead the Marlins. Michael Kelly, Chris Gillen and Jake

Little all singled for the White Sox.

* Cubs 15, Yankees 10

Josh Roque hit a two-run home run and a single, and Scott Martin and

Jake Machado each had two singles to lead the Cubs; Thomas Johnson had

three singles, Ryan Rehbein doubled and singled, and Brad Schultz had two

singles for the Yankees.