Costa Mesa National Little League: D-backs edge Dodgers, 1-0

In a classic pitching duel, the Diamondbacks Brandon Maurer led his

team to a 1-0 win over the Dodgers, in Costa Mesa National Little League

Majors Division action.

Maurer, who smacked a gamewinning RBI single, recorded 11 strikeouts

to go with his three-hit gem. The Dodgers’ pitcher Justin Long struck out

nine batters, allowing just four hits, as both pitchers were backed by

strong defenses.

In the fourth inning, Riley Hart led off with a single. Maurer chipped

a base hit that scored Riley.

Joseph Dzida and Troy McClanahan led the D-backs’ defense.

In other CMNLL Majors Division games:

Diamondbacks 8, Cardinals 3 - The D-backs came out swinging early on

as Ryan Redding, Chase Harrison, Sean Ulrich and Maurer all singled and

McClanahan and Hart doubled for a 5-0 lead in the top of the first

inning.

Hart also pounded out a two-run double in the second.

Pitcher Garrick Williams got the Cardinals out of a jam in the second,

and later he retired the side in order in the fifth and sixth, and

finished with 10 strikeouts in five innings.

Harrison made his pitching debut for the D-backs, completing three

shutout innings, while striking out six to key the victory.

Cardinals 3, Astros 1 - Cardinals’ pitcher Johnny Person pitched three

shutout innings, while striking out six.

Williams, Chris Falbo, Peter Frydendall, Aaron Gross, Carlos Guzman

and Eddie Tomasek collected singles for the Cardinals. Gross and Williams

scored runs, while Ryan Knapp pitched the final two innings, giving up

just one run, while striking out three.

Dodgers 5, Marlins 3 - The Dodgers came from behind to defeat the

Marlins. Dodger pitcher Juan Guzman allowed three runs in the first

inning, but settled down to contribute a complete-game victory that came

with nine strikeouts.

Justin Long slugged an RBI double in the fourth for the Dodgers, while

Nick Pederson, who had two hits, added an RBI single in the fifth. Bryan

Bennett chipped in a hit and two RBIs, and Jan Abernathy finished with an

RBI and a run scored. Cody Green also had a hit for the Dodgers.

In CMNLL Minor A Division action:

Dodgers 13, Cardinals 6 - The Dodgers scored eight runs in the top of

the sixth to overcome a 6-5 deficit.

The Cardinals held the Dodgers scoreless while posting two runs in the

first three innings. But, in the fourth inning, the Dodgers’ Billy

DiGirolamo and Austin Vogel walked. Then, Daniel Derieg, Luke Roberts,

Jeffrey Guillen and Joshua Erno each came up with a single to provide the

Dodgers with a 5-2 lead.

The Cardinals came back with four runs in the bottom of the fifth to

regain the lead, 6-5.

However, the Dodgers remained determined and broke the game open in

the sixth Daniel Degree singled, while DeGirolamo, Roberts, Guillen,

Eusebio Castillo, Erno, Preston Schow, Coleman Brown and Chris Whiteside

all scored for a 13-6 lead.

Castillo, pitching a complete game for the Dodgers, retired the side

in order in the bottom of the final frame to secure the win.

In CMNLL Farm Division action:

The Rockies received a hefty lesson in fundamentals when they faced

three teams, Astros, Cubs and Cardinals, last week.

Jesse Paz created enough plays for a highlight reel as he piled up two

doubles, three singles, five RBIs and five runs scored for the Rockies,

who took on the Astros. Matthew Spicer also had two doubles, two singles

and four runs scored, while Adam Ward contributed a double, four singles,

three RBIs and one run scored.

Alex Mazur posted four hits and three RBIs for the Rockies, and on

defense, Erik Rasmussen played each of the three outfield positions.

Against the Cardinals, Noah Jeyarajah pounded out three hits and

scored two runs, while Aaron Wood collected three hits and contributed

two RBIs. Mazur chipped in two hits, including a double and and RBI. Paz

and Robert Murtha finished with two hits and two RBIs each, while Nathan

Frank had a hit and an RBI.

The Rockies kept their hot bats going against the Cubs, as Hannah

Jeyarajah, Mazur, Adam Ward, Spicer, Rasmussen, Frank, Wood, Noah

Jeyarajah, Paz and Robert and Maliah Murtha all produced hits.

Eddie Marquez went 3 for 4 for the Cubs, while Eric Henriquez had two

hits and two runs scored.

In CMNLL T-Ball Minor Division action:

The Diamondbacks had their best game of the season against the

Cardinals. Tommy, and his sister Lydia, contributed on defense and

offense, while Daniel and Tabitha both had their best hits of the year.

Bobby, Hunter and Katie all displayed strong efforts, while Noah burned

up the base paths and Adam and Johnny also added key contributions.