Newport Beach Little League: Reds roll to final round, 5-2

NEWPORT BEACH - A 10-hit offensive outburst and solid pitching

keyed the Reds’ 5-2 win over the Yankees in a second-round playoff

baseball game in the Newport Beach Little League Majors Division.

The Reds’ Blaine Neilsen (RBI single) and Andrew Silva, who had an

active day at the plate, combined to fan 11 Yankee hitters.

Silva had an RBI single in the Reds’ two-run first, added an RBI

triple in the third and also scored in the third to put the Reds up, 5-0.

Evan McNerney and Sean Tokuyama also had multi-hit games to cap a

10-hit Reds’ attack.

McNerney and Silva each singled and scored on singles, one by Timmy

Winning, in the first. Dylan Davis and Tokuyama each singled in the

second, but the Yankee defense prevented the Reds from scoring.

The top of the Reds order kicked-off a rally in the third on singles

from J.P. Gormly and McNerney, and Silva’s RBI triple. Brett Bartlett’s

sacrifice to center put the Reds up, 5-0.

The Yankees came back with runs from Matt Morris and Eric Mutske, but

it wasn’t enough to overcome the Reds on this day.

The Reds advance to the final round of the playoffs beginning June 1.

In other Majors playoff action:

* Angels 5, Diamondbacks 3 - Intentionally walking the Diamondbacks’

top slugger to put the winning run on base in the final inning paid-off

for the Angels as the Shane Boras struck out the next batter to preserve

the win as the Angels advance to the final round of the playoffs.

With first base open, Boras walked D-backs’ power hitter Chris Rosen,

who had a hit in the first inning, to load the bases. With the D-backs

trailing, 5-2, Boras then struck out the next batter to give the Angels

the win.

Also pitching for the Angels was Andy Rovzar, who led off the game in

the first with a single and came around to score on a double by Boras,

who worked three innings in the Angels’ win. Rovzar robbed Garrett

Amoroso of a hit by making a backhanded stop in the hole at short in the

sixth.

Both teams scored two runs in the first. Hunter Alder had a hit to the

outfield that scored Boras. The D-backs rallied back when Fletcher Della

Grotta doubled to left, followed by hits from Scott Colton, Rosen, and

Connor Whalen.

The Angels came back in the fourth, scoring two more runs on hits from

Scott Ely, Michael Page and Boras. The Angels’ final run came in the

fifth when David Grant walked and eventually scored on wild pitches and

passed balls. He was also strong in the field, thwarting a D-back rally.

The D-backs scored their final run in the sixth on a walk to Della

Grotta followed by Scott Colton’s hit to the left field wall.

The D-backs received strong pitching from Rosen, Della Grotta and

Amoroso.

In AAA play:

* Red Sox 5, Diamondbacks 2 - Red Sox defenders seemed to throw out

anyone trying to advance another base in their defeat of the

Diamondbacks.

The on-target throws came from all over the field. Chris Freeman

(triple, run scored) and Parker Werline (three innings, one run allowed)

separately threw out D-backs runners, racing to third, from center field.

Blake Thomsen (three innings, allowing one run) threw out a man at home

while playing shortstop, and Preston Risser threw out a runner at third

playing catcher.

The Red Sox’ Will Morrow also showed stellar defense in the sixth,

diving to catch a fly ball, and then tagging first base before the runner

could get back for the unassisted double play.

On the Red Sox’ offensive side, Jack Murphy had an RBI hit and David

Rabosky hit a deep sacrifice to center field plating another run.

For the Diamondbacks, John Christian pitched three innings, allowing

two runs. Randall Nelson played strong defense at catcher and in center

field, making a diving catch.

* Red Sox 11, Cardinals 7 - In a game of four lead changes, the Red

Sox proved too powerful, downing the Cardinals in their first playoff

game.

Parker Werline and Blake Thomsen each pitched three innings, allowing

two runs, and finished 3 for 3 for the Red Sox. Preston Risser played six

strong innings at catcher and contributed with a hit as did Chris Freeman

and Armani Ferrante. David Rabosky tripled for the Red Sox.