Costa Mesa Dodgers on a roll

Bryce Alderton

Costa Mesa National Little League Majors division Dodgers Manager

Clint Brown stood holding a miniature, circular cake. He was

surrounded by players licking frosting from their lips as they ate

cupcakes.

“This is the best birthday present they could have given me,” said

Brown, who turned 44 Wednesday, the day his Dodgers defeated the

Ocean View Cubs, 5-2, in a first-round District 62 Tournament of

Champions game at LeBard Field for their fourth straight postseason

win.

The Dodgers, who won three straight games to claim the league

championship, have won nine out of the past 10. They will face either

the Costa Mesa American Angels or a team from Robinwood Little League

at noon in Saturday’s quarterfinals. The Angels and Robinwood play at

5 p.m. today at LeBard Field.

“We came into TOC on a high and focused on staying on that high by

keeping the pressure on the [Cubs’] defense,” Brown said.

The Dodgers, who never trailed, used five hits and four walks to

plate their runs, giving starting pitcher Benny Selinar plenty of

support to earn the complete-game victory.

Selinar struck out seven, walked three and allowed just two hits

in six innings. The 12-year-old retired the side in order in the

first, third and fifth innings.

“[Selinar] threw a heck of a game,” Brown said. “He and [A.J.

Roth] are two peas in a pod. They can pitch well any time, anyplace.”

Roth, playing first base Wednesday, went 1 for 3 with a double and

two RBIs hitting in the No. 3 spot.

The Dodgers, the designated home team, jumped to a 1-0 lead in the

first when Roth’s fielder’s choice grounder plated leadoff hitter

Josh Dominguez, who reached on a double.

The Cubs, the second-place team in their league, tied the game,

1-1, in the second, before the Dodgers scored two runs each in the

third and fourth innings to build a 5-1 lead heading into the sixth.

Shortstop Mike Markovsky and Roth hit consecutive doubles to open

the third. Markovsky sent a drive off the right-center-field fence

and scored on Roth’s hit down the third-base line, which gave the

Dodgers a 2-1 lead they wouldn’t relinquish. After a strikeout,

Coleman Brown singled up the middle to score Roth.

The Cubs appeared to have a shot at Roth at the plate, but the

center fielder’s throw went to second base.

“I told [the Dodgers] it was important to find their weaknesses

and we exploited those with clean hits,” Clint Brown said. “We had

key hits in key positions.”

The Dodgers, though, proved they could score runs even without

using their bats.

The Dodgers scored two runs in the fourth on three walks and no

hits.

After a strikeout to begin the inning, Tyler Sullivan and Josh

Hill each walked after full counts. They advanced to third and second

base, respectively, on a wild pitch to Dominguez, who also forced a

full count.

Ball four to Dominguez sailed out of Cubs’ catcher Jordan Miller’s

reach, allowing Sullivan to score and Hill to move to third.

Hill scored the final Dodger run on Markovsky’s sacrifice fly to

deep left field.

The Cubs (14-9) scored one run in the sixth, the Dodgers averting

potential trouble after the first two batters reached base.

Chad Hackworth walked to open the inning and Manager Joe Miller

inserted a pinch-runner, Jason Fernandez, in his place.

Cubs’ starting pitcher Sean Guite followed with an infield single,

beating the throw from third to first. Fernandez raced to third on

the play.

Selinar struck out the next batter before Fernandez used his speed

once again to score on a wild pitch to cleanup hitter Calvin Primich.

Guite advanced to third.

But Selinar responded with his final strikeout for the second out

before his defense helped seal the win.

Center fielder Josh Hill extended to his left to rob Kevin Stoops

of a hit with a diving catch and was promptly greeted by smiling

teammates trotting back to the dugout.

Clint Brown remained confident in the sixth, when the Cubs tried

to mount a rally.

“We had a four-run lead so I didn’t mind if the Cubs got two runs

and we got an out,” he said. “You have to trade outs for runs.”