Dodgers slam way into semifinals

Barry Faulkner

Though there was plenty of dynamic defense, precision pitching and

savvy lineup shuffling, the fate of the Costa Mesa National Little

League Dodgers in the District 62 Tournament of Champions Majors

division quarterfinal Saturday ultimately came down to a single

decisive, destructive swing.

Dodgers star A.J. Roth, whose 6-foot, filled-out frame allows him

to look down at his manager, not to mention his peers, launched a

towering first-pitch grand slam in the second inning to help the

designated hosts secure a 4-3 victory over the Huntington Valley

Braves at Wardlow Park.

The win propelled the Dodgers into Monday’s semifinal, where they

will meet the Costa Mesa American Little League Angels at 5 p.m.

It will be the fourth meeting this season between the Dodgers

(15-3) and Angels (21-1) with the Angels having won two of three.

Roth’s blast sailed approximately 100 feet beyond the 200-foot

fence in left-center field and Dodgers Manager Kirk Stone later

theorized it might have carried out of Angel Stadium.

It was yet another addition to the growing legend of Roth, who

started on the mound and struck out eight in his three allotted

innings to earn victory. Little League rules prevent pitchers from

throwing more than six innings a week.

Roth, however, received plenty of help from his teammates, most

notably infielder Kannon Stone and pitcher-second baseman Matt

Carlyle.

Stone went 2 for 2 with a walk and sparkled defensively at

shortstop and second base.

Carlyle went 2 for 3 and pitched the final three innings to record

a save. He struck out three and surrendered just two hits as the

Braves managed only three in the game.

Carlyle and Stone singled with two outs to set the table for

Roth’s Ruthian clout. Alex Krohnfeldt started the rally with a

one-out walk.

Roth, who walked in his first plate appearance and has belted at

least 10 home runs this season, according to his manager who said he

does not keep statistics, wasted little time erasing a 1-0 deficit.

His dinger upped his RBI total to 13 in the last three postseason

games. He drove in six in the Costa Mesa National championship game,

then knocked in three more in a 5-3 first-round win Thursday over the

Ocean View Yankees.

It was the 10th straight win for the Dodgers, who will complete

the tournament without their No. 2 pitcher, Kevin Carvajal, sidelined

by a sprained ankle.

Carvajal, who threw a no-hitter this season, sat out Thursday’s

game, the one allotted absence for those on the 12-player roster. He

tested the ankle before Saturday’s game, but could not run, forcing

Stone to reluctantly use a replacement.

The Dodgers are using three “replacement” players to fill out

their roster, a fact that also causes some shuffling in their

infield.

Stone, the primary shortstop all year, shifted to second in the

fourth, when Roth, who normally plays first, went to shortstop and

Carlyle moved from second to the mound.

The defense did not appear makeshift in any way, however.

Stone triggered a near-double play by smoothly handling a scalded

grounder in the sixth. He also alertly sprinted to cover first on a

bouncing ball to the first baseman, who bobbled, but flipped to Stone

on the bag for the final out of the game.

Center fielder Conner Gilligan charged in to make a rolling catch

of a sinking liner in the sixth, while first baseman Jordan Young and

third baseman Eddie Brisoso snared line drives to end the fourth and

fifth innings, respectively.

Braves catcher Dane Delany homered with one out in the first and

homered again to lead off the fourth.

Trailing, 4-2, in their final at-bat, the visitors cut into the

lead when Taylor Nelson doubled in a run with two outs to make things

interesting.

But Carlyle induced the aforementioned 4-3 groundout to leave the

potential tying run stranded at second.

“It has never been easy,” Kirk Stone said. “It’s the Tournament of

Champions, so you’re never overconfident and you never take anything

for granted.”

Also chipping in for the Dodgers were Derek Andrews, Brady

Henscheid, Colin Kincaid, Jake Spielberger and Jacob Knapp.

Stone’s assistant coaches are Mark Andrews and Jim Carlyle.