Cubs best in the majors
The Cubs finished the Little League season two games ahead of the second place As, but two of the Cub’s three losses were at the hands of the Athletics. Still, the Cubs won the Championship game, Saturday, at Veira Park, 2-1.
It has often been said that the three things needed to win a baseball championship are pitching, pitching, and pitching.
On Saturday, both teams had an ample supply of the essential ingredient. In five and a half innings the pitchers, Chris Mayhew and Aksel Cooperrider, posted a combined total of 18 Ks and gave up just two hits.
As the score indicates, it was a pitchers’ game.
With two down in the top of the fourth, Aksel Cooperrider blasted one over the fence in left center. In the bottom of the inning, Mayhew drew a base on balls, spoiling the possibility of Aksel’s perfect game, then Aidan Aliberti drilled a triple to deep right scoring Mayhew and knotting the score. Cooperrider knocked down Jacob Cardoza’s line drive holding Aliberti on third. Jacob Gunderson drove in Aliberti with what would become the winning run on a bouncer to second.
The fifth inning was scoreless for both teams. Cubs closer Jacob Cardoza got the ball for the sixth and put the A’s down, 1-2-3 earning a save.
Twins tops in the minors
The Twins, 15-1-1 and the Marlins, 13-4-0, met at Veira Park to decide the Minor League championship. The Twins validated their top seed winning the game and crown, 8-1.
Benny Binder started on the mound for the Twins and struck out six Marlins in the first three innings.
The Twins wasted no time posting points on the board in their half of the first. Jack Pizzano singled and stole second and third. After Auguste Pizzano lined out to Nick Cranston at short, David Packer followed with an RBI, then scored himself, driven in by Binder.
In the second inning, six Twins reached base safely before an out was made. Packer drove in the Twins fourth run.
Anthony Cimeno took the mound for the Marlins in the third innng and gave up a run when Binder led off with a bunt single and was driven in by Otto Osmers.
The Twins gave the ball to Colby Balboni who kept the Marlins quiet until the sixth. Speedster Peter Burke singled and stole two bases then scored on Cimeno’s sharp single.
But that was it. Balboni fanned two and threw out the last batter ending the game and claiming the title.
