Capping a remarkable six-game winning streak through the Pinto
division (7-8 age group) playoffs, the American League champion Red
Sox beat the National League champion Mets 12-10 to claim the City
Championship at Britton Middle School on Wednesday.
Capping a remarkable six-game winning streak through the Pinto division (7-8 age group) playoffs, the American League champion Red Sox beat the National League champion Mets 12-10 to claim the City Championship at Britton Middle School on Wednesday.
After losing their playoff opener, the Red Sox were forced into the loser’s bracket and had to win six straight elimination games, including consecutive victories over the previously unbeaten Indians and Mets, to capture the city title.
Early on, the Red Sox came out strong, taking a 10-2 lead in the third inning. But the Mets rallied in the bottom of the third and fourth innings to tie the score at 10-10 going into the fifth and final inning.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Mets got two quick outs on the Red Sox, but two key hits by Justin Gerard and Jack Benazzo put two runners on base. Brent Bottomley, who tripled and singled earlier in the game, then lined a solid shot to centerfield, scoring both runners.
In the bottom of the inning, the Red Sox were able to retire the hot-hitting Mets to win the championship. The Red Sox’ Kyle Bowman pitched the final two innings for the Red Sox and was the benficiary of several key plays in the bottom of the fifth inning. Nicolas Giordano made a spectacular catch of a towering fly ball, saving two runs, and the game ended when Bottomley fielded a hard liner at second and tossed the ball to Giordano for the final out.
Red Sox manager, Rick Bottomley noted that “the Mets never gave up, and having a tied game going into the final inning provided for an exciting finish.”
Solid performances for the Red Sox were provided by Nino Fortuna, Jakob De Marco, Sean Hoyle, Jimmy Castro, Paul Kish and Matthew Lombardo, who made a leaping grab of a hard-hit ball earlier in the game.
Andrew Ross, Riley Burg and Benjamin Hagiperos all had solid games for the Mets.
