The Orioles of the Hollister American Little League Majors
Division have not one, but two players nicknamed
”
Smiley.
”
It figures.
The Orioles of the Hollister American Little League Majors Division have not one, but two players nicknamed “Smiley.”
It figures.
The O’s have been laughing their way to an unbeaten season, going to 15-0 on the year after a 5-3 decision over a scrappy Mariners side at Veterans Memorial Park Tuesday. The Orioles banked the first half title with a 10-0 record and have run off five straight wins to begin the second half.
“It has been pitching and defense, mostly,” said Orioles head coach Steve Gessell, who coached a championship Majors White Sox team in 1999.
Gessell made note that the Orioles had given up just nine runs in the first 14 games.
Mariners coach Mike Granger feels that O’s pitcher Steven Cabral is the main reason for the Orioles’ impressive run.
“We struck out 23 times against him in 12 innings,” said Granger, whose club is 3-2 in the second half. “We could never challenge him and put the ball in play.”
“Steve’s been our bulldog this year,” said Gessell.
Cabral started Tuesday night and bulldogged his way through four scoreless innings to pick up the win. He recorded nine k’s and walked three. The only hit he allowed was a bunt single by Bryan Granger in the second inning.
After scoring an unearned run in the first, the Orioles plated a run in the second on a bases loaded walk to Trevor Gessell, which scored Tyler Provost.
In the third, Kyle Zozaya, an 11 year-old, exploded on a first pitch fastball from Granger and rifled it over the left field fence. It was Zozaya’s first homer of the season. Brann Spencer plated Cabral on a fielder’s choice ground out.
Cabral, who had two hits, singled in Adrian Garcia in the fourth for the Orioles’ final run of the game.
The Mariners, who scored two unearned runs in the fifth off reliever Tyler Ruiz, made the game interesting in the sixth. With two out, Ricky Canes worked a walk. Jacob Arviso followed with an infield single. Tony Rovai singled for the second time in the game to score Canes. Ruiz gathered himself to retire the final batter on a ground out.
“We weren’t as sharp defensively (tonight),” said Steve Gessell.
“If we would have played better in the middle innings, we would have made a better game out of it,” said Michael Granger. “We have to run the table to try to get second, but so does everyone else.”
The league will send two teams to the Tournament of Champions, along with the National League. The O’s appear to be the first place representative, unless there is a dramatic collapse. The A’s, who won the first half, will have to playoff against the second half runner-up unless they can surge the rest of the way.
The regular season ends June 14 and there are 10 games in each half.
Other games: the Yankees stopped the Angels 10-0 in five innings behind a combined no-hitter by Trevor Fabing, Anthony Macadaeg and Miles Sanchez. Macadaeg had a triple.
National League notes: The Giants won the first half with an 8-2 record and are 4-0 to start the second half. The Marlins, who went 7-3 in the first half along with the Braves, were awarded second place in the first half in a tiebreaker.
Mariners000021-342
Orioles11210X-552
Granger, Rovai (4) and Rodriguez; S. Cabral, Ruiz (5) and Zozaya. WP – S. Cabral. LP – Granger. HR – Zozaya (O). 2 hits – Rovai (M); S. Cabral (O).
