August 15, 2024 12:31 am
Dariel Carrion homered and scored twice, including the game-winning run, as Guaynabo, PR edged Tijuana, MX, 2-1, in the PONY League World Series championship game Wednesday night. Carrion opened the score with a solo home run to dead center field in the fourth inning. Marlon Melendrez, Jr. answered with a solo shot for Tijuana in the top of the fifth. The game stayed 1-1 into the bottom of the ninth inning. After one out, Carrion doubled sharply to right-center and scored on Jehiel Hernandez’ World Series walk-off groundball single to right.
Tied going to the sixth, Tijuana had a great chance to take the lead. Bryan Espinoza singled to right and went to second when the ball was misplayed. When his celebration at second led him to lift his foot off the base, he was tagged out. Emiliano Contreras followed with a double but was thrown out trying to score on a ground ball into rightfield. Tijuana managed only one more baserunner the rest of the game. Guaynabo, on the other hand, sent only one batter over the minimum from the fifth through the eighth innings.
Akilis Rivera got the win in relief, tossing four shutout innings, allowing just three hits. Carlos Pardo took the loss after coming on to open the ninth.
The championship is the eighth all-time for Puerto Rico, the first since Trujillo Alto won in 2007. Tijuana was seeking Mexico’s first championship since 1972.
Guaynabo’s Sebastian Quiles claimed the Easton Sports ERA award, working seven innings without allowing an earned run. Alex Leon, Palmview, TX claimed the Wilson Sports Goods Batting Championship, going 5-for-8, a .625 average. The Rogers BreakAway Bases Stolen Base title went to Misael Acosta from Bronx, NY. Bryan Schmeltz won the John D. Voytek Memorial Award as Washington County’s leading hitter, going 7-for-15, a .467 average. Annaleigh Brown was crowned PONY Princess with Chloe Morgan named PONY Hostess.
Prior to the title game, PONY Baseball and Softball and Tournaments, Incorporated recognized WJPA’s Mark Uriah who has been the “Radio Voice of the PONY World Series” since 1984. Uriah retired from his sports work following the game.
August 15, 2024 4:29 am
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Martín Pérez beat his old team in his first victory since San Diego acquired him at the trade deadline, and the Padres defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-2 for their 19th win in 22 games. Jake Cronenworth and David Peralta homered for the Padres, who swept six games from the Pirates this season. San Diego improved to a season-high 16 games over .500, sweeping the three-game series and winning eight series in a row for the first time since 2007. Pittsburgh has lost 10 consecutive games for the first time since June 13-22 last year.
August 15, 2024 4:31 am
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Star receiver Brandon Aiyuk was back out at San Francisco 49ers practice as a spectator as his contract hold in enters a fourth week still in search of a resolution. Aiyuk had mostly stayed off the field the past two weeks after making waves with his boisterous handshakes with general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan two weeks ago. Aiyuk skipped the entire offseason program and hasn’t practiced yet in training camp as he seeks either a long-term contract with San Francisco or a trade to a team that can agree with the receiver on a new deal and give the 49ers enough compensation to part with him.
August 15, 2024 4:32 am
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy will miss the season after undergoing surgery on his right knee. McCarthy had an operation on Wednesday to repair a torn meniscus suffered at some point during his preseason debut last weekend against Las Vegas. The former Michigan standout had a solid training camp and had been expected to back up starter Sam Darnold. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell delivered the news on McCarthy shortly after the team arrived for two days of joint practices with the Browns. McCarthy was the 10th overall pick in the NFL draft after helping the Wolverines to a national title.
August 14, 2024 1:25 am
Two division winners, one world championship–that’s the snapshot of the PONY League World Series after five days of action. Guaynabo, PR is unbeaten, thanks to a win over Long Beach and two against Chinese Taipei. Tijuana, MX topped Bay County, Bronx and Washington County on the way to the finals. Now, the two unbeaten squads square off in the 72nd PONY League World Series championship in a winner-take-all matchup Wednesday night at Lew Hays PONY Field. Game time is 7:30 pm, preceded by special ceremonies at the ballpark including the announcement of the PONY Hostess. PONY Baseball and Softball and World Series Tournaments, Incorporated, the host organizing committee, will also recognize Mark Uriah, the long-time ‘Radio Voice of the World Series,” who is retiring from sports following the tournament. We’ll have the championship game live on WJPA-AM (1450) and online. Listen Here!
August 14, 2024 4:29 am
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Michael King pitched six sharp innings, Manny Machado drove in two runs and David Peralta homered as the San Diego Padres beat Pittsburgh 3-0 to hand the Pirates their ninth straight loss. The Padres won for the 18th time in 21 games since July 20 and claimed their eighth straight series. Conversely, the Pirates lost for the 11th time in 12 games. King struck out 10, allowed seven hits and didn’t issue a walk, throwing 70 of his 93 pitches for strikes. The 29-year-old right-hander won for the fifth time in six decisions since June 29. Pirates starter Luis Ortiz gave up two runs, one earned, and three hits with three strikeouts and two walks in five innings.
August 14, 2024 4:32 am
CHICAGO (AP) — New York Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. appears headed to the injured list with a left elbow injury, manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday. The 26-year-old Chisholm has a probable ulnar collateral ligament injury and Boone said he will “likely” end up on the IL. He said more physicians are evaluating the elbow and that the club should have enough information to make a decision by Wednesday. Chisholm was hurt on a headfirst dive scoring in the fifth. He left during the seventh inning of Monday’s 12-2 loss to the White Sox but downplayed the injury after the game.
August 14, 2024 4:31 am
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy has a torn meniscus in his right knee that will require surgery. He was hurt during his preseason debut when he went 11 for 17 for 188 yards, two touchdowns and one interception against Las Vegas. McCarthy reported persistent soreness to the team when players reconvened. The 10th overall pick in the draft was sent for further examination that revealed the injury. The rehabilitation for a full repair is much longer than if there’s just a partial tear and only a trim is needed. The severity won’t be known until the procedure takes place.
August 13, 2024 5:39 pm
Chinese Taipei rallied with two out in the seventh to tie the game, then beat Palmview in extra innings. Washington County jumped on Bronx, NY, scoring eight run in the first on the way to a run-rule win, eliminating the East Zone champions. In the Division Finals, the two unbeaten teams had enough to avoid “if necessary” games and moved right to the championship. We’ll have every game live on WJPA-AM (1450) and online. Listen Here!
Tuesday
Elimination Bracket
Chinese Taipei 4, Palmview, TX 3, 9 inn.
The Asia-Pacific champions didn’t get a hit until after the game should have been over, but an error extended the seventh inning. Chinese Taipei took full advantage, getting the game to extra innings and scratching across an unearned run in the ninth to win it. Palmview stranded six runners in the game and had three others retired unforced on the bases. Winning pitcher Wu, Chieh-Jui worked 4.2 innings, allowing two runs, but set down seven of the last 8 batters he faced down the stretch.
Washington County 19, Bronx, NY 9, 5 inn.
Bryan Schmeltz homered twice including a two-run shot in the bottom of the first that set the tone for the run-rule win over the East Zone champions. Washington County set 11 batters to the plate in the first frame, scoring eight runs. The hosts then added four in the second to lead 12-0. Bronx took advantage of a pair of Washington errors in the third to score five times, a number the locals matched in the bottom of the inning. Schmeltz hit his second home run in the fourth, followed by a triple for Owen Samogala who scored on a wild pitch. Bronx got to within 10 in the fifth but couldn’t extend the game.
Division Finals
Guaynabo, PR 10, Chinese Taipei 3
The teams went scoreless through the first two innings, then the Caribbean champions exploded for nine runs, cashing in on five C-T errors. Dylan Padilla stroked a two-run double in the frame. Akilis Rivera and winning pitcher Johniel Miranda added RBI singles. Carlos Arroyo had two doubles in the game, giving Puerto Rico its first finals appearance since Trujillo Alto won the 2007 championship.
Tijuana, Mex. 10, Washington County, PA 8, 8 inn.
Tijuana built a 6-0 lead through the top of the fifth while the Washington County bats were nearly silent. That changed in the bottom of the fifth, thanks in part to a booted one-out ground ball. The Host team took advantage of the extra out, scoring four times including Bryan Schmeltz’ three-run home run, his third home run of the day. Washington County took an 8-6 lead in the sixth, using four singles and a pair of walks to go in front. Tijuana plated two unearned runs in the top of the seventh, then scored the winning runs in the top of the eighth. Washington County got the first two batters on in the bottom of the inning but back-to-back force plays and a flyout ended the threat and the game. Tijuana is hoping to win just the second PONY World Series title for Mexico, the last coming in 1972 when Monterrey beat Honolulu, HI.
August 12, 2024 2:11 am
Washington County starter Will Flaherty threw six shutout innings and Owen Samogala drove in three runs leading the hosts to a 7-0 win over Bay County. Mon Valley was eliminated by Palmview in the morning elimination game. Sebastian Quiles held Chinese Taipei to just two hits and Abdamil Robles singled home Quiles’ courtesy runner in the fourth inning for the game’s only run to move to Guaynabo to the Division Finals. Tijuana batted around twice in the fourth, scoring a dozen runs, in a blowout win over Bronx.
We’ll have every game live on WJPA-AM (1450) and online. Listen Here!
Monday
Elimination Bracket
Palmview 11, Mon Valley 4
Palmview pounded out 14 hits against three different Mon Valley pitchers, rolling to the elimination game win. Gael Zambrano, Alex Leon, Javier Garza each drove in a pair of runs. Zambrano had four hits including a double. Leon doubled twice among his three hits. Demaris Tolliver singled in a pair of runs for Mon Valley. Kennedy Nash and Zach Plymire each had an RBI.
Washington County 7, Bay County 0
Owen Samogala doubled to the gap with two out in the third, driving in a pair of runs, and Will Flaherty tossed six shutout innings, helping Washington County, PA stay alive. In the fifth, three straight two-out hits plated three more runs, more than enough to eliminate the North Zone champions. With Flaherty’s courtesy runner on first, Bryan Schmeltz tripled off the fence in left-center, Samogala doubled to right and Macksim Nonack singled, giving Flaherty plenty of breathing room. The righthander pitched out of trouble in the second, having allowed a single and a double after one out. A strikeout, one of seven in the game, and a line out ended the threat. Faherty allowed just two other hits and no walks in getting the win. Tristin Coney worked the seventh innings to preserve the win.
Winners’ Bracket
Guaynabo 1, Chinese Taipei 0
Sebastian Quiles tossed a complete game two-hit shutout to lead the Caribbean champions past Chinese Taipei. In a scoreless game in the fourth, Quiles doubled with one out and gave way to Keniel Nieves as a courtesy runner. After a flyout, Abdamil Robles singled Nieves home with the game’s only run. Guaynabo managed just five hits off six different C-T pitchers. Quiles walked two while striking out seven batters, facing only two batters beyond the minimum over the final five innings.
Tijuana 16, Bronx 2, 5 inn.
With the game tied at 2, Tijuana sent 18 batters to the plate in the fourth, scoring 12 runs on eight hits, taking advantage of three hit batters and four walks. Romeo Briones homered for the third time in the World Series in the fourth. Carlos Pardo had three RBI, Moyses Salido and Bryan Espinoza drove in a pair along with Briones. Salido got the complete-game, five-inning win, holding the East Zoe champions to two hits while striking out a dozen batters, including the final seven outs of the game.
