Washington County pitching finally ran out of steam, playing a third game in the span of about 33 hours. Monterrey pounded four home runs, three of them for three runs apiece as the Mexico champions advanced to the World Series title game Wednesday night. They play either Johnstown, PA or New Taipei City, TW who square off in a final elimination game Wednesday morning.
AJ Andronas lined a two-run home run to put Washington County in front in the third, much to the delight of the full-house crowd. That lead lasted all of five batters. That’s when Luis Guajardo hit a three-run shot, followed four batters later by Miguel Alejandro three-run home run. Winning pitcher Emiliano Martinez this a two-run homer in the fifth before pinch-hitter Israel Herrera ended the contest with a three-run homer, putting Monterrey in the finals for the first time since winning the title in 1972.
New Taipei City used small-ball. Johnstown did the long-ball thing. The teams went tied to extra innings when the wheels fell of for Johnstown. The Asia-Pacific champions got a scratch single and followed that with two consecutive bunt base hits. Add three walks, a hit-batter and a single and it adds to 7-2 lead for Taiwan. Johnstown managed a run in the bottom of the eighth but it was too little, too late to avoid a third game against New Taipei City. This one Wednesday with the winner taking on Monterrey in the World Series championship game.
In Tuesday’s daytime action: Nico Patragas stroked a three-run fifth inning home run to break a 2-2 tie, leading Washington County past Palmview, TX and into Tuesday’s division final vs. Monterrey, MX. The Hosts scored a run earlier in the frame to tie the game on an RBI grounder by MJ Maruschak. Washington County took advantage of a pair of Palmview errors to score their first and last run, the second proving to be the game-winner. Palmview scored three times in the top of the seventh but left the bases loaded when Cayden Laskosky coaxed a flyout to left to the game. Sebastian Shulsky pitched 6+ strong innings, hold Palmview to three unearned runs on just two hits and two walks while striking out seven.
Earlier in the session, Yang, Wen-Wei homered, doubled and drove in four runs leading New Taipei City past Bay County in five innings. The Asia-Pacific champions score four in the first, added four more in the second to cruise to the win and a rematch with unbeaten Johnstown in Tuesday’s division final. Bay County’s only real threat came with three singles in the third but the North Zone champions left the bases loaded following a looking strike out and a fly out to left.
The PONY League World Series continues Wednesday with a final elimination game with Johnstown taking on New Taipei City at 11 am. The winner returns Wednesday night to play Monterrey for the 70th PONY championship. All the action of the DICK’S Sporting Goods PONY League World Series will be heard live on WJPA-AM (1450) or Listen Here.
World Series website link: Click Here