Sotelo helps Mexico celebrate opening victory
Levittown’s Alexander Dominguez throws out Guasave’s Pedro Cervantes at first base Friday night during a Pony League World Series game at Lew Hays Pony Field in Washington.
Guasave, Mexico fans cheer on their team Friday night during the Pony League World Series at Lew Hays Pony Field in Washington.
Levittown’s Miguel Vega beats the tag from Guasave’s Pedro Cervantes Friday night during a Pony League World Series game Friday night at Lew Hays Pony Field in Washington.
Levittown’s Miguel Vega slides into second base below Guasave’s Pedro Cervantes during a Pony League World Series game Friday night at Lew Hays Pony Field in Washington.
From left, Observer-Reporter publisher Thomas P. Northrop, former Observer-Reporter publisher John Northrop and Pony Baseball President Abe Key pose for a picture between games Friday night at Lew Hays Pony Field in Washington. John Northrop received a plaque and was inducted into the Pony League Wall of Fame on the opening night of the 2017 Pony League World Series.
Mexico’s Vidal Sotelo had a 15th birthday to remember Friday night.
Sotelo’s birthday presents included a home run ball, a complete game and, most important, a win.
The southpaw led Guasave, Sinaloa, Mexico, to a 4-1 win over Levittown, Puerto Rico in the opening game of the 66th Pony League World Series.
Guasave, Mexico, advances to play the Seoul, Korea, the Asian-Pacific Zone Champion, at 5:30 p.m. today. Levittown, Puerto Rico, will play the loser of Friday night’s late game between Hagerstown, Md., and Youngstown, Ohio, which was delayed because of rain and was not finished before presstime for today’s publication.
“It wasn’t my game; it was the whole team’s game,” Sotelo said. “Everybody played a part of the game.”
Sotelo allowed one unearned run and two hits to earn the win. The southpaw struck out 12 and walked three in the seven-inning game. Also the No. 3 hitter for Mexico, Sotelo hit a solo home run to add to his big night.
Mexico manager Genero Armenta described Sotelo’s pitching and hitting style as “wild,” but in a good way.
Puerto Rico manager Pedro Feliciano, who pitched nine years as a left-handed reliever in the major leagues, compared Sotelo’s pitching style to the best pitcher on earth: Clayton Kershaw, whose Wilson A2000 brand glove Sotelo got as a birthday present and was pitching with for the first time.
“He was tough; he’s got good stuff (and) a good fastball,” Feliciano said. “He’s got good mechanics. He was kind of (like) Clayton Kershaw – that kind of funky stuff. He was pitching good, mixing in the fastball with a good breaking ball. We couldn’t hit him.”
The game at Lew Hays Pony Field started just as Mexico’s last game ended.
In the Mexico Zone Championship, Sotelo threw a complete-game shutout and hit a game-winning solo home run in the seventh inning to send his team to the Pony League World Series. In his first plate appearance Friday night, Sotelo hit a solo home run to give Mexico an early 1-0 lead.
After walking the first batter he faced, Sotelo settled down and retired the next eight batters, including six straight by strikeout.
“I came into (the game) really nervous,” Sotelo said. “We knew Puerto Rico was going to be a good team. On the bus coming here, I was seeing the last games of them, and I was nervous.”
Puerto Rico starting pitcher Joskar Feliciano, Pedro Feliciano’s son, also was impressive, retiring nine straight batters after allowing the home run to Sotelo.
The game was a pitcher’s duel through five innings, with Joskar Feliciano allowing only one run and two hits and Sotelo surrendering only one hit and no runs.
Puerto Rico’s best chance to score came in the fifth inning, when Sotelo struggled with his command. Two walks and a wild pitch to start the inning saw two Puerto Rico players in scoring position with no outs.
Sotelo struck out the next batter then induced a groundball to shortstop Kevin Armenta, playing in just behind the infield grass. Kevin Armenta threw a strike to catcher Alexander Dominguez to prevent the tying run from scoring. After tagging the runner out at home, Dominguez immediately threw out the runner trying to advance from second to third base for an unconventional 6-2-5, inning-ending double play.
“They were playing in, and we were running on contact,” Pedro Feliciano said. “The surprising thing, the guy on second ran to third. I wasn’t expecting him to run. We were running on contact, and their shortstop made a good play.”
To lead off the sixth inning, Mexico’s Jesus Parra, the team’s No. 9 hitter, crushed a solo home run to increase his team’s lead to 2-0. Puerto Rico scored its first and only run of the game when Drachir Lugo smacked a single that scored Miguel Vega, who reached base on an error.
Ahead 2-1 in the seventh, Mexico added two insurance runs on the team’s third home run, this one a two-run shot from Pedro Felix.
“We have strong players, and they hit home runs often,” said Armenta. “It was the base of winning the (Mexico Zone) Championship.”
Joskar Feliciano allowed seven hits and four runs, all earned on the three home runs, in the complete-game loss. He struck out six and walked none.
“I think he pitched good; he did a good job,” Pedro Feliciano said. “(This is a) small ballpark. In the regular park, those aren’t homers. But we’re here, we’re in the World Series, and that’s what it is with homers. That’s the bottom line. Hit the ball forward. If you hit the ball forward, maybe they go.”
Sotelo ended the game as dominant as he began it, striking out the last two batters
“To win the first game, we feel more confidence,” Sotelo said. “Puerto Rico is not easy, and all of us are excited for tomorrow.”
This year’s Pony League World Series is the second for Guasave, Mexico, while Levittown, Puerto Rico, last made it in 2014 and advanced to the Division Final. … Pedro Feliciano pitched nine seasons for the New York Mets, winning 22 games with a career 3.33 ERA. … Anthony Rasmussen from Covina, Calif., won yesterday’s Home Run Derby, and David Clever from Hagerstown, Md., won the Fastest Runner Competition.