For Washington County, it was an inside job
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
The throw to home plate bounces beyond the reach of Monterrey catcher Roberto Saucedo as Washington County’s Troy Stimpson dives to score an inside-the-park home run that gave Washington a 5-0 lead in the fourth inning of the the Pony League World Series game Tuesday afternoon. Washington won the game, 7-5.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Monterrey catcher Roberto Saucedo is too late to catch Washington County’s Alex Eslep as he steals home for Washington’s third run in the Pony league World Series game Thursday afternoon. Washington County won 7-5 and the teams met again late Thursday night.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Washington County’s Ayvari Chandler stands in with a fifth-inning double against Monterrey, Mexico.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Troy Stimpson celebrates with teammates after hitting an inside-the-park home run that put Washington up 5-0 over Monterrrey, Mexico, in an afternoon game Thursday in the Pony League World Series at Lew Hays Pony Field. The teams met in a rematch late Thursday night.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Washington County's Brady Kloosterman celebrates a 7-5 victory over Monterrey, Mexico, with winning pitcher Brayden Radue. Radue went the distance in the five-inning Pony League World Series game.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Pitcher Brayden Ladue went the five-inning distance for a 7-5 Washington County win over Monterrey, Mexico, in the Pony League World Series game Thursday afternoon. The teams met again late Thursday night.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Washington County's Ryan Huey tees up a single in the second inning.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Washington County third baseman Alex Eslep throws for the final out of a 7-5 victory over Monterrey, Mexico.
From the very first pitch, fans of the Washington County Pony League team knew this game was going to be something special.
And they were right
Troy Stimpson hit a three-run inside-the-park home run to help back the pitching of Brayden Radue and overcome a grand slam by Monterrey, Mexico’s Fernando Quiroga to pocket a 7-5 victory Tuesday in the Pony League World Series at Lew Hays Pony Field in Washington Park.
The victory, Washington County’s second straight in this double-elimination tournament that began Friday, sent the World Series host team into Tuesday night’s late game with a rematch with Monterrey.
If someone told Washington County manager Anthony Wuenstel that he’d see a grand slam and an inside-the-park home run in the same game, then he would’ve thought he was being lied to or having a really good dream.
“This was a great baseball game and I’m so proud of this team,” said Wuenstel.
Washington County jumped on Monterrey for two runs in the first inning.
“It set the tone,” Wuenstel said. “We talk all the time about baseball being a game of momentum. To go out and get those two runs on our side was just huge.”
It stirred up the large crowd who came to see if Washington County can snap a 67-year drought of winning a series title.
“They were very big,” said Radue, who pitched all five innings, striking out eight and walking just one. “They got us started and we just kept going.”
Radue used his fastball and curve to keep the Monterrey hitters off balance. He did not allow a hit through the first three innings.
Four games were played yesterday morning and afternoon and each was a five-inning game because rain put the schedule back.
Meanwhile, Washington built a 5-0 lead when Stimpson unloaded on Monterrey pitcher Ali Villa for an inside-the-park home run.
Ryan Huey, who won the fastest baserunner contest on Friday, and Ayvari Chandler both came around to score ahead of Stimpson.
“I’ve had an inside-the-park home run before but not one that special,” said Stimpson. “I hit a fastball away. I thought it was gone, if I’m being honest. After a while, I was just running and trusting my coaches.”
Stimpson’s home run gave Washington County a 5-0 lead, heading to the bottom of the fourth.
Enrique Hinojosa broke up the no-hitter with a single to right field and Roberto Saucedo followed with a single also to right. Radue seemed to right the ship with a strikeout of Miguel Alejandro but Enrique Cuevas walked and Quiroga sent a drive over the left field fence to cut Washington County’s lead to 5-4.
It was the 48th grand slam in series history, the last one coming in 2018.
Washington County put two more runs up in the top of the fifth.
Monterrey manager Geraldo Leal was not happy with some of the calls made by the umpires.
“We were afraid of that,” he said. “For us, it was clear. We were pretty upset, especially with the call at home.”
Monterrey, 5-1
Monterrey used a three-run first inning and two-run third to eliminate Manchester, N.H., from the Pony League World Series, 5-1.
Fernando Quiroga knocked in two runs. Miguel Alejandro had two hits and scored twice. Alejandro pitched five innings, allowing one earned run and striking out five.
Youngstown, 3-1
Ben Oddis cracked a three-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 3-1 victory over Covina, Calif.
Jayden Amos and Layne Rider scored on Oddis’ home run. Ford Stacy allowed one run in five innings.
Ayden Vieth had two hits and drove in Roman Spencer in the third inning for Covina, the West Zone champion.
Edogawa, Japan, 6-2
A fast start, which saw Edogawa, Japan score six runs over the first three innings, powered the Asia-Pacific Zone champion to a 6-2 victory over Youngstown, Ohio, in a modified five-inning game.
Two Edogawa pitchers held Youngstown hitless through 2 2/3 innings. Youngstown scored twice in the fifth inning to make it close.
Kaito Saito had two of Japan’s nine hits. Yugo Inoue knocked in two runs and Keito Tsurutu had a double and two RBI.