California boys party for USA

Posted: Monday, August 29, 2011 7:01 pm

By GENARO C. ARMAS
AP Sports Writer
SOUTH WILLIAMS-PORT, Pa. (AP) — An American flag draped around his shoulders, Braydon Salzman couldn’t contain his glee when he found California teammate Nick Pratto to give him a postgame hug.
The boys from Huntington Beach are headed home with a Little League World Series championship.
Pratto singled in the winning run with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of sixth inning, and Salzman pitched a complete-game three-hitter in a 2-1 victory Sunday over Hamamatsu City, Japan, and the tournament title.
“USA! USA,” yelled fans before Pratto’s single.
“I was just thinking. ‘Oh God, Oh God,’ Before I was getting in the box,” the 12-year-old Pratto said. “But once I got into the box, I calmed myself by telling myself to just look for a good pitch.”
Pratto’s clutch hit returned the World Series title to the United States with the type of victory even the big leaguers dream about.
A U.S. team has now won six out of the last seven World Series, with Japan’s win last year the exception.
Pratto tossed his helmet into the air after rounding first before his teammates mobbed him in the infield. The teams exchanged handshakes at the plate before California’s giddy players posed at the mound with their new championship banner.
“My team is physically smaller than most of the teams. We didn’t think we would get to this stage,” Japan manager Akihiro Suzuki, who fought back tears after the game, said through interpreter Kotaro Omori.
With runners on first and second, an error by Japan shortstop Gaishi Iguchi on what could have been an inning-ending double play loaded the bases for California. After a force play at the plate, Pratto smacked a solid liner to center off reliever Kazuto Takakura that brought pinch-runner Eric Anderson home with the winning run.
Pratto did his father, manager Jeff Pratto, proud. Nick Pratto said it was great to have his father as his coach, “but he kind of gets on my nerves sometimes.”
Published in The Messenger 8.29.11